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BCMA A beacon of hope for the Muslims of British Columbia
3-22-2017
It would not be unfair to state that when we hear the term BCMA, British Columbia Muslim Association, our imagination is usually limited to a local, small association, managing the day to day affairs of our local mosques that are scattered around BC. Our imagination than leads us to believe that this cluster of mosques directors have somehow, in some strange way figured out the way to remain united together in an association, working together, mostly working harmoniously, and at times may seem like a dysfunctional family, to serve the local Muslim community.
Well, let us remind ourselves, BCMA is anything but what our imagination has been misguiding us into believing. It is an organization that needs to be reckoned with. If BCMA was a corporation, and simply based on its current capital assets, revenues, expenditures, and number of full-time and part-time employees, it would be ranked among the leading small to mid-size business enterprise (SME) in this country, and extremely successful one at that. Let us not forget the backbone of this association, and its success posits upon thousands of volunteers, as well as donors, who over the past fifty years have poured in their blood and sweat to build an exemplary organization that has no competition on the North American continent.
So let us not fall folly to our own misguided imagination. Yes, there is not a single Muslim organization in the North American Continent that can even remotely mimic the BCMA Organizational Model for Uniting the Ummah, and serving the community. We challenge our readers to research and investigate our claims. We assure, you would reach the same conclusion, as us; that there is not a single such unified body for the Muslim community in any of the States in the U.S., or in any of the Canadian provinces. Yes, we do have something good going here in BC, which no one else in the continent has yet, managed to establish.
For this, we must be grateful to Allah, for guiding the early pioneers of the BCMA, who themselves came from different backgrounds, even different continents, from Fiji, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, and elsewhere, but united in hearts as Muslims, working together in unison to serve the Ummah. They not only developed the framework of unity among Muslims, rather through their actions they set the bar so high that it is nearly impossible for others to replicate.
Some may argue, what about ISNA? The differentiation is simple, ISNA is a national organization catering to the needs of Muslim community at a broader, national level, with centers located in larger metropolitan areas, mainly situated in the U.S. However, when it comes to serving the needs of the individual local Muslims, at a State, Provincial level, or even local levels, and offering membership access to the executive board members, and to local directors, BCMA’s record remains unmatched. A role model which Muslim communities across many States and Provinces would love to emulate.
That’s not it. BCMA is much more than local fellow Muslims managing local Mosques. It is an association which is constantly evolving, constantly learning from its mistakes, and constantly refining the way it operates, and even making necessary Constitutional amendments, with consultation (Shura) to meet the needs and challenges of the fastest growing faith in Canada, ensuring the rights of every single Muslim member of the community, regardless of their race, culture, creed, or place of origin. Treating everyone equally, based on one member, one vote – conducting its affairs in an open and democratic environment.
The cornerstone of BCMA's policies has always been transparency, and accountability, thus establishing credibility among the community members. BCMA's Constitution is available to the public at large. BCMA's Annual General Meetings are announced one year in advance, and held at one of its flagship mosques. At AGM's executives provide members the entire year's professionally audited financial statements, and members are allowed and encouraged to question the executives, seeking clarifications.
In addition to the above, each individual Branch or Chapter also conduct their own AGM's where audited financial statements for their respective Branch or Chapter is presented to the members, and giving membership and even public at large to question their local mosque directors, seeking clarifications.
Within fifty years, when BCMA had no Capital assets, holding their meetings at the Pakistan Canada Association's West 8th Avenue mosque, It has grown into ten different branches, each with their own flagship Mosque, situated throughout this beautiful province of British Columbia, from Prince George in the North, to Abbotsford/Chilliwack in the South, Victoria and Nanaimo on the Western shores of the Pacific Ocean to Kelowna, in the heart of the province. Collectively, total of ten branches, and two chapters, along with their counterparts of eight branches and chapters for Women’s Affairs, two Islamic Schools, Funeral and Burial Services, and a Head Office.
The story just doesn’t end there. One of the most important aspects of Islam, and duty upon each Muslim is giving charity. BCMA has been at the forefront of helping the poor and needy, not only here in Canada, rather have actively collected and contributed to natural disasters around the globe that were recognized by the Canadian government as worth needing assistance. Between 2008 to 2016, and based on figures extracted from BCMA's Audited Financial Statements, BCMA has disbursed $1.786 Million locally to the needy Muslims, and $1.147 Million to aid the Muslims and non-Muslims in natural disasters around the globe.
So next time when our imagination start to run wild about BCMA. We need to pause and think what this association is all about. It is about serving the needs of the Ummah in Beautiful British Columbia, Canada. We need to reflect on the hard work its 140 Full-time and Part-Time employees bring to the association every day, when the sun rises. We need to reflect upon the countless, if someone had kept count, it would be in millions of hours, volunteers – the unsung heroes – have contributed to the association over the past fifty years. Let us not forget our local branch directors, eleven in each branch, and similar numbers among Women Affairs Directors, and the Executives, collectively more than 300 Volunteers sacrificing their time, money, efforts, to make this association what it is today – A beacon of hope for the Muslims of British Columbia, Canada.
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