The Chair of the National Islamic Committee on Scouting is appointed annually by the President of the Boy Scouts of America and the Chief Scout Executive. The Committee is advised by a member of the Relationships Division of the Boy Scouts of America. Officers of the Committee are appointed annually by the Chair. The organizational structure of the committee includes an Executive Vice Chair, Committee Chairs, a National Chaplain, a Secretary, and four Regional Vice Chairs.

The National Islamic Committee on Scouting meets three times annually, generally in October and January, and at the National Meeting of the Boy Scouts of America held in late May. The Committee has an executive committee, standing committees, and from time to time ad-hoc committees. In addition to the Executive Committee the NICOS also has an Advisory Committee “Islamic Council on Scouting of North America”.

Ad-hoc committees have included Nominating, Technology, National Jamboree, and other tasks as requested by the Chair or the executive committee.

The Regional chairs, with the assistance of Area Representatives, reach out to council Scout Executives and local council Islamic Committees to provide assistance as required. Some regions host annual conferences as well as assisting councils in arranging Impact meetings friendly leadership training courses such as Wood Badge and National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT).

Local councils are encouraged to create and support local Islamic Committees on Scouting to further the goals of the Boy Scouts of America in the Islamic community. Local ICOS chairs are appointed by the Regional Islamic Committee on Scouting with the consultation by the local council's Scout Executive

Suggested Action of a Local Council of Boy Scouts of America

• Cooperates with Muslim organization and council of Islamic committees in:
• Promoting Scouting for Muslims.
• Making provision for adequate Muslim representation in the organization and activities of the local council religious relationship committee
• Recruiting and training personnel who will be especially qualified to make effective the expansion of Scouting within the council territory.
• Encouraging each center and Muslim organization to make the full Scouting program available to their youth.
• Planning for retreats, field masses, days of recollection, and sisters’ conferences.
• Providing for chaplain services for Muslim boys in Scout camps. Also, cooperates in seeing that transportation is available for Scouts to attend Friday congregations in a neighboring Mosque or Islamic Center available at the Scout Camp and /or provides space for religious services.
• Participating in such Muslim Conferences as are called by the National Islamic Committee on Scouting.
• Endeavoring to make provision for Muslim Scout leaders to receive special supplemental training in Islamic faith principles as related to Scouting.
• Recognizing the authority of the religious leader or Imam determining the conditions under which Scouting units may be regularly organized and administered under Muslim auspices in the centers.

Purpose, Program, and Responsibility

The purpose of the Islamic committee, either regional or council, is to effectively implement the plan of cooperation and to give guidance and leadership in the spiritual phase of Scouting to all Muslims in Scouting within the area.

The program of the committee supplements the training program of the Boy Scouts of America with special instructions and activities in the spiritual phase of Scouting as it relates to Islam and endeavors to make the whole Scouting program available to increasing numbers of youth in units chartered to mosques or centers.

The Regional Islamic Committee cooperates with the area and the local council within the region promoting Scouting for Muslims.

The council Islamic committee (where needed) works closely with the local Scouting council and its regular committees in matters of Scouting. In the spiritual phase of Scouting, the regional committee develops a program of training and activities for the council Islamic committee. The regional committee assists in implementing an effective program and plan of operation.

The local council Islamic committee, under the overall guidance of the National Islamic Committee on Scouting shall:

1. Develop, schedule, and carry out a program of activities for all scouting units under Islamic auspices that is in addition to , but does not conflict with, council or district activities. Cooperation and Coordination with council and district personal is essential.
2. Through publicity and other contacts, strive to reach all Muslim youth and adult Scouters in other units with the hope that they will desire to participate in the activities conducted by the committee.
3. Working with and through the council religious relationships committee, make every effort to extend and strengthen Scouting under Islamic auspices.
4. Meet quarterly on regional and council levels to carry out the above program.

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