A week after threatening to resign over allegations of financial corruption, Imam Hassan Al-Qazwini of the Islamic Center of America vows to stay, Free Press reporter Niraj Warikoo tweets.
The change-of-mind was announced in a sermon Friday afternoon at the Dearborn mosque.
Last Friday, Imam Qazwini had said he would leave unless the board dissolved. The board did not, but Imam Qazwini said today he won't leave.
— Niraj Warikoo (@nwarikoo) January 30, 2015
The Arab American News. a local weekly, posts on Facebook:
Imam Hassan Qazwini announced today during Friday prayer that he will not step down. Qazwini will keep his position at the Islamic Center of America.
Earlier article, 7:15 a.m. Friday:
Imam Hassan Al-Qazwini
Trouble bubbles over at the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, the largest mosque nationwide.
Some board members accuse the center's religious leader for 18 years, Imam Hassan Al-Qazwini, of a pattern of financial irregularities, according to Detroit Free Press coverage by Niraj Warikoo. They've threatened to go to state and federal authorities, the paper reports.
The Arab American News in Dearborn says he resigned and will deliver a final last sermon today.
He said he would go back on his resignation if the [center] board of trustees is dissolved and the bylaws are suspended. However, the chairman of the board confirmed that these conditions will not be met and Friday, Jan. 30, will be Qazwini's last sermon at the mosque.
The resignation rocked the community and sparked passionate debates on social media between Qazwini's supporters and opponents. The controversy was fueled by a letter from the ICA treasurer alleging financial irregularities by Qazwini, including diversion of funds. . . .
Qazwini had been the target of anonymous letters that accused him of corruption and adultery— claims that he denies.
An editorial posted Friday morning by the weekly says:
To antagonize the entire board and cause mayhem at the ICA on his way out was not a wise decision. . . . Disagreement should not lead to questioning others' character and insulting them. . . .
Our community cannot afford more divisions. The Muslim community is facing real issues, including Islamophobia, civil rights battles and media attacks. We don’t need this kind of negative focus on our community, especially when the controversy generates from the biggest mosque in the United States.
In her Freep article. Warikoo writes that letters "sent by individual board members to the full board . . . raised questions of legal liability for the center and called for potential government investigations into the finances at one of the biggest mosques in Michigan."
In the most recent letter, sent Dec. 21, Salah Hazimi — a board member and former longtime treasurer of the Dearborn mosque — blasted Imam Hassan Al-Qazwini, the center's religious leader, and his supporters on the board for what Hazimi called "serious and unethical financial issues." Hazimi warned Al-Qazwini that he had 30 days to account for the money and return it or else he would report the problems to tax authorities.
In last Friday's sermon, the imam spoke about the local center's future.
