In this context, regarding membership fees, we want to emphasize the following, as a lesson for our BECO members and members of other local communities here in North America and beyond. Membership fees are not, as unfortunately some people mistakenly believe, an investment in death. On the contrary, they are an investment in this worldly life, because thanks to them we have our community and our mosque here, just as our villages and towns in Bosnia and Herzegovina have living mosques that represent their identity.

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Membership fees are also an investment in the afterlife, because they are a good deed, a contribution in the way of Allah through one’s wealth, a true investment in our eternal life. In Islam, giving is defined as giving from oneself to oneself. Through membership and fees, we express humanity, compassion, love, and care for the community and organization, for all categories of believers, and for the religious and cultural life, including its programs, needs, and plans.

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By becoming a member and paying fees, we publicly and formally testify and acknowledge not only that we are believers (mu’min) but also Muslims, and in our case, Bosniaks. Membership and contributions reflect our awareness of religious and cultural identity and our desire to live together. This means that without membership and fees, there is no community, and without a community, there is no Ummah – the Muslim community – and we do not exist in any meaningful way.

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We are convinced, based on the Qur’an and Sunnah, that Allah’s mercy, help, protection, and guidance are manifested within the community (Ummah). Solidarity in the Muslim community is based on Islamic charity and a sense of justice among Muslims. Membership and fees represent the strongest form of solidarity, as it is both voluntary and institutional, giving Muslims a public and credible presence as a community (Ummah).

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Social Responsibility

During the time of Prophet Solomon (Suleiman, peace be upon him), a palace caught fire. Everyone rushed to put out the fire, carrying water. Amid the chaos, everyone was surprised to see a tiny ant carrying as much water as it could. They asked the ant: “Little ant, why are you bothering to carry water when it can’t help put out the fire?” The ant replied: “I want Allah to see whose side I was on.”

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Some people give only small portions of their wealth. Others, with very little, give everything. Yet, their treasure is never empty. They know that everything we have will one day be given away. People often say: “I would give, but only to those in need.” But fruits in orchards and herds in pastures do not say this—they give because giving is essential for life; holding back leads to loss.

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Membership fees are exactly this kind of giving—an investment in life, not death. The muezzin who calls the first evening prayer (Aksam) and the early morning prayer, the children returning from Mekteb classes and other educational activities on misty weekend mornings, the elders in the mosque yard—they are all part of life, not death, of Islamic life here, which continues thanks to those who trusted and invested in their community.

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How to Become a Member of the Community

To become a member, one simply contacts the Imam or an assigned person (treasurer) in the community, providing basic information about themselves and their family members by filling out a membership application. Membership is voluntary and family-based. There is no entrance fee or tax. Membership begins when the first membership fee for the year is paid.

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Fees can be paid at the mosque, through the treasurer, or other appointed assistants. You may also send a check or money order to the BECO address.

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Membership fees are generally paid annually, but can also be paid semi-annually or quarterly. If someone was previously a member in another community and wants to continue membership here, it is enough to provide documentation from the previous community to have the fee recognized and to gain permanent member status. The same applies to members returning to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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Members who have had interruptions in their fee payments can settle their dues according to the current community rules. Members enjoy special rights and benefits that come from membership.

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