As-salamu alaykum
Background and Election
The previous board of directors was dissolved on October 31, 2025, by the trustees. The former president, Ilyas Siddiqui Mohammed, subsequently filed a lawsuit naming ISSWW as the plaintiff in a dispute involving the trustees.
The ongoing litigation has significantly complicated the community's ability to move forward with effective governance and programming.
On May 9, 2026, ISSWW community members elected us to form a new board of directors.
If a judge were ever to ask whether this community could rebuild itself, the answer would be yes. We successfully organized a director election with the support of the trustees and the transition committee. With 160 ballots cast, the election had the highest turnout in ISSWW history.
Our original intention was to maintain the elected board while limiting our actions until the trustee case was resolved.
The Khutbah Schedule
Our initial approach changed after repeated community complaints about the Friday khutbah schedule.
Imam Mbye Jagne was removed from the khutbah lineup after participating in the community election. Meanwhile, Sead Sejfovic, whom Ilyas named under oath on December 10, 2025, as treasurer of his board, continued to receive khutbah assignments. Community members raised concerns that the scheduling process was being used to influence the internal dispute.
In response to these complaints, the elected board assumed responsibility for khutbah scheduling, restored Imam Mbye Jagne to the existing lineup, and removed Sead Sejfovic from the schedule.
On the day of this change, Sead attempted to deliver the khutbah despite the revised schedule. Ilyas called the police on the elected board.
The police declined to intervene, determining that the dispute was a civil matter.
Since then, two Jum'ah khutbahs have taken place each week.
The Sunday School
The ISSWW Sunday School was established three years ago by volunteers working with a limited budget. In 2026, the program experienced a major disruption amid the ongoing organizational dispute.
Independent volunteers were asked to align with Ilyas's position in the dispute. The volunteers did not agree to do so. The summer Quran program was subsequently cancelled and did not take place.
The Sunday School is one of the few continuing educational programs at our masjid. Restoring it before the fall semester became a priority for both the volunteers and the elected board.
During this period, the locks on the downstairs administrative office were changed by Ilyas. Sunday School supplies, including books and pencils, were stored inside.
Our board drilled the locks to regain access to the supplies. Ilyas subsequently posted legal notices and changed the locks again.
Despite these disruptions, the Sunday School moved forward. A new volunteer team successfully launched the program for the current school year, serving approximately 60 students.
This achievement demonstrates what committed volunteers can accomplish when they focus on serving the community.
The Surveillance System
The ISSWW camera and security system remains under the control of the unelected board associated with Ilyas.
During this period, Ilyas changed the locks on the upstairs office and installed additional cameras, including one that tracks movement in the main prayer hall.
The elected board has not attempted to gain access to the upstairs office or the security system.
The expansion of surveillance cameras, including cameras positioned above bathroom entrances, has prompted concerns from community members. Members have asked the elected board to address these installations. We have not yet taken action.
We believe these concerns deserve appropriate review, including consideration of privacy, security, and the needs of worshippers.
The Bank Accounts
To our knowledge, Ilyas retains sole access to ISSWW's bank accounts. The combined balance is estimated to be approximately $700,000 across seven accounts.
We have no evidence that Ilyas has used organizational funds to pay legal expenses in connection with the ongoing dispute. However, given the amount of money involved and the unresolved governance questions, community members have asked whether the accounts can be protected from unauthorized transactions.
We have requested bank access from Ilyas and the unelected board and have received no response.
The elected board has not yet contacted the banks regarding access to the accounts.
We believe the organization requires transparent financial oversight, appropriate access for authorized leadership, and safeguards that protect ISSWW's funds and the interests of its members.
The Secretary of State
The Washington Secretary of State maintains public records for registered nonprofit organizations, including information about their governors and registered agents.
On April 22, 2026, Ilyas designated himself as ISSWW's registered agent. In July 2026, he updated the organization's annual filing to identify four unelected board members as its governors, and changed the organization's office address to his personal home address.
The elected board disputes the authority under which these changes were made.
We have not yet taken action to correct the state filings. This remains an unresolved governance issue that requires appropriate attention.
The Minbar
Due to concerns about unauthorized attempts to take control of the minbar on Fridays, two members of the elected board, Shirin and Amir, have spent time each week guarding the minbar and securing the microphones.
For the past two months, they have faced approximately two hours of heckling from two attendees each Friday. The board has received reports of physical confrontations, one of them on video, and verbal harassment directed at Shirin and Amir during these incidents.
Disruptions have also occurred during post-prayer announcements, a routine part of congregational life at mosques across the country. One individual has repeatedly shouted into the microphones and interrupted these announcements.
More than 20 ISSWW members asked the elected board to address the disruptions and remove the individuals responsible from the premises. Following a unanimous board vote, we issued a trespass notice to one individual.
On Friday, October 23, 2026, the sheriff declined to enforce the trespass notice, despite previously informing us that they would do so. They again characterized the dispute as a civil matter.
This incident clarified the practical limitations of relying on police intervention to resolve the ongoing conflict over control of the masjid. Regardless of the bylaws, the election results, or the wishes expressed by community members, the police have declined to intervene in these disputes.
Moving Forward
Until October 23, the elected board exercised restraint. We prioritized community programs, sought to reduce conflict, and avoided escalating disputes over office access, financial accounts, and state filings while the lawsuit remained unresolved.
The events of October 23 have caused us to reconsider whether continued restraint is sufficient to fulfill our responsibilities to the community.
ISSWW members cannot allow the existence of litigation to become a permanent obstacle to the operation of ISSWW. The community needs functioning programs, accountable leadership, responsible financial oversight, and a peaceful environment in which to worship.
As the elected board, we have a responsibility to the members who voted on May 9 and to the wider community that depends on ISSWW. We will continue to pursue a lawful resolution to the current disputes, appropriate access to the organization's records and accounts, and take the steps necessary to restore effective governance.
We want a masjid where worship can proceed without disruption, children can receive an Islamic education, volunteers can serve without interference, and resources are managed transparently. We ask the community to remain engaged, support the programs that are serving our families, and help preserve the unity and dignity of our masjid.
May Allah guide us toward justice and enable ISSWW to serve its members with integrity.