Save our Islamic center

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Dr. Hamid Yazdi
President
Alavi Foundation of New York

Dear Dr. Yazdi, AsSalaam-u-Alaykum,

May Eid-ul Adha be mubarak for you and the members of the Board of Trustees of the Alavi Foundation.

As a member of the Muslim community in the Maryland/Washington, D.C. area, I would like to thank the Alavi Foundation for the many years of continued support through charitable donations to our community's center and schools. It is clear that the community has flourished over the years in a large part due to the kind and generous gifts from The Foundation. I am sure that any steps taken in the cause of Allah by any of the past and present Alavi Foundation's board and management will be rewarded many times over as these positive actions have an everlasting impact on the lives of many individuals..

It is my understanding that the Federal government has been pursuing a case against the Alavi Foundation to seize and forfeit Alavi's assets. Unfortunately, it seems that our center in Rockville, MD, has also been identified as an Alavi Foundation asset to be seized along with all other assets.

I would like the esteemed Board of Trustees of the Alavi Foundation to realize that the properties at 7917 Montrose Rd. and 8100 Jeb Stuart Rd. have been and continue to be used as our community's worship center, school, and cultural/community center. It is my understanding that these properties were originally purchased with the intent to make them "waqf" for these purposes and for our community in perpetuity. It is also my understanding that Alavi Foundation of New York (fka Mostazafan Foundation of New York) had accepted the responsibility to become trustee of keeping the "waqf" properties for our community to use. It is common belief and understanding in the community that these properties belong to the community and that Alavi Foundation has been a kind and generous trustee.

I further understand that the US Attorney's Office of Southern District of New York, has assured IEC's attorney, that if Alavi Foundation affirms that they only acted as trustee while keeping title to the properties and that Alavi Foundation would return the title to the community upon request, the Government would withdraw its case against our properties.

Finally, I would like to let you know that my family and I are very much attached to this center and, God forbid, should anything happen that takes our center away from us, would bring us much grief and hardship.