Law Of The Institute
The Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought (Law no. 32 for the year 2007)Article (1):
This Law will be named "Law of The Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought" for the year 2007, and will be effective on the date of its publication in The Official Gazette.
Article (2):
The following words and terms—whenever mentioned in this Law—will have the meanings assigned to them below, unless otherwise understood by the context:
The Institute: The Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought.
The Board: The Institute's Board of Trustees.
The President: The President of the Board.
The Director General: Director General of the Institute.
The Royal Aal al-Bayt Academy: The Institute's Academy that handles scholarly activities which realize its goals, through an international scholarly congregation of prominent scholars.
General Conference: The Conference to which senior fellows and fellows of the Academy are invited to attend periodically.
Article (3):
A: An International Islamic Institute shall be established in the Kingdom, and shall be called "The Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought". The Institute shall be an autonomous body, financially and administratively, with its own finances and the right to own buildings and land and other movables and immovables, to achieve its goals. It is also entitled to conclude contracts and agreements, borrow money, give donations, accept donations, gifts, wills and trust funds, and carry all legal transactions including the right to initiate judicial procedures and/or deputize for this purpose the civil Attorney General if the case is inside the Kingdom, or any other lawyer if the case is outside the Kingdom.
B: The Institute's headquarters shall be in Amman, and it is entitled to establish branches and offices in and outside the Kingdom.
C: The Institute has the right to establish, own, and operate the following departments to realize its goals, in accordance with relevant legislation in the Kingdom:
1. Research centres.
2. Academy for fellows.
3. Publishing, distribution, and translation house.
4. Radio station.
5. Television station: terrestrial or satellite station. Websites.
6. University and/or university colleges.
7. Cultural centers.
8. Schools.
9. Magazines and newspapers.
10. Any other departments that realize the Institute's goals.
Article (4):
The Institute aims to realize the following:
A: To spread knowledge of Islam and Islamic thought, reflect their luminous sides, and contribute towards purifying Islamic culture of all adventitious elements and correct misconceptions about Islam.
B: To present a modern integrated Islamic conception of the values and systems of society, as well as to anticipate future developments and address the renewed problems and challenges of the time with practical Islamic solutions.
C: To present Islam's veneration of Aal al-Bayt and their contribution to history and building of Islamic civilization, and elaborate on their mission in da'wa (calling) to middle ground, moderation, and tolerance.
D: To assess Islamic contributions to knowledge and culture and the role of Islam in world progress and civilization; to undertake Islamic research in the various fields of human knowledge, and to revive the Arab Islamic heritage and publish it.
E: To present an Islamic view of the methodology of the various fields of knowledge, and to orientate Arab and Islamic universities and research centers in this regard.
F: To enhance dialogue and cooperation among the Islamic madhahib (schools of thought), and to bring them nearer together to achieve maximum rapprochement among their adherents in accordance with Shari'ah rules and its basic principles.
G: To establish strong contacts among Muslim scholars in order to enhance intellectual interplay among them, and to acquaint them with the conditions of Muslims all over the world.
H: To cooperate with other academies, research centers, institutes, scholarly societies and universities to further the aims of the Institute.
Article (5):
The Institute will adopt the following methods of implementation to achieve its goals:
A: Undertaking research, studies, and translations in the various fields according to integrated plans; inviting scholars, researchers and translators to take part in such projects; and giving particular attention to comparative studies.
B: Spreading ideas and information through books, newspapers, periodicals, radio and television broadcasting and websites.
C: Holding conferences and symposia; setting up specialized committees; organizing lectures, exhibitions, visits, and scholar-ships; and exchanging expertise.
D: Editing and publishing manuscripts and publishing books, research papers, and studies.
E: Building up a modern library to serve the purposes of the Institute, and collecting relevant reference works and documents.
F: Offering promotional and honorary grants and awards.
G: Reviewing the educational curricula at all levels of education in Islamic countries and the plans and programmes of Islamic media, with a view to developing them to make them capable of meeting the requirements of society, in accordance with an Islamic conception.
Article (6):
A: Senior Fellows:
1. Selected from among the best known Muslim scholars, from different disciplines who have distinguished themselves through published research in any of the fields of Islamic knowledge.
2. They should not exceed one hundred in number.
3. Senior fellows are appointed by the President – acting on the Board's advice - upon the recommendation of two senior fellows; the recommendation would outline the candidate's C.V. and list of publications. The appointment of senior fellows will be endorsed by a Royal Decree.
B: Fellows:
1. Chosen from among Muslim scholars and other prominent non-Muslim scholars known for objectivity and integrity of their research.
2. Fellows are appointed by the President upon the recommendation of one senior fellow. The recommendation would outline the candidate's C.V. and list of publications.
Article (7):
The Institute is managed by a Board of Trustees, consisting of its President and a number of Board Members not to exceed twenty, known for their prominence in their specializations in the field of Islam and its civilization. The members of the Board are not necessarily fellows of the Academy.
