In the News

Most Powerful Organizations Serving Muslim Communities and Beyond

The word “powerful” can evoke a lot of meaning, negative and positive. In this list, the word “powerful” is meant to have a positive connotation. The organizations were judged by reach, reputation, engagement, geographic diversity as well as an underlying foundation of either Islamic values in the mission or predominantly Muslim representation in membership.

This list is by no means exhaustive, but it seeks to highlight the tremendous work Muslims are doing to benefit both Muslims and non-Muslims whether in charity, business, politics, media or the arts. These organizations will surely cause people to rethink preconceived notions about Muslim achievements and contributions in today’s society.

Read More at http://elanthemag.com/5-most-powerful-organizations-serving-muslim-communities-and-beyond/

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Family Sponsorship

About the Situation

Millions of families around the world struggle on a daily basis to find nutritious meals to eat; to maintain sanitary living environments; and to receive vital health screenings.

Whether because of harsh climates, tense political situations, low employment levels or high food prices, many of these families find themselves living in conditions that exacerbate poverty and close off opportunities to progress.

In Egypt

One out of five Egyptians lives below the poverty line—44% of the 88 million people in Egypt live on less than $2 per day. Underemployment in Egypt is widespread, and political unrest in 2011 has raised existing unemployment rates, high food prices and poverty levels.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has recently declared Egypt among the most vulnerable countries facing food crisis, with the nation on the brink of exhausting its supply of staple foods, such as rice and vegetable oil.

Millions of families in Egypt are struggling to survive.

In Palestine

The economic and social wellbeing of an estimated 3.5 million indigenous Palestinians continues to deteriorate. Poverty, unemployment and food insecurity levels have dramatically risen over past years, worsening already harsh living conditions, especially for Palestinians living in rural areas.

More than 57% of Palestinian families live below the poverty line—30% live in “extreme poverty.”

How Islamic Relief USA is Helping

Islamic Relief’s^TM family sponsorship program helps to improve living standards of impoverished families in at-risk communities. Families are provided with the basic resources necessary for daily life, and with tools and programs that support income-generation opportunities.

Beneficiaries of the family sponsorship program receive food parcels, support for medicinal expenses and school supplies for children. In additional, many families in this program receive financial support for entrepreneurial opportunities that will help them generate income to support themselves—and to contribute to their communities’ economic viability—for decades to come.

Islamic Relief has implemented family sponsorship programs in Egypt and Palestine, benefitting more than 30,000 people so far.

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Food Aid

About the Situation

According to the United Nations, one-sixth of the world’s population lives in hunger. Such malnourishment strips millions of the energy it takes to lead productive lives: adults cannot work and children cannot go to school—let alone, develop physically. And for those who fight through the hunger to work or focus on studies, a lack of proper nutrients weakens the immune systems, leaving them very vulnerable to disease

Hunger is a growing condition: the U.N. notes that increases in global food prices have pushed an additional 40 million people around the world into poverty during the past year. And hunger knows no bounds: there are populations of hungry people in every region, from countries in sub-Saharan Africa, where one in three people is malnourished, to the United States, where one in four children lives in hunger.

How Islamic Relief USA is Helping

Islamic Relief USA’s™ food aid programs span the gamut in terms of size and reach: from mobilized deliveries in the wake of disasters to ongoing school lunch programs that help children receive the nutrition they need to focus on learning.

Food aid services are the focus of two of Islamic Relief’s annual seasonal campaigns: Ramadan and Udhiyah/Qurbani. Distributions made during these special seasons on the Muslim calendar simultaneously fulfill charitable obligations and help ease burdens on impoverished Muslims as they fast and observe religious traditions.

Farhia, in Mogadishu, Somalia, is one sister your donations have helped.

Check out her story.

