The Statute
of the
International League of Islamic
Literature
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
All praise is due
to Allah and peace and blessings of Allah be on the Seal of Prophets, his
family and companions.
The statute of the
International League of Islamic Literature was passed in the first meeting
of the General Assembly of the International League of Islamic Literature
held in Lacknow on 25 Rabi II, 1406 H. corresponding to 7 January, 1986.
The first
international symposium of Islamic literature held at Nadwat Al-Ulama five
years before the above meeting was held, had passed a resolution to
establish a permanent secretariat of Islamic literature. Several other
symposia were later held with the purpose of reinforcing the status of
Islamic literature at the Islamic University in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah in
1402 H./1982, Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh in 1405
H./1985 and Nadwat Al-Ulama University in Lacknow.
Muslim men of
letters showed a keen interest in the issue of Islamic literature. Hence, a
number of them decided to establish an international league of Islamic
literature that would support this type of literature, shed light on its
principles, explain its objectives, promote it on a large scale and foster
ties of brotherhood among Muslim men of letters.
The members of the
founding board had met with the late Sheikh Abu Al-Hassan Al-Nadawi (may
Allah bestow his mercy on him) who was the first to adopt the theme of
Islamic literature and the first who worked toward establishing the league.
In a step aiming at documenting the existence of the league, they invited to
what was called the “First Meeting of the General Assembly of the League” at
which the statute of the league was passed, the Board of Trustees was
elected and Sheikh Abu Al-Hassan was selected as the President and Chairman
of the Board of Trustees of the league.
The developing
interests of the league prompted revision of the statute; an action which
was taken during the sessions of the sixth, tenth and eleventh meetings of
the Board of Trustees in accordance with paragraph four of article six of
the statute.
The revised
statute shall come into effect as of 22 Juamada II, 1421 H. corresponding to
22 August, 2000.
Article I
Definition:
The International
League of Islamic Literature is an international literary body that
comprises member men of letters and is committed to keep away from any
political and partisan conflicts.
Article II
Head Office and
Branch Offices:
The head office of
the league shall be the place of residence of the president of the league.
It can have other head and regional offices all over the world.
Article III
Objectives:
The International
League of Islamic Literature shall work toward the achievement of the
following objectives:
1.
Enhancement
and highlighting old and present features of Islamic literature,
2.
Establishment
of the rules of Islamic literary criticism,
3.
Formulation of
a complete theory of Islamic literature,
4.
Development of
Islamic methodologies for modern literary arts.
5.
Re-writing the
history of Islamic literature pertaining to Muslim people literatures.
6.
Collecting
distinguished Islamic literary works and translating them into the languages
of Muslim people and other international languages.
7.
Giving due
care to children literature.
8.
Criticizing
and shedding light on the negative aspects of deviating literary schools.
9.
Reinforcement
of the international aspect of Islamic literature.
10.
Fostering
relations and cooperation among Muslim men of letters and combining their
efforts in accordance with a wise and moderate methodology.
11.
Contributing
to upbringing of Muslim generations and formulating the Muslim personality
dignified with their straightforward religion and great heritage.
12.
Facilitating
means of publication for the members of the League.
13.
Defending the literary rights of the league and its members.
Article IV
Membership:
Membership of the
league is of three types: Honorary members, active members and supporting
members. The member should be a committed Muslim.
A. Honorary Member:
He is the member who
provides a moral or financial support to the League. The honorary member is
issued a membership card, invited to the meetings of the General Assembly
and provided with the publications of the League.
B. Active Member:
He is the member who should meet the
following conditions:
1.
Should
not be less than eighteen (18) years old,
2.
Should
have published an original literary work,
3.
Should
abide by the principles of the League and do his best to realize its
objectives,
4.
Should
submit a membership application form supported by recommendations from two
members of the League or from reputed personalities,
5.
Should
pay the stipulated financial subscription fee.
The active member is issued a
membership card and is given priority for publication of literary and
criticism works. He is also provided with the League’s publications at
distribution prices and informed of the League’s literary activities,
conferences and symposia to have the opportunity to participate in them. In
case, he is delegated on a mission to represent the League, he will be paid
the expenses of travel and accommodation.
C. Supporting Member:
He is the member who abides by the
League’s principles and statute and is interested in Islamic literature but
does not meet the requirements of an active member. He should submit a
membership application form accompanied with recommendations. He should also
pay a financial subscription fee not less than quarter of the subscription
fee paid by an active member.
