OCTOBER 21, 2002

PHILANTHROPY
Charity probes change in Muslims' giving

Muslims - who are required to give to the poor as one of the five pillars of their faith - have been in a quandary about where to direct money since the terrorist attacks put Muslim charities in the United States under harsh scrutiny. That dilemma intensifies around Nov. 6 with the start of the holy month of Ramadan because their faith calls on them to increase charity during that time.

Muslim leaders across the country say donations to Muslim charities have dropped since Sept. 11, 2001, and that Muslims are finding new ways to give money. Muslims have become wary of having their names connected to these charities because three of the largest have been raided by the Department of the Treasury, their employees investigated and their overseas connections examined for links to terrorists.

Some Muslims have begun making donations in cash, while others are giving to non-Muslim charities. Still others are sending cash overseas, trusting friends and families to distribute it to the needy. How will the government's crackdown on Islamic charities affect the philanthropy of Muslims in your area during Ramadan? How have Muslim charities in your area been effected by the change in donor habits? Where do local Muslims say they are donating money?

Why it matters
With the United States' growing Muslim population, zakat - or almsgiving - adds up. The Quran tells Muslims to give 2.5 percent of their income. The Holy Land Foundation, the largest of the three charities raided by the government, raised $13 million in 2000. If these funds dry up, the budding social service network among Muslims could suffer, as could poor Muslims. Muslims traditionally give to Muslim charities, but they are not required to. If Muslims redirect donations, it could eventually provide a boost to non-Muslim charities.

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National sources

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• Ingrid Mattson is an assistant professor of Islamic Studies at Hartford Seminary and vice president of the Islamic Society of North America. She was part of the Muslim delegation that met with President Bush on Sept. 10 to discuss the effects government investigations were having on Islamic charities. She said the changes have had a chilling effect on donations to Muslim schools and charities. She would like to see the Muslim community and the U.S. government work together to establish a vetting process for Islamic charities. Contact 860-509-9531; imattson@hartsem.edu.
• R. Kevin Jacques is a professor of religious studies specializing in Islam at Indianapolis University and teaches a course on Islam in the United States. Contact 812-855-6907, rjaques@indiana.edu.
• Khalil Jahshan is the executive vice president and director of government affairs for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, a secular civil rights watchdog organization. Contact 202-244-2990; kjashahn@naaa-adc.org.
• Salam Al-Marayati is executive director of MPAC. in Los Angeles. He says Muslim have begun sending money directly overseas. He said by raiding charities, the government has created a second problem of people sending money that cannot be traced. Contact 213-383-3443; salam@mpac.org.
• Asim Ghafoor is a political consultant and a spokesperson for Global Relief, one of the charities whose assets have been frozen by the U.S. government. He says giving to Global Relief was down last Ramadan, which started not long after the 9/11 attacks. He prefers to speak on background but can direct reporters seeking direct quotes to officials with Global Relief. Contact 202-298-6696; 202-497-2219.

Background
• Zakat, the Muslim requirement of almsgiving, is one of the five pillars of Islam and is required of every able Muslim as proof of his or her self-discipline and dedication to others. During Ramadan, Muslims usually make extra donations, called sadaqah, which is considered an extra blessing upon the giver.
• No single authority measures how far donations have declined, but Muslim leaders and fundraisers say regular donors are afraid to sign their names to checks for fear they, too, could fall under suspicion should their charities of choice draw the interest of federal investigators. "I would venture to guess that giving during Ramadan will be less than usual," said Khalil Jahshan, executive vice-president of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. "The evidence is overwhelming that people are nervous about giving right now."
• Read a Religion News Service article posted on beliefnet.com about Islamic charities under investigation by the U.S. government.
• Read an opinion piece by Salam Al-Marayati of MPAC about the relationship between Muslim charities and the U.S. government.
• Read an Oct. 9 Associated Press story about the indictment of the head of Benevolence International Foundation on charges of racketeering.
• Read a beliefnet.com article about zakat before September 11.
• Read an article from the Association of Fundraising Professionals on the nature and characteristics of Islamic philanthropy in the United States.
• Read an Aug. 2 Seattle Post-Intelligencer article about Muslim charities under investigation in Idaho.
• Read an excerpt from a speech about the foundations of Islamic philanthropy.
• Read an article from March/April 2002 Philanthropy Roundtable magazine that compares religious giving by faiths, including Islam.