Here are some of Islamic Relief’s current and recently completed food aid programs:

• Zhuangheji Integrated Development Project, China
• Family sponsorship program, Egypt
• Food distribution program, Egypt
• School feeding program, Jordan
• Humanitarian intervention for Libyans in Tunisia
• Food sovereignty project, Mali
• Flood emergency food distribution, Pakistan
• Family sponsorship program, Palestine
• Land rehabilitation program, Palestine
• School feeding program, Palestine
• Emergency assistance for Syrian refugees in Lebanon
• Day of Dignity, United States
• Food bank, United States
• Summer food service program, United States
• Emergency response and humanitarian support for internally displaced  persons, Yemen
• Orphan support
• Ramadan food distribution
• Udhiyah/Qurbani meat distribution

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Zakah

About the Observance

Offering zakah is a religious obligation of all Muslims, and is one of the five pillars of Islam. This observance is meant to remind Muslims to be appreciative of the blessings that Allah (swt) has bestowed upon them, and to help empower those who have less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about zakah. Please remember that there are many rulings and differences of opinion regarding zakah. The following answers are meant to provide a basic understanding of zakah. It is advised that you consult with your local imam or scholar for more detailed inquiries.

1. What is zakah?
   In Arabic, zakah means purification, growth and blessing. It is a charitable practice that requires all able Muslims (those who meet the requirement of nisab) to contribute a fixed portion of their wealth to help the needy—generally, 2.5% of savings—to help the needy.
2. What is nisab?
   Nisab is the minimum amount of wealth a Muslim must have—after calculating necessary expenses—to be eligible to contribute zakah. Nisab is equivalent to the value of three ounces of gold. As of Aug. 31, 2011, the amount of nisab has been calculated as $4,828 (disclaimer: this number may change daily depending on fluctuations in the gold exchange rate).
3. Who is obligated to pay zakah?
   Every adult Muslim who meets the requirements of nisab must pay zakah.
4. Must I have the intention to pay zakah for it to be accepted?
   Yes. In Islam, intention is an essential part of any act of worship, including the payment of zakah. The intention must be made at the time the zakah is paid.
5. What kinds of wealth are included in the calculation of zakah? (note: for a detailed list of wealth to include, please see IRUSA’s zakah calculator.)
   These stipulations delineate the type of wealth that should be accounted for when calculating zakah:
   • The wealth is yours and under your control. You do not need to include outstanding debts when calculating zakah
   •  The wealth is subject to development and increasing.
   • After calculating necessary expenses, the wealth meets the requirements of nisab.
   • Personal belongings, such as clothes, primary homes, food, cars, are exempt from zakah.
6. When can I pay my zakah?
   Zakah should be paid as soon as possible prior to or at the time that you’ve earned the requisite amount of nisab each lunar year, or one year since you last paid it. Tip: A good way to ensure zakah is made in a timely fashion is to pay your zakah during Ramadan.
7. Is it acceptable from a religious perspective to give zakah toward any of your funds, or does the fund have to specify zakah?
   You may make your zakah contributions toward any of our funds or projects. It is your intention that counts in this case. However, if your contribution is specifically made to our zakah fund, then we will follow specific zakah guidelines, which mean that all except a maximum of one-eighth or 12.5% of your contribution will be spent toward the eight categories of zakah.
8. Who can my zakah be given to?
   According to the Holy Qur’an (9:60), there are eight categories of people who qualify to be beneficiaries of zakah:
   • The poor
   • The needy
   • The collectors of zakah
   • Those who hearts are to be won over
   • Captives
   • Debtors
   • In the cause of Allah (swt)
   • Travelers

   Most scholars agree that the poor and needy are the most important categories of people to receive zakah. Given that, it is acceptable to give your entire zakah allotment to individuals who are in those groups.