A supporting member is issued a
membership card and informed of the League’s activities, conferences and
symposia to enable him to participate in them at his own expenses.
Honorary and active memberships are
given upon a recommendation from the regional office and approval of the
pertinent head office. The advocate membership is, however, given by the
regional office.
All degrees of membership may be
dropped upon a resolution from the body that has given it.
Article V
Structure of the
League:
The structure of
the league shall consist of the following:
1.
General Assembly,
2.
Board of Trustees,
3.
President and Vice-Presidents,
4.
Head Offices,
5.
Regional Offices,
6.
Branches,
7.
Literary Circles.
Article VI
Composition and
Activities of the General Assembly:
1.
The General Assembly consists of active members of the
league.
2.
The General Assembly is the body which decides the statute of
the league and has the right to amend it, review the general report
submitted by the Board of Trustees and the reports submitted by head and
regional offices as well as the general plan of the league. It also has the
right to review any matter related to the league and to pass resolutions and
recommendations thereon.
3.
The resolutions of the General Assembly shall be passed by
the majority of votes of present active members. Voting shall be in public
unless the majority decides otherwise. If votes are equal, the chairman
shall have a casting vote.
4.
For resolutions related to the amendment of the statute as
well as to cancellation of the resolutions of the Board of Trustees, the
number of active members present in the meeting of the general assembly
shall not be less than half the number of the active members of the league.
If this number is not available, the Board of Trustees has the same rights
of the General Assembly in amending the statute.
5.
The General Assembly shall hold a meeting every three years
at the venue and time to be specified by the Board of Trustees.
Extraordinary meetings shall be held upon a resolution from the President of
the League, upon a request from vice-presidents or upon the request of the
one third of the number of the members of the Board of Trustees or one-half
of the number of active members of the league. The invitation shall be
addressed to active members at least two months prior to the specified date;
otherwise, the meeting should be postponed to the nearest convenient time.
6.
The Board of Trustees shall organize the invitation to the
meeting of the General Assembly and determine the period of the meeting, its
agenda and what should active members do to attend it. It has the right to
delegate some or all of these powers to the head office in whose
jurisdiction the meeting is going to be held.
7.
Honorary and supporting members of the league shall be
invited to attend the meeting of the General Assembly as observers. The
members of Board of Trustees or their designee shall have the right to
invite local and international media.
Article VII
Board of Trustees:
-
The Board of Trustees shall consist of the following:
a.
President of the league and vice-presidents,
b. Elected
members as follows:
1.
If the number of active members is less than one hundred, one
member for each regional or head office who collects the larger number of
votes and is an ex-officio president of the regional office. If the
president of the regional office could not attend the meeting of the Board
of Trustees, he should delegate a designee to attend the meeting if the
office has one representative in the Board of Trustees.
2.
Another member shall be elected for any number exceeding the
first one hundred to two hundred. The same representation shall be applied
for every additional number of members.
3.
The member of the Board of Trustees should have been a member
in the league for a period of five years except for new regional offices
which have no members for a period of five years.
4.
Election from each regional office shall be as per the poll
during the third month before convening the General Assembly. The results of
the elections will be approved by the pertinent head office.
5.
The president of the league shall select from among the
members of the Board of Trustees a general secretary as well as an assistant
general secretary to the board.
6.
The Board of Trustees shall hold meetings once each year if
possible. The president will determine venue and time of the meeting. The
meetings of the board shall meet quorum if the majority of members is
present. The president or the vice presidents jointly or one third of the
number of the board may call to extraordinary meetings of the Board of
Trustees. The president or vice presidents shall determine the venue and
time of the meeting in the nearest time possible.
7.
If a member of the Board of Trustees dies, loses the capacity
to carry out his duties, resigns or his membership is dropped, his
substitute will be the member who receives the following highest number of
votes or a substitute shall be appointed by the office which elected him.
Failing so, the president shall select a substitute who will hold office up
to the time of the meeting of the General Assembly.
8.
The membership of the Board of Trustees is a veteran job for
which members shall not receive any remuneration except travel and lodging
expenses.
9.
the powers of the Board of Trustees shall be as follows:
a.
Electing the president of the league for a renewable period
of six years. The member elected to the post of president shall have
completed ten years of membership in the league.
b.
