Frequently Asked Questions About Al-Mawrid US and its initiative, GCIL

The Board of Trustees is responsible for overseeing all major governance decisions at Al-Mawrid US. The Board sets policies, frameworks, and long-term objectives, ensuring that initiatives, research, and outreach efforts remain consistent with the institution’s guiding principles. This includes finances, budgets, key personnel appointments, compensation, strategic direction, and policy formulation. The Board ensures that all decisions align with the organization’s mission, vision, and commitment to academic integrity within the framework of applicable laws, rules, regulations and the organization’s bylaws.

• Board Structure & Elections: The Board of Trustees is elected through a General Body comprising 37 members, ensuring a democratic and participatory governance structure. Each Board member serves a tenure of two years, and elections are held every year to ensure continued accountability and fresh perspectives. Decisions within the Board are approved by a majority vote.
• Financial Oversight: The organization operates under an approved budget, which is reviewed and approved by the Board at the beginning of each year. The Board meets monthly to review financial expenditures, ensuring that funds are allocated responsibly and in alignment with the approved budget. General body members are invited to attend the monthly Board meeting. Monthly compensation payouts require Board’s oversight through the Treasurer’s approval, ensuring continuous supervision. Any new expense that falls outside the scope of the approved budget must undergo Board review and receive formal approval before any expense is made. Bookkeeping, filing of federal and state tax returns, and the Compensation Committee function directly under the Board’s supervision.
• Compensation & Hiring: The Board evaluates and determines compensation structures, leadership appointments, and hiring decisions to ensure fairness, alignment with expertise, and long-term organizational goals. A primary factor in hiring and appointments is that the individual has a background in the mission and intellectual tradition of the Farahi school of thought, ensuring alignment with the organization’s vision and scholarly framework.

Al-Mawrid US is an entirely independent organization with no administrative or governance-based affiliation with any other Al-Mawrid entity, including those in Pakistan or any other country. While we share a commitment to the intellectual and academic contributions of Javed Ahmed Ghamidi and engage in scholarly collaboration when appropriate, all matters of governance, strategy, and decision-making at Al-Mawrid US are solely determined by our governing body—the Board of Trustees.

We do not take directives, funding, or operational guidance from any external entity or any other organization. Our policies, programs, and initiatives are developed and implemented independently, ensuring that our work remains aligned with our mission and the best interests of our community. Any similarities in name or scholarly engagement should not be misconstrued as an administrative or structural dependency.

The Board upholds governance best practices, conducting regular reviews to maintain transparency, prevent conflicts of interest, and safeguard the organization’s integrity. Any financial transactions or hiring decisions involving individuals with close ties to board members or executives are subject to review and approval processes to ensure fairness and ethical governance. Meeting minutes, financial statements, and key policy decisions are documented and reviewed. An annual report, detailing the organization’s finances and programs, is prepared each year and presented to the General Body during the organization’s annual meeting in December.

Al-Mawrid US allocates a portion of its budget to research projects that align with its mission and academic objectives. These projects operate under the Department of Research, which consists of approximately ten scholars and multiple research assistants. Under the leadership of the Director of Research, multiple committees, focus groups, and supervisors are assigned to evaluate research proposals based on past work, academic rigor, relevance, impact, and alignment with the organization’s mission.

Al-Mawrid US supports two types of research grants to advance Islamic scholarship. The first is Institution-Initiated Research Grants, where the organization maintains an in-house list of research topics curated by its Department of Research. These topics are selected based on identified gaps in knowledge and the organization’s strategic goals. The department actively seeks talented researchers from society to contribute to these initiatives and shares the list of topics upon request with research academies, scholars, or universities interested in collaboration. The second type is External Research Proposals, where researchers can submit independent proposals for funding. These proposals undergo a structured review process to ensure they align with Al-Mawrid US’s objectives and meet its scholarly standards. Both grant types reflect Al-Mawrid US’s commitment to fostering high-quality research and addressing critical areas of Islamic thought.

All submitted research proposals are assessed through a multi-step evaluation process to ensure they meet organization’s standards and objectives. First, the research topic must align with the organization’s mission and fall within its defined guidelines. Next, the proposal undergoes expert review and supervision, where focus groups and designated supervisors from relevant fields provide feedback and, if necessary, oversee the project throughout its duration. A comprehensive field analysis is then conducted, with input from specialists to evaluate the academic value, originality, and feasibility of the research. Additionally, the proposal must present a strong argument regarding its academic significance, demonstrating how it contributes to the field of knowledge and benefits the target audience. Finally, the budget is reviewed, and funding decisions are subject to approval by Al-Mawrid US’s Board after a thorough evaluation.

If a research proposal successfully meets all evaluation criteria, the Board allocates the necessary budget for its execution. The Director of Research oversees the project, ensuring deliverables are met within the approved timeline and providing regular updates on research progress. This role involves coordinating with focus groups, supervisors (if appointed), and research assistants to maintain quality and progress, as well as managing editorial supervision and oversight committees. The Director of Research also aligns all stakeholders to ensure the successful completion of the project. Additionally, Al-Mawrid US has developed a set of structured guidelines and research patterns for book writing under its supervision. These documents serve as a framework for scholars and research assistants, ensuring consistency and academic integrity across all research projects. This comprehensive approach ensures that research is conducted efficiently, transparently, and to the highest scholarly standards.

