MarkazUlIslam Phase2 New Islamic Center Project

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Markaz-Ul-IslamPhase-2New Islamic Center Project
Objective Purchase, Develop and Service the
LandTime Duration December 2007 to Sept 2009
Prepared on Aug 17, 2008
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Presentation Topics

• Issues and Challenges
• Objective
• How can we do it?
• History Review
• Moral of the Story?
• Project Progress
• Project Responsibilities
• Land Overview
• Project phases and milestones
• Accomplishments
• Financial Update
• Project Funding Status Needs
• How can we accomplish

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New Islamic Center Initiative

• Issues and Challenges
• Our current Masjid no longer can accommodate
  Friday prayers and other religious festivals.
• Our Islamic school space is not able to
  accommodate further grades.
• Our community has grown in leaps and bounds and
  expectation is that it will double in next 5-8
  years.
• We do not have our own recreation center where we
  can allow our children (girls and boys) to have
  their own activities.
• We dont have our own community center where
  community gathering could be accommodated.

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New Islamic Center Initiative.Contd

• Objective
• Find a piece of land big enough to build our own
  Islamic Center, and where we can offer the
  following
• Masjid big enough for all occasions
• Islamic School for our children big enough to
  accommodate todays and future needs
• Our community recreation center

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How can we do it? ..Markaz-Ul-Islam Story

• 1987/1988
• Markaz-Ul-Islam Congregation of Ft. McMurray was
  established.
• Total Muslim Families were around 20-25
• Congregational Salat (prayers) were being offered
  in volunteers basements that eventually lead to
  renting community school.
• 1989
• Community grew to 30-35 families
• A need for our own place was realized
• A piece of land where an old trailer was sitting
  was purchased for 85K, it was a stretch to the
  small community but future needs dictated that we
  tighten our belt and initiate a challenging
  project.
• 1990
• Plan was devised to get rid of the old trailer
  and build a Masjid
• Money was the biggest challenge especially with
  the small community who just went through the
  significant effort of buying the land.
• Community realized that delaying the initiative
  will make it even more difficult due to rising
  costs and availability of land at the right spot.

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How can we do it? ..Markaz-Ul-Islam StoryCont.

• 1991
• Uphill battle started as we undertook the
  challenge with Allahs blessing and generous
  commitment of local brothers and sisters as well
  as external help we were able to collect 150K
  dollars.
• Community worked hard to cop with continuous
  funding challenges.
• 1992
• The Masjid you see today was built by these few
  brothers and sisters.
• With Allahs blessing financial assistance
  received from within and outside of Ft. McMurray.
  
• People thought it is impossible there is no way
  we could accomplish this why do we need such a
  big Masjid?
• There were more arguments and negative comments
  than positive support, often it used to get
  frustrating and disheartening but at the end we
  made it. It was Allahs blessing and support from
  generous brother and sisters who made that dream
  come true.
• Many brothers and sisters enjoying this blessing
  for years may be not truly appreciating the
  bounty of Allah and dedication and commitment of
  those brother and sister many of whom are not
  reaping the reward as they have moved on to other
  endeavors in their lives.

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How can we do it? ..Moral of the story
StoryCont.

• Those who built our existing Masjid left their
  Sadaqa Jariah (continuous Charity) for us to be
  benefited.
• It is now this communitys turn to take this step
  forward and build a place that can offer a
  Masjid, an Islamic School and a Muslim Community
  Center for those who are here and for those yet
  to come.
• We should commit and dedicate ourselves to this
  initiative thinking that we may not be the one
  who would enjoy this bounty but it will be our
  Sadaqa Jariah, our reward is with Allah Almighty.
  Would there be any better business transaction
  than this one, if we think with mind and heart
  full of Emman.
• It may seems a long uphill battle but believe me
  proportionally it is not as big as it was in
  1987. We are a lot more in numbers now and can
  make this dream come true. All we need is Allahs
  blessing and everyone elses whole hearted
  commitment.

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Project Progress.Project Responsibilities

• Project Planning and Land Development Committee
• Responsible for land logistics, purchase,
  development and servicing of the land
• Leader Brother Hamid Butt (780-791-5363)
• Project Fund Raising Committee
• Responsible for fund raising
• Leader Brother Tauqir Hasan (780-748-7545)
• Markaz-ul-Islam Executive Committee
• Responsible for the total affairs of Muslim
  Community at large.
• Leader Brother Mohammed Aboushhadi (780-799-5050)

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Project Progress.Land Overview..Cont.
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Project Progress.Project phases and
milestones..Cont.

• Phase-1
• Secure a piece of land for our project
• By seeking government's approval Completed
• Phase-2
• Purchase the land, transfer the title In
  Progress
• and service the land Expected Completion
• Sept 2009
• Phase-3
• Develop design, acquire all required
• approvals and execute construction Not yet Started

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Project Progress.Project Accomplishments..Cont
.

• We have joined a non profitable consortium that
  consists of the following five organizations
• Name of the organization Piece of Land
• Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo 20 Acers
• McMurray Gospel Assembly 15 Acers
• St. John the Baptist Parish 9.75 Acers
• Northern Lights Regional Hospital 8 Acers
• Markaz-Ul-Islam 8 Acers
• Crown has approved purchase of land in the area
  of Dickensfield that can accommodate the need of
  the above mentioned parties.
• City council has approved the proposal.
• Name of the land has been chosen Abrams Land
• First payment has been made by each member

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Financial Update.Project Funding Status Needs

• Total funding target 4.0M
• Total Units Required 1600
• Promised Pledges 2.6M
• Units Pledged 1041
• Funds Collected 1.1M
• Units Collected 444
• Weekly Target 40 units/week
• Progress on Average 10-12 units/week
• Funds Required per month 200K
• Funds Raised per month varies from 55K to
  165K
• Funds Submitted to the project 141K
• Balance on hand 223K

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Financial Update.How can we accomplish?..Cont.

• Members Monthly 2 Years Target of
• Pledge Donation 4.0M
• 800 250.00 6,000.00 4.8M
• 400 500.00 12,000.00 4.8M
• 200 1,000.00 24,000.00 4.8M
• 100 2,000.00 48,000.00 4.8M
• If we all contribute with our best ability, Allah
  Almighty will make it easy Inshallah.

End of the Presentation