Determining the head offices of the league, selecting their
administrative staff from the members of the Board of Trustees or other
active members of the league, selecting the members who will represent the
head office in the Board of Trustees if it is an office substitute to the
regional office and has more than one representative in the Board of
Trustees as per the number of members in the head and regional offices.
c.
Establishing regional offices and associating them with head
offices.
d.
Setting down the general and phase work plans and tracking
implementation thereof by head and regional offices.
e.
Setting down bylaws necessary for the operation of the league
and its head and regional offices.
f.
Approving the previous and next estimated budgets of the
league and endeavour to secure financial resources from subscriptions,
donations, gifts and Islamic endowments.
10.
The resolutions of the Board of Trustees shall be passed by
the absolute majority of present members by public vote unless the majority
decides otherwise. In case votes are equal, the chairman shall have a
casting vote.
Article VIII
President and Vice
Presidents
1.
The president of the league represents the supreme executive
authority of the league.
2.
The president shall have the authorities entrusted to the
Board of Trustees in the interval between the meetings of the Board of
Trustees. He shall present the resolutions he may take during the said
period to the Board of Trustees at the first meeting held by the Board. The
Board of Trustees may reconsider the resolutions taken by the president if
possible.
3.
The president shall select a vice president to preside over
any head office created by the Board of Trustees until the time of the next
meeting of the General Assembly. The president shall define the chain of
vice presidents. These vice presidents shall be considered as members of the
Board of Trustees ex-officio. The person to be selected as vice president
should be an active member of the league and should have spent at least six
years as a member. The vice presidents shall continue exercising their
authorities if renewal resolution or selection of substitutes is delayed.
4.
The president shall preside over the meetings of the Board of
Trustees and the meetings of the General Assembly. In case of his absence, a
vice president shall preside over the meeting as per order of command.
5.
If the president of the league dies, fails to carry out his
duties, resigns or if his membership is dropped by the vote of two thirds of
the members of the Board of Trustees, the vice president as per order of
command shall replace him until the Board of Trustees elects another
president.
6.
The vice president is considered a representative of the
league within the territory of the office he is assigned to manage in the
absence of the president. He shall also assume the responsibility for
executive functions of the head office and all other regional offices and
branches within his jurisdiction.
Article IX
Head Offices:
1.
The head office is the office that supervises the activities
of regional offices in various countries. It is created upon a resolution by
the Board of Trustees and is presided over by a vice president.
2.
The head office shall be managed by an administrative board
the number of members of which is determined by the Board of Trustees from 5
to 7 members from among active members for a period ending with the election
of the new Board of Trustees.
The Board of
Trustees has the right to dismiss the head office or amend it upon a
resolution passed by two thirds of the number of members. The president of
the office, in consultation with the administrative board, appoints on the
following positions: vice president, secretary, media officer, culture and
publication officer, accountant and cashier.
3.
The head office shall carry out the general and temporal work
plans set down by the Board of Trustees and shall establish executive plans
for the same and carries out the resolutions of the General Assembly and
Board of Trustees within the limits of his authorities.
4.
The head office shall track the literary movement in its
territory and present an annual report thereon to the Board of Trustees.
5.
The head office shall, within the boundaries of its
territory, prepare a manual of Islamic literature, both writing and
criticism. Periodical appendices to this manual shall be issued on a regular
basis.
6.
The head office shall prepare for the meetings of the Board
of Trustees and the General Assembly within its jurisdiction if it is
entrusted by the Board of Trustees or the president to do so. It shall also
hold international literary symposia and conferences within its territory as
well as local ones when it has the capacity of an alternative office for the
regional office.
7.
The head office shall check the work of regional offices and
branches within its jurisdiction and the minutes of administrative meetings
shall be presented to it along with its previous balance sheets and next
estimate budgets and results of elections for approval. It shall also
contact the members of the league in coordination with regional offices.
8.
The head office shall approve membership to task forces and
tracking of their activities within its jurisdiction and carries out all
things necessary for them to carry out their duties.
9.
The head office shall advertise public literary contests,
approve the reports of the evaluation committees it may select, determine
remuneration for authors and examiners and organize the way of distribution
of prizes.
10.
The head office shall supervise publication and distribution
within its jurisdiction.
11.
The head office shall undertake suitable media activities to
show the Islamic literature and the activities of the league in the proper
manner.
12.
The head office shall supervise the magazines and
publications issued in the name of the league within its jurisdiction.
13.