9. Do I have to pay zakah on my home?
   One does not have to pay zakah on a primary place of residence. If the house qualifies as a secondary residence that sometimes get rented out, however, zakah is due on it after subtracting necessary expenses from the income generated.
10. Do I have to pay zakah on jewelry?
    Yes, on jewelry you do not regularly wear.
11. Do I have to pay zakah on stocks?
    Yes. You may use the current value on stocks.
12. What’s the difference between zakah and sadaqah?
    In the language of the Holy Qur’an, zakah and sadaqah are the same. In practice, however, sadaqah is the term used to indicate voluntary charitable giving while zakah is obligatory.
13. What is the difference between zakah and Zakat al-Fitr?
    Zakat al-Mal (commonly called “zakah”) is due when a person’s wealth reaches the nisab amount and can be paid anytime during the year. Zakat al-Fitr is paid by the head of the a household for each member of the family. It must be paid before Eid al-Fitr prayer. Zakat al-Fitr is about the price of one meal—estimated at $10 in 2011.
14. On whose behalf do I have to pay Zakat al-Fitr? What if I have young children>
    Zakat al-Fitr should be paid on behalf of everyone in the family, including unborn children during pregnancy.
15. When should I pay my Zakat al-Fitr?
    It should be paid before Eid prayer (or any day during Ramadan).

Your Zakah + Islamic Relief = Helping Others

Islamic Relief USA has a fund dedicated to zakah contributions to ensure that any zakah that is paid to IRUSA is distributed in accordance with Islamic tradition.

Islamic Relief puts your zakah donations to work toward development projects in education, health care, and water and sanitation that will create long-lasting opportunities for our poor and needy brothers and sisters all around the world.

And with Islamic Relief’s zakah calculator, it’s very easy to calculate the amount of your contribution before you donate it.

Islamic Relief’s zakah fund has been used to support projects such as these:

• Improving water and sanitation in Africa
• Sustaining orphans in Afghanistan
• Caring for Egypt’s children in need
• Feeding families in Palestine
• Renewing community livelihoods in Pakistan

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East Africa Crisis

About the Emergency

Millions of people across East Africa are still suffering from the effects of the worst drought in 60 years. With malnutrition a chronic problem in the region, more than 13 million people were hit hard by the drought, with Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia among the countries impacted the most severely. Without water, crops failed, livestock died and food prices skyrocketed. Throughout the second half of 2011, famine spread through southern Somalia, taking its highest toll on children. Now, rains have begun to alleviate the drought, but food is still in short supply. Meanwhile, flooding has added to the suffering of displaced families, and illnesses have begun spreading rapidly through the weakened population.

Please help Islamic Relief help East Africa by donating today.

How Islamic Relief Is Helping

**”Horn of Africa Crisis” Briefing on Capitol Hill hosted by Islamic Relief USA**
Speakers from several organizations, including InterAction, Mercy Corps, Refugees International joined Islamic Relief USA and Congressman Keith Ellison on Dec. 1, 2011, to discuss the on-going crisis throughout East Africa.The briefing, hosted by Islamic Relief USA, was held on Capitol Hill. More information is available here.

**#FWD the Facts Campaign**
Islamic Relief USA was selected by the Obama Administration to help lead a faith-based awareness campaign in the United States about the humanitarian crisis affecting East Africa. Islamic Relief USA’s CEO Abed Ayoub participated in a conference with faith-based and community groups about the campaign in early November 2011—speaking on behalf of the Muslim-American community, Ayoub cited the efforts of Islamic Relief USA and its community in helping alleviate the suffering of hundreds of thousands of people. Ayoub also presented key plans for continued work in the region. To read a blog about the conference, check out “Read this for Medina, Nour and Fatima”.

Islamic Relief USA also joined USAID to “FWD the Facts” on Nov. 9, 2011, to help spread information about the crisis in East Africa and about how individuals can help. Click here to learn more about this initiative on usaid.gov/fwd. Read “Islamic Relief USA Partners with USAID for Horn of Africa FWD Campaign” to learn more about Islamic Relief USA’s involvement.

Islamic Relief has been working in Kenya since 1993, Somalia since 1998, and Ethiopia since 2000 to help the people there who have lived under dire conditions for decades.

