1. Mission
The Muhasib department oversees financial operations for the Jama’at, encompassing accounts payable, financial accounting, and reporting.
2. Day-to-Day Reality
The department processes all internal and external payments for the Jama’at. This includes reimbursing local Jama’ats for expenses, paying waqfin and missionaries, and settling accounts with third-party vendors. The team reconciles national bank accounts and oversees reconciliations at local branches and in the general ledger.
The department also manages accounting for capital projects such as mosque construction and mission house maintenance. It tracks inventory for burial lots and books, and handles event accounting for Jalsa Salana Canada, community runs in various cities, the funeral home, and schools. The team prepares expense reports comparing actual spending against approved budgets for all national departments and manages HST reporting.
The department supports both internal and external audits by providing necessary data, reports, documentation, and journal entries.
3. Collaboration
The department works extensively with waqfin, missionaries, and local office bearers on payment matters. Local Jama’ats across the country contact the team for expense reimbursements and bank reconciliation assistance. Teams from Jalsa Salana, Jalsa Gah, the funeral home, schools, and national departments work closely with the Muhasib department for payments and financial reports.
4. Current Focus
The department’s biggest challenge is establishing financial discipline through consistent bank reconciliation. This practice is a critical control measure that reduces accounting errors and improves the quality of financial data and reports. The team works directly with local Jama’ats to ensure accounts are reconciled properly.
5. Call to Action
Local Jama’ats should submit their monthly expense reports by the 25th of each month with all supporting bills and receipts. They should also reconcile their bank accounts monthly and account for every penny in petty cash funds.
Contact Information:
The National Muhasib, Farhatullah Shad Sahib, can be reached at muhasib@ahmadiyya.ca
