Community Code of Conduct
This is not a list of rules. It is a reflection of who we are and who we are committed to becoming. Every member joins as a custodian of this community's values, its people, and its purpose.
We are bound together by something greater than shared interests. We are bound by a shared covenant. to purify ourselves, to illuminate our minds, and to serve with the wisdom that comes from both. This code is the written expression of that covenant.
We hold ourselves to it not because we are watched, but because we believe.
How We Treat One Another
Every member carries the dignity Allah placed in every human soul. We do not demean, belittle, mock, or diminish any person in any setting, whether in person, in writing, in the forum, or in private conversation, regardless of age, background, nationality, education, wealth, or role.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent." We do not sacrifice truth for comfort, nor do we deliver truth without care. Both honesty and gentleness are required. One without the other is incomplete.
Before questioning a member's intention, we assume the best. Before raising a concern publicly, we raise it privately. Before speaking about someone, we speak to them. This is not naivety. It is the discipline of a community that knows how quickly trust is broken and how slowly it is rebuilt.
What is shared within this community: in meetings, in the forum, in project workspaces, in private messages. stays within this community unless explicit permission is given to share it. Betraying a confidence is a betrayal of the person and of the community that made them feel safe enough to share.
Disagreement is inevitable. Division is a choice. When conflict arises, we address it directly and privately first. If resolution is needed beyond two people, we involve a trusted mediator from community leadership. We do not take internal disputes to social media, to outside parties, or to public spaces.
How We Seek and Share Knowledge
Learning in this community is not transactional. It is devotional. We come to every class, discussion, lecture, and conversation as students before we come as experts. Arrogance closes the door to wisdom. Humility opens it.
We do not share information we have not verified. We do not forward rumours, unconfirmed news, or second-hand reports without clearly marking them as unverified. In a world drowning in misinformation, a community of principle is marked by the care it takes before it speaks.
Scholarly difference of opinion is a mercy, not a weakness. When members hold different views: on fiqh, on politics, on community matters. we engage with the argument, not the person. We say "I see it differently and here is why" not "you are wrong and here is why you should be embarrassed."
When we share knowledge, ideas, or work that came from another: a scholar, a member, a book, a source. we name that source. Taking credit for the thought of another is a form of dishonesty this community does not tolerate.
The words "I do not know" are among the most honorable a person of knowledge can say. We do not guess on matters of religion. We do not pretend expertise we do not have. And when we know something that benefits others, we share it. We share it freely, without gatekeeping, without ego.
How We Conduct Ourselves in Community Spaces
Everything written in the community platform: the forum, the project workspaces, the notifications, the comments. is a reflection of the member who wrote it and of the community that allows it. We write as we would speak face to face with a person we respect.
We do not speak negatively about this community, its leadership, or its members in public spaces. If we have a concern, we raise it through proper channels. Criticism offered constructively inside the community builds it. The same criticism broadcast outside destroys it.
Resources shared within this community. documents, funds, contacts, tools, relationships. are given in trust. They are used only for their intended purpose. They are not used for personal gain, for outside projects, or for any purpose that was not agreed upon.
When we commit to a project, a task, a meeting, or a deadline. we honor that commitment. If circumstances change and we cannot, we communicate early and honestly. A community of purpose is only as strong as the reliability of its members.
This applies to physical spaces, to conversations, to projects, and to relationships. Every interaction is an opportunity to add. clarity, encouragement, knowledge, or calm. We do not subtract from the spaces we enter.
How We Approach Leadership and Service
Every position of responsibility in this community: coordinator, moderator, admin, advisor. This role exists to serve those beneath it, not to elevate those who hold it. Authority in this community is given in trust and withdrawn if abused.
The sincerity of an action is measured by what we do when no one is watching. We volunteer, contribute, and serve because the work matters. not because we will be thanked, promoted, or noticed. Recognition that comes is received with gratitude. Recognition that does not come is not sought.
Leaders in this community submit to the same standards they uphold for others. When a mistake is made, and mistakes will be made. we acknowledge it, correct it, and learn from it. We do not deflect, minimise, or blame downward.
A leader in this community measures success not by what they achieved but by how many people around them grew. We share knowledge, create opportunities, mentor actively, and make ourselves replaceable. because a community that depends on one person is fragile, and a community that develops many is unstoppable.
Our Boundaries
The following are not negotiable and will result in immediate review of membership:
Accountability and Process
Any member who witnesses or experiences a violation of this code may raise it with community leadership through the platform's reporting function or directly with an admin. All concerns are treated with confidentiality and seriousness.
When a concern is raised, leadership will acknowledge it within 48 hours, investigate with fairness to all parties, and respond with a decision within 14 days. The member raising the concern and the member under review will both be heard.
Depending on the nature and severity of the matter, outcomes may include a private conversation, a formal caution, a temporary suspension of platform access, or permanent removal from the community. All decisions are made with the intention of correction where possible and protection of the community where necessary.
Any member may appeal a decision by submitting a written appeal to the Super Admin within 7 days of the decision. Appeals are reviewed by a panel of at least three senior members who were not part of the original decision.
Closing Covenant
We do not sign this code and file it away. We live it. imperfectly, consistently, and with the understanding that growth is the point. This code does not demand perfection. It demands sincerity. It demands the willingness to try, to correct, to return, and to keep going.
We are here because we believe that a community built on these foundations can change something: in ourselves first, then in our families, then in our city, then perhaps in something larger than any of us can currently imagine.
Adopted by the Haya Al Alfalah Community
In the tradition of the Messenger ﷺ