In recent years, the holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims who are able fast from sunrise to sunset, has coincided with the holidays in the United States, a season that is kicked off with feast of overeating -- Thanksgiving -- and ends with a tradition of overdrinking at New Year's. As American Muslims commemorate Eid al-Adha (the Feast of the Sacrifice), we watch an orgy of excess, with the pangs of our hunger still fresh in our memories. With our spiritual selves amply fed by our self-denial, our thoughts often turn at this time to those who are unable to meet their basic needs.
And yet, Muslims in the United States have their own cultural block when it comes to helping those left behind at the holidays. Many Muslims take the exclusivist position that their aid is only for other Muslims -- from or in their own country of origin, or who speak the same language as they do, or who practice their brand of Islam. Such a stance negates the practice and instruction of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which enjoins us to respond to the need of those closest to us.
Hunger is at crisis levels, and not only among the homeless, or even the jobless. In New York City, where I am based, the fastest growing populations at emergency food programs are working parents, children and senior citizens, who can afford a place to live but not all they need to eat. These people are the neighbors of some 600,000 to 850,000 Muslims who live in New York, the largest concentration of Muslims in the country. They are the people closest to us.
Hunger is not limited to the New York, or even to urban areas; it is a national crisis. A recent report commissioned by Feeding America cited a 46 percent increase in the clientele at food banks in the first year of the recession, and a 36 percent increase in Americans described as "food insecure."
The Muslim populations across the United States are in no way exempt from the social and economic challenges impacting residents. Because we live here and are a part of this society, we have an obligation to take action to end hunger. As citizens, we need to address the hunger that affects a sizable segment of the communities in which we live and work. As Muslims, we need to respect our faith tradition that instructs, celebrates and rewards such efforts.
There is a long tradition of faith-based human-service and pastoral care in the United States, through Catholic Charities, historic social-justice ministries of the Protestant churches and Jewish philanthropy and charity. At the very least, Muslim participation in this tradition is an act of reciprocity: thousands of Muslims have been the recipients of timely and valuable services from these other faith communities. As importantly, this tradition will be greatly enriched with our inclusion.
The holidays are not only a time to be mindful of the disparities in resources in our country. Muslims should be prepared to make du'a and act to end poverty in our midst. The Prophet Muhammad, who is reported to have said, "Poverty is akin to disbelief." Let us invite our neighbors to the straight path by working to assist them in meeting their basic needs. May our efforts be accepted and hunger ended.
Nurah-Rosalie Amat'ullah is executive director of the Muslim Women's Institute for Research and Development, which has worked to end hunger in the Bronx since 1997 with the establishment of the first halal food pantry in New York City. MWIRD's relief projects have since expanded to include disaster response on the local, national and international levels.
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Rev. Jesse Jackson: Cutting Exceptional Poverty Should Be Nation's Top Priority
Hunger in America 2010: Hunger Study Statistics | Feeding America
Childhood Hunger in America - CBS News Video
Poverty in America | Change.org
Du'a -- Personal Supplications in Islam
An American Muslim Thanksgiving: Halal Turkey Included
Thousands of hungry Americans fed by American Muslim in Washington ...
it was one of these films where you actually wonder if the spirits of the
saints and desciples may have stepped right out of the Bible to
'get it right'...it makes you see the people around you in a completely different light..
but that's disturbing enough to do during a non-holiday season...
Jesus was giving what I assume was the service on the mount..one of the things he said was along the lines of ...you can lead a man to fish...you can not do any more for him after that but TEACH him to fish...
in essence if he does not show a willingness to learn...(my paraphrasing here)..he is wasting space here on earth.
Where do you come off mocking another culture's celebration rooted in religious tradition while disparaging at the same type of mocking when directed at your own faith?
Mrs. Amat'ullah, that's what we truly call "Chutzpah".
The world will not know peace until ALL of these silly, childish superstitions are buried.
People need to grow up and stop talking to their invisible friends.
I have Muslim friends in the Toledo area and they tell me that this is not the first time the Muslim community is giving to the food bank to help hungry families and individuals. Apparently, this has been going on for three years now and it is a year-round thing.
Here are a few news articles that talk about the food bank this year and in past years:
http://toledoblade.com/article/20101223/NEWS16/101229876/-1/news16
http://www.wtol.com/global/Category.asp?C=195970&clipId=5405780&autostart=true
http://toledoblade.com/article/20081213/NEWS10/812130339
That isn’t true. It may be true of zakat, but not of charity, or of taxes that the state levies.
Zakat (one of the five pillars of Islam) is obligatory, is meant to be collected by the Islamic State, and is collected exclusively from the Muslims, and only from the wealthy Muslims. Non-Muslims, even the wealthy ones, are exempt from paying zakat.
Zakat is not deducted from the income, but rather from the assets of a wealthy Muslims. His home, home furnishings, his transport, and other assets that he uses routinely are exempt. Zakat is not collected on those items.
Nowadays, many Muslim states do not collect zakat, and many Muslims do not trust those governments that do. Most Muslims give zakat on their own, and to those who they know are poor and deserving.
Though zakat is to be collected by the state, it is not exactly a tax. It may not be used for anything other than the uses specifically mentioned in the Quran. For the day to day functioning of the state, other taxes are levied.
In fact, the author's point seems to be that "Such a stance negates the practice and instruction of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which enjoins us to respond to the need of those closest to us." Ms. Amatullah is pointing out that Muhammad urged a broad view of charity.
Of course, her interpretation may conflict with the Koranic injunction to avoid contact with infidels and the "impure". How "close" are Muslims to those living in the immediate vicinity who are in fact "unclean"?