The Islamic Relief family is collectively responding through the Islamic Relief offices in East Africa, which have been delivering assistance for this particular effort since July 2011. So far, Islamic Relief has helped provide

• Food and supplemental nutrition
• Water and water treatment items
• Medicine and health care services
• Emergency seed packs
• Nutrition and health care for livestock (including protein supplementation and vaccination)
• Fixed water wells
• Latrines
• Hygiene kits
• Cooking and other household items

Here are more specific examples of how your generous donations are helping Islamic Relief help drought survivors throughout East Africa:

• More than 600,000 people (90,000 families) in Somalia have received food aid distributions.
• Some 8,000 malnourished children in Ethiopia have benefited from a supplementary feeding program.
• Five deep-water wells have been rehabilitated in Kenya.
• Five teams of Islamic Relief volunteer doctors have been providing mobile health clinic services daily in camps housing Somali refugees—an estimated 30,000 people have had access to these services.
• More than 35,500 children under the age of 3, and pregnant and lactating mothers have benefitted from a blanket supplementary feeding program in Kenya.
• Water trucks have delivered clean water to more than 40,000 people in Ethiopia.
• Some 11,000 households in Somalia have gained access to sanitary latrines.

InterAction has created an integrated map of relief efforts throughout East Africa that cites Islamic Relief’s efforts there.

Click the image to see the map.

Islamic Relief has helped hundreds of thousands of people throughout the region, but we need your help to continue to do so—the need for water, food and shelter is so extreme that your donations can literally save lives today.

Check out these videos and pictures taken from the field. You can see full-size versions on IRUSA’s Youtube.com channel. Read first-hand accounts from Islamic Relief USA staffers Anwar Khan and Reem El-Khatib, who were in Kenya and Somalia in September and October 2011.

How You Can Help

Here’s a sample of how your donations can help get vital resources to people in the region:

• About $1 vaccinates and treats one livestock animal in Ethiopia
• About $500 provides three months’ worth of food packs and water for a family of eight in Somalia
• About $19,430 funds the rehabilitation of one deep-water well in Kenya

These are just some of the services we’re able to provide with your donations. There are many more.

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Fundraising Dinner for Africa

Join IRUSA and the Michigan community for a fundraising iftar for Africa. The event will start after maghrib prayer, and will include babysitting services.

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Fundraising Dinner for Palestine Families and Orphans

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A More Secure Life In Kenya

Like most other people in Mandera, Kenya, Mohammed Abdullahi has spent most of his life making a living from his animals. Living a traditional pastoralist way of life, he used to travel with his animals in search of water and pasture. However, years of drought decimated his herd and forced him to turn to agriculture to feed his family.

Mohammed, who is in his late 60s, is part of an agricultural group in Yabichio village that was set up by Islamic Relief. This group is made up of former pastoralists like Mohammed who can no longer sustain a life that relies on their animals. Islamic Relief trained them on how to prepare land, plant the seeds and harvest the crops; provided them with pumps to irrigate the land; and gave them seeds and tools. So during the most recent drought to hit Mandera, Mohammed was able to grow his own food to sell at market and provide for his children.

Mohammed said, “Life as a pastoralist is very difficult. When there is rain, then your animals are healthy and you have milk and meat, but if there is drought then there is nothing. There was a drought 19 years ago that seriously affected my livestock. Gradually I got my life back together, but then this recent drought struck and nearly all my livestock died. … There have always been problems, even when I was a child, but I think things are getting worse.”

“I used to travel from place to place with my animals and didn’t have knowledge about agriculture and or the equipment to irrigate the dry land. I didn’t know about pumps and other tools, so when I started farming it was very difficult. But Islamic Relief opened our eyes and gave us the knowledge and tools we didn’t have. They gave us pump sets, fuel, seeds, farm tools and importantly training. They trained us how to use the pumps and how to maintain them, and how to plant the seeds and when to harvest the crops. We now know about growing cash crops, how to build irrigation ditches and how to prepare the land for planting.”

“Before we had the pumps, it was very difficult to irrigate the land, and we had to bring up the water by hand. Sometimes the land would flood if there was heavy rain and would wash away the crops because we did not have any flood control systems.”