Article (8):
The President of the Board, the Vice President and the Board Members are appointed by a Royal decree, and their services are terminated in the same way.
Article (9):
The Board shall perform, and assume, the following duties and responsibilities:
A: Supervising the management of the Institute's affairs.
B: Preparing the Institute's work plans and the plans for its Departments.
C: Discussing scholarly projects and research submitted to it by the President, and taking appropriate decisions in this regard.
D: Recommending the appointment of the Academy's senior fellows.
E: Approving the Institute's organizational structure and its personnel structure.
F: Suggesting necessary regulations to be submitted to the Cabinet for approval, and approving the necessary directives recommended by the Director General, to implement the articles of this Law.
G: Any other matters referred to it by the President.
Article (10):
A: The Board is invited to meet by the President or the Vice President in the absence of the President, whenever necessary. The Board's quorum shall be a simple majority of its members, on condition that the President, or the Vice President, is among them. And the Board's decisions shall be taken by a majority of those present. In the case of a split equal vote, the side that prevails is the one with which the President, or Vice President - in the absence of the President – voted.
B: On a decision by the Board, senior Jordanian government officials, who are not fellows of the Academy, could be invited to attend some of the Board's meetings.
Article (11):
The Director General is appointed by the Board upon a recommendation by the President, in a resolution defining the Director General's salary, allowances and other financial dues. The Director General's services would be terminated in the same manner.
Article (12):
The Director General shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
A: To carry out the decisions of the Institute's Board.
B: To run the scholarly, financial, and administrative affairs of the Institute.
C: To supervise the Institute's Departments, in accordance with the directives approved by the Board.
D: To represent the Institute in other bodies, institutes and organizations.
E: To prepare the Institute's annual budget and to authorize expenditures in accordance with financial regulations.
F: To form scholarly divisions and specialized committees for the various subjects.
G: To supervise, follow up and evaluate the work of such divisions, committees and scholars.
H: To determine the value of awards and honorarium for research papers, essays, lectures, contests, books, translations, editions and reviews, in accordance with the directives issued by the Board for this purpose.
I: To prepare the annual report on the activities of the Institute, and to submit it to the President.
J: To prepare necessary directives for administering the Institute's departments, and submit them to the Board.
K: To pursue other matters delegated to him by the President or the Board.
Article (13):
A: The Institute's General Conference shall be convened, whenever necessary, on invitation by the President, or the Vice President in the President's absence, who decides in advance the Conference's topic and its agenda.
B: Upon a decision by the Board, whomever the Board deems fit from among those who are not fellows of the Institute's Academy, could be invited to attend the General Conference.
Article (14):
Membership and fellowship shall be terminated in any of the following cases:
A: Membership of the Board:
1. Death
2. Resignation
3. Failure, on the part of the member, to attend more than four consecutive meetings of the Board, without an excuse acceptable to the President.
4. Conviction of the member in a crime or felony of dishonesty.
B: Senior fellowship in the Academy:
1. Death
2. Resignation
3. Failure, on the part of the senior fellow, to attend the General Conference for three consecutive sessions, without an excuse acceptable to the President.
4. Conviction of the Academy's senior fellow in a crime or felony of dishonesty.
Article (15):
The Institute's revenues shall consist of:
A: The Government of Jordan's grant.
B: The earnings of movable and immovable properties owned by the Institute.
C: Grants, donations, contributions, and bequests and the earnings of endowments that devolve on the Institute.
D: Any other revenues approved by the Board.
Article (16):
The financial year of the Institute shall start on the first day of January of each year, and end on the thirty first day of December of the same year.
Article (17):
A: The Institute's budget and annual financial report shall be organized in accordance with standard accounting procedures.
B: The President shall appoint an accredited auditor, to audit and review the accounts of the Institute, and determine his salary.
Article (18):
The Institute, its imports and all its dealings, shall be exempt from taxes and any other dues, governmental or otherwise.
Article (19):
Non-Jordanian staff of the Institute shall enjoy the benefits and immunity accorded to staff of international organizations which have offices in Amman.
Article (20):
The Board may, with a two-thirds majority, establish other kinds of fellowship in the Academy, such as honorary fellowship, in accordance with conditions stipulated by the Board for such fellowship.
Article (21):
The Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought is the legal and actual heir to the Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought which was established in accordance with the articles of Law No. (53) for the year 2001.
Article (22):
Fellows of what was the Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought will continue as fellows of The Royal Aal al-Bayt Academy.
Article (23):
The Board shall issue the necessary directives to organize the Institute's internal affairs and those of its departments.
Article (24):
The Cabinet shall issue the necessary regulations to implement this Law.
Article (25):
The Prime Minister and the Ministers are entrusted with the implementation of this Law.