You elect to impress us with a display of Arabic words for different types of burdens, basically taxes. Are you trying to put Ms. Amatullah in her place with your superior mastery of various tax euphemisms? What does your message mean about the heart of charity?
You indicate that "Most Muslims give zakat on their own." Excellent. Common ground.
Words? I only used one Arabic word _ zakat. Others, posting before me had already used that word. Perhaps they, as I, thought that when the author said “ their aid [aid = zakat?] is only for other Muslims”, she meant zakat.
Oh yeah, I ain't Muslim so I don't know jack about this cat thing (zakat).
Why?
It is human nature, also Darwinian, to help those who most closely resemble each of us in our social values. Where exactly is the Darwinian advantage to giving to the competition, so that they can grow big and strong and have lots of children to the disadvantage of my offspring?
I have little knowledge of Islamic charity; and Christian charity makes no mention of the religion of the recipient -- actually, it does; the tale of the Good Samaritan was specifically chosen to illustrate charity to the *enemy* of the Jews.
But the question is still "why" anyone thinks what they think.
Perhaps it is time for muslim americans to take a higher visibility role in charitable work. Perhaps it is time to show the kind and generous muslims that live quietly in every town and city in this nation. I think muslims are afraid of being vilified for simply existing and so do not act. American muslims need to act consciously to redirect attention from the few evil people that give the west a foundation to say that Islam is about violence, and take our religion back. Let us show America that we are kind a generous and peaceful. Show it by proudly going into our communities and working to better it. Pick up trash, collect coats and toys for children, feed the hungry, get involved with habitat for humanity, do something!
Oh, look at ME! I'm giving!
Blah.
The zakat may be one of the five pillars, but the Hadith only speaks of it as a requirement to help fellow Muslims. Non-Muslims are not entitled to the zakat. The zakat is to be given to: the poor, slaves to buy their freedom, those in debt, jihadists, and travelers who need assistance. A kafir (a non-believer) is forbidden to receive money from the zakat. Qur'an (48:29) - Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves
The greatest contribution to disaster relief for victims in the Islamic world has always been non-Islamic organizations and nations with a Christian heritage.
I wonder if the author of that statment took into consideration the per capita income of various peoples involved when coming to that conclusion? Or the total numbers of people counted as Mulims or Christians? And whether or not any Muslim contributions were funneled in through Christian organizations?
The tone of your posts suggests you're are a basher and if that is your purpose, I'd be curious as to what you hope to gain? Or maybe you just feel a need to vent?
Across any slice of human politics, religion or culture there are a certain percentage of fanatical extremists. This is part of human nature and no one has a monopoly on the good or the bad.
What I hope to gain is some discussion of Islam.
I will probably get attacks on the tone of my post.
Anyway it seems as if you are arguing more with the Koran than me.
This is so untrue! Muslims are commanded to give charity to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. For Zakat, I don't know if it is limited only to certain groups of of Muslims or if itc an be given to non-muslims but Sadaqah which means charity, Muslims are commanded to give it to people iin need regardless of their creed. Here in North Carolina, Muslims are donating to food banks, soup kitchens, every Eid Aladha they send meet and meals to poor people, Muslims and non-muslims. When Katrina hit there were many Muslim groups on the ground helping and working in hospitals. From my area I know a team of Muslim doctors and nurses worked there and the same Haiti.
Zakat is only a small portion (2.5 %) and it is like tax on the wealthy. Sadaqah or Charity is for all regardless of what your creed is. At the time of Khalifah Omar, poor Christians were given salaries from Charities and even Bait-ul-Mal (Treasury) which had zakat as one of its revenues.
But for those who come to this country, learn t to love it as their own and become Americans( like my family) give what ever they can afford to any charities.
Hunger doesn't know religion or color
Also, my wife and I has send money to Haiti and support our local food bank on a regular base.
The zakat may be one of the five pillars, but the Hadith only speaks of it as a requirement to help fellow Muslims. Non-Muslims are not entitled to the zakat. The zakat is to be given to: the poor, slaves to buy their freedom, those in debt, jihadists, and travelers who need assistance. A kafir (a non-believer) is forbidden to receive money from the zakat. Qur'an (48:29) - Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves
The greatest contribution to disaster relief for victims in the Islamic world has always been non-Islamic organizations and nations with a Christian heritage.
More billions of dollars have poured into Hamas and PLO, per person, than any other national group, yet there is little to show for it. Remember Arafat? After he suddenly died, it was disclosed that he had a fortune in Switzerland while Palestinians starved. The claims of a religious front to all this is disturbing.
Washington — Two weeks after the January 12 earthquake devastated Port-au-Prince and nearby areas, the Muslim-American aid organizations Islamic Relief USA and Zakat Foundation continue to transport and distribute supplies to Haiti’s earthquake victims.
To improve their response to the tragedy, both organizations are utilizing partnerships with others dedicated to providing humanitarian relief.
“Islamic Relief USA and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have partnered to ship 160,000 pounds of much-needed aid to Haiti,” said a statement on Islamic Relief USA’s Web site. “The shipment includes medical equipment, blankets, first-aid kits, water-filtration bottles, wheelchairs and other much-needed aid.”
For the Zakat Foundation, its Haitian earthquake relief efforts mark the beginning of new partnerships for the group. Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA) doctors, including IMANA Relief Committee chair Dr. Ismail Mehr, are in Haiti working with Zakat Foundation staff.
http://www.america.gov/st/peopleplace-english/2010/January/20100126161943smtotrob0.1944086.html
Good for them.
Another Muslim organization that contributes "without regard to faith, origin or gender" is the Aga Khan Development Network ... http://www.akdn.org/
Merry Christmas!!