“Sometimes I feel bad that I have left the pastoral way of life that my family practiced for so many years, but I know I am better off now. The life of my whole family has improved since I changed to agriculture. I now have more food, can provide better health care to my children, and because we don’t have to move around in search of pasture anymore, all my children can attend school.”

“Most people here who are pastoralists have lost their animals because of the drought and are suffering from food shortages. They are reliant on the relief aid that charities give out, but this is not a good way to live. I am happy that I have this other option to grow my own food which should help me through this hard time.”

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Riding On New Hope In Ethiopia

Mohammed Moussa Dimu lives in Bollotono Kabele in Afar, northern Ethiopia. He and his family raise camels, cattle and goats, selling them to buy food and other items.

“In the towns, many people own shops or restaurants, but here everyone makes a living from their animals,” Mohammed said. “But because of the drought, many families’ animals are suffering from different diseases.”

To help improve the health of the animals that people in Afar depend upon so heavily, Islamic Relief established a veterinary training scheme in 2009. This provides local people like Mohammed with the skills and equipment to diagnose common health problems in animals and to be able to effectively treat them. Mohammed completed the training at age 22.

“After I finished my training, I began to treat the animals of local people who brought their sick cattle, goats and camels to me,” he said. “The drought made many animals vulnerable to disease, often with parasites and ticks.

“Over the years the droughts in this area have got worse and more frequent, and the number of animals have decreased. This is threatening our traditional pastoralist way of life,” Mohammed explained. “Many people have been forced to sell their livestock and move to the towns. So far I can still continue breeding livestock, but I fear that I won’t be able to do this forever and will have to look for other sources of income.”

“If animals become ill then people cannot sell them for a good price and they stop producing milk, and this adds to their shortages of food. People here do not grow crops so we have to sell our animals in exchange for grain and vegetables.”

“As a community animal health worker, my main role is to use the kit that Islamic Relief gave me to treat the animals and control the spread of disease,” Mohammed said. “I also advise people how best to care for their animals and how to safely dispose of their carcasses if they die.”

“I work in and around Bollotono where people know that I am an animal health worker. I serve around 30 people a week, treating parasites, infections and respiratory diseases,” Mohammed said. “I charge for the service I give, so that I am able to make a little money to supplement my family’s income.”

“When Islamic Relief came here and told us about this project, my community nominated me to be part of the training. I am very happy to have taken this training and to be able to help my community.”

Learn more about and donate to support Islamic Relief’s sustainable livelihood projects.

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Dreaming Of A Brighter Future In Ayyat, Egypt

“I am incapable of anything” Muhammad Khalifa Abdel-Wahed says with sorrow. “Incapable of looking after myself, my wife and my children.”

Muhammad is close to 40 years old. An illness about a decade ago, in his final year of college, left him disabled.

Muhammad lives with his wife and three children near Cairo in Ayyat, one of Egypt’s poorest areas. Their home consists of a bathroom and another room they use as a bedroom, a living room and a kitchen. They do not have a refrigerator, but they really don’t need one anyway, because there is rarely any food to store. They eat meat about once every two months.

“When I cook chicken,” his wife said, ”I noticed my children don’t eat all their share and they keep it for the next days. Then I discovered that they save it because they are afraid they won’t be eating chicken again soon!”

Muhammad and his family live on his government pension of 100 Egyptian pounds a month – three pounds a day, or about 50 cents. This must pay for food, Muhammad’s medicine and treatment, the children’s education costs – everything.

His family received a large box of food from Islamic Relief, bringing relief from the struggle to find food for a month.

“I know you care for the needy people and their sufferings,” Muhammad said, “and I hope you keep doing this … We would be very helpless without you.”

Despite his family’s difficulties, Muhammad has hope for a better life.

“Tomorrow is in God’s hand,” he said, “but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have our own hopes for the future. I wish to have a house like normal people; a room for me and my wife, and a room for the kids, with a kitchen and bathroom. I wish I have a stable income … sometimes I feel that I am having a far-fetched dream and that what I am asking for is too much … but then I wonder … aren’t these the hopes and dreams of any man?”

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