Conflict Prevention and Resolution

 

Overview

Conflict is experience among individuals in all social settings. Given the cultural and ideological diversity of the Muslim community, conflict can hardly be avoidable. Still, the masjid must take measures to reduce the instance of conflict and train its officials to both prevent conflict from happening as much as possible, and to handle conflict in a proper way when it does.

By following proper guidelines, providing proper training, and setting appropriate procedures, conflict can be trained from a negative experience in the life of the community, into a positive one that can provide self-correction and self-improvement mechanism.

Guidelines

• The best way to prevent conflict by accommodating the needs and demands of the various individuals and groups that constitute the general body. 
•  When the needs and demands of some community members cannot be accommodated for ethical or theological reasons, a structured dialogue should be instituted to allow for exchange of views and the development of common ground. Alternatively, mediation and arbitration session should be organized with the help of professional experts.
• Community leaders should plan seminars and workshops to address issues that polarize the community.
• Islamic centers should develop local expertise for dealing with conflict, by organizing conflict prevention and resolution seminars. They should also establish arbitration panels to resolve conflicts among community members, center management and board as opposed to civil litigation in the courts of law.
•  When local resources becomes ineffective, community leaders should enlisting the help of national Muslim experts and consult with professional Muslim organizations.

Resources

• Arbitration Panels and Grievance Procedures
  A set of procedures and necessary steps to be adopted by the community to address grievances, and hence prevent them from escalating into an open conflict. Arbitration Panels are essential to deal with conflict when it erupts, and to handle it in fair way that would allow for effective remedy and general satisfaction by the larger Muslim community.
• Grievance Report Form
  The form facilitates the proper documentation of grievances and identify essential information to be requested for use by the Arbitration Panels.
• Professional Muslim Organizations
  A list of organizations that can provide both consultation and training in conflict resolution.