The head office shall manage its own fund. It shall also
manage the general fund of the league if so assigned by the Board of
Trustees in accordance with the financial bylaws. It may also conclude
contracts and undertakings and receive unconditional financial gifts and
aids.
14.
In case of the death of a member of the administrative board
in the head offices or if becomes incapacitated to carry out his duties or
if he resigns or his membership is dropped, the president shall delegate his
post to an alternative member until the Board of Trustees holds a meeting
and takes proper action.
15.
The head office shall consider official and personal
violations within the framework of the bylaws and regulations within his
jurisdiction.
Article X
Regional Offices:
1.
The regional office is the one that covers a particular
country where the number of active members shall not be less than forty. It
is created upon a resolution by the Board of Trustees.
2.
The regional office shall be managed by an administrative
board consisting of 5-7 members if the office has one representative in the
Board of Trustees and 7 members if the office has more than one
representative.
The
members of the administrative board shall be elected by active members as
per the election panel. The member who wins the largest number of votes
shall hold the post of the president of the office and a member in the Board
of Trustees ex-officio. The said president shall have been a member in the
league for five years. The president of the office, in consultation with the
administrative board appoints on the following positions: vice president,
secretary, media officer, culture and publication officer, accountant and
cashier.
3.
In regional offices where election is not possible, the
incumbent administrative board as well as its members shall nominate the
right person among active members to the new board. The pertinent head
office shall elect the members of the new administrative board from among
active members of the office. The pertinent head office shall also select
the president of the regional office and the members to the Board of
Trustees if more than one member should represent the office.
4.
The regional office shall track the literary movement in its
territory and present an annual report thereon to the respective head
office.
5.
The regional office shall, within the boundaries of its
territory, prepare a manual of Islamic literature, both writing and
criticism and present it to the respective head office to be attached to the
manual issued by the head office.
6.
The regional office shall undertake local symposia andd
literary contests within its jurisdiction in coordination with respective
head office.
7.
The regional office shall supervise publication and
distribution within its jurisdiction as per the approved phase plan.
8.
The regional office shall undertake suitable media activities
to show the Islamic literature and the activities of the league in the
proper manner.
9.
The regional office shall manage its own fund as per the
approved financial by-laws. It shall also conclude contracts and
undertakings and may receive unconditional financial gifts and aids.
10.
In case of the death of a member of the administrative board
in the regional office or if he is incapacitated to carry out his duties or
if he resigns or his membership is dropped, he shall be replaced by the next
in number of votes or the respective head office shall select a substitute
in other cases until the expiry of the official post of the incumbent
administrative board.
Article XI
Branches:
1.
The branch is the board created by the regional office or the
respective head office if there is no regional office in the territory. The
branch shall consist of the active members in one city or more, provided
that their number shall not be than fifteen.
2.
Active members of the branch shall elect an administrative
board consisting of three persons for a period of three years. Their
positions shall be the president, the vice president and the secretary.
3.
The branch shall undertake activities similar to the
activities under clauses 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 of article X of the statute in
coordination with the regional office.
Article XII
Literary Circles:
1.
A literary circle is a literary group constituting the
members of the league and supporters of Islamic literature in any city where
is no office or branch for the league.
2.
The literary circle shall report to the nearest branch or
office until the number of active members reaches fifteen when it would
become a branch upon a resolution by the regional office or the head office
within its jurisdiction.
General Principles
of Islamic Literature
The League applies the following
principles in achieving its objectives, conducting its affairs and selecting
its members:
1.
Islamic
literature presents an integrated Islamic concept of man, Life and the
universe,
2.
Islamic
literature has been a reality since the rise of the dawn of Islam and
derives its themes from revelation and Prophet’s guidance,
3.
Islamic
literature is a pioneer activity and a responsibility before Allah, the
Almighty,
4.
Islamic
literature is integral; an aspect that cannot be realized unless form goes
hand in hand with the content.
5.
Islamic
literature is open to modern literary arts and is keen to present them to
people purified from all contradictions with the religion of Allah and
enriched with the sublime values and sage directions of Islam.
6.
Islamic
literature rejects deviating literary theories and schools,
7.
Islamic
literary criticism is a necessity to build the course of literature and
firmly establish its fundamentals,
8.
Muslim
men of letters are entrusted with the nation’s thought and feelings. They
cannot shoulder this trust unless their faith is sound and their knowledge
of Islam is adequate.
9.
Muslim
men of letters are committed to Islam and its values and reflect Islamic
principles and values in their literary works.
*
* *
|