Mr. Javed Ahmed Ghamidi and other scholars associated with Al-Mawrid US are involved in research, education, public sessions, Q&A, and dissemination of scholarly findings. They do not serve on the Board of Trustees. They do not participate in any governance decisions, and have no access to Al-Mawrid US’s funds.

We do not disclose individual compensation unless legally required to do so. However, all financial matters, including budgets and salary structures, are managed transparently by the Board of Trustees in accordance with nonprofit regulations.

Al-Mawrid US may cover necessary travel and work-related expenses for official visits that are directly related to the organization’s program needs and mission. All travel requests must be pre-approved by the Board or designated leadership. However, personal expenses incurred during such visits are not covered by the organization.

Compensation varies based on responsibilities, experience, and the nature of the work. The Board of Trustees ensures that salary structures are equitable and in line with the organization’s financial guidelines and sustainability.

The Board of Trustees plays a key role in overseeing key personnel decisions, ensuring that appointments align with the organization’s vision, governance policies, and financial sustainability. The Board of Trustees ensures that hiring decisions reflect organizational priorities by filling positions based on expertise, prior contributions, and alignment with the organization’s mission.

While Al-Mawrid US operates with a strategic work model, our leadership roles are designed to form project-specific teams based on the scope, budget, and assigned responsibilities. These teams are created following clear guidelines to maintain work progress and quality. The Board of Trustees delegates the responsibility to designated leadership including the Executive Director and the Director of Research and Communication, to engage with contractors as needed for projects, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and standards. Additionally, the Board monitors overall performance and evaluates team selection based on results and efficiency, ensuring that the organization continues to operate with excellence and accountability.

Some individuals hold multiple responsibilities within the organization due to their expertise and alignment with specific projects. Such assignments are made based on necessity and ability to contribute effectively, with oversight from the Board of Trustees. As a growing organization, we maximize the use of available resources while maintaining the highest standards of quality in our programs. Our lean operational model allows us to remain efficient and adaptive, ensuring that we prioritize program excellence over administrative expansion. Assigning multiple roles to qualified individuals enables us to sustain our work effectively without compromising on the depth and impact of our initiatives.

Decisions about visual representation, including photographs and promotional content, are made based on relevance to ongoing initiatives, public engagement, and organizational objectives.

Al-Mawrid US primarily focuses on religious scholarship, but discussions on contemporary issues, including political and historical topics, are sometimes addressed when they intersect with ethical and religious considerations. Our approach is strictly theoretical and does not engage with or endorse any political affiliations, movements, or agendas. Instead, we focus solely on providing insights grounded in the ethical framework of Islam, independent of any contemporary political considerations. Additionally, our scholars are granted academic freedom to choose, express, and present their subjects and topics. This freedom allows them to explore diverse areas of Islamic thought, address relevant contemporary challenges, and contribute meaningfully to intellectual discourse.

We also encourage the selection of topics that help train and develop the Muslim value system at both the individual and societal levels. This includes engaging with the values that shape the modern world, such as democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and the freedom of movement, ensuring that Islamic scholarship remains relevant and contributes to the global intellectual and ethical landscape.

Additionally, we emphasize guiding Muslim nations to adopt strategies that prevent conflicts and actively contribute to global progress. This involves helping them understand their role and responsibilities in the modern world, as well as the power dynamics shaping global affairs. By doing so, they can safeguard future generations from instability and loss while positioning themselves as constructive participants in the international community.

Individuals associated with Al-Mawrid US may hold personal political views, as is their right. However, as an organization, Al-Mawrid US does not endorse, align with, or promote any political party, movement, or agenda. Our work remains strictly focused on academic research, education, and the dissemination of Islamic thought, independent of any political affiliations.

The affiliation of our scholars is based on a broad acceptance and agreement with the document “The Core Principles” (Usool-e-Mubadi) which outlines the fundamental principles of our association. However, scholars retain the right to interpret and explain these principles in their own way. However, Al Mawrid US follows a clear Standard of Procedure when addressing inquiries about Javed Ahmed Ghamidi’s stance: Regardless of any differences in interpretation, scholars must explicitly present Javed Ahmed Ghamidi’s viewpoint when asked.

Al-Mawrid US operates solely on private donations and revenue generated by its programs. At no point has Al-Mawrid US or any of its initiatives received public funding or financial support from the United States government, any state government, or any foreign government. We do not have any policy or current intent to seek government funding in the future.

Our fundraising policy focuses on supporting the academic and research-based initiatives we have established, ensuring that contributions are directed toward sustainable projects. Our website and social media platforms provide comprehensive visibility into these efforts, featuring numerous banners, posters, and detailed listings of all available projects for support.

Al-Mawrid US uses Javed Ahmed Ghamidi’s name and image in its fundraising campaigns because he is the founder of the institution, the architect of its ideology, and its foremost proponent. As a research fellow, he remains actively associated with the institution, and the majority of its work revolves around the dissemination, explanation, and elaboration of his research. His voice and image are predominantly featured on the institution’s audio-visual channels, reflecting his central role. While he does not engage in administrative affairs, he continues to provide intellectual guidance as a scholar, and his students, under his mentorship, contribute to various institutional initiatives. Moreover, his personality and work serve as a primary source of inspiration for donors, directly influencing their support. To obscure or downplay his presence during fundraising would not only be factually incorrect but also ethically misleading and counterproductive to the institution’s growth and mission.