RALEIGH, North Carolina - The Muslim American Society (MAS) has launched a nationwide campaign to encourage Muslims to donate food and money to help feed fellow hungry Americans, regardless of their faith. "It’s our way of showing the community that we care about everyone and that Allah loves everyone, Muslims and non-Muslims," Allyson Swelam, the head of the outreach committee in MAS Raleigh chapter, told IslamOnline.net.
Muslims are encouraged to donate canned food, nonperishable items as well as money to provide fresh meat.
Donation boxes were made available at local mosques and Islamic schools.
"All donations are going directly to low income people who live under the poverty line," said Allyson.
She asserted that the response of the Muslim community was good, especially that this is the first time to conduct such a campaign.
"I think this is a good start and we already met our target as far as the cost of the meat that we pre-ordered."
I hope you meant "you" in the American-English collective sense (as in the more proper English-English "one"). If not, I would ask is that kind of crap really necessary?
I didnt mean YOU... why are you so paranoid?.. I think I am very straight fwd with my convictions!
No, it isn't a popularity contest, but then again there is the constant refrain that Muslims are not understood in the West. Perhaps they aren't. One can either whine and complain or one can do something about it or one can ignore it. I think you made yourself clear. Bad choice if you were to ask me, which I am quite sure you wouldn't
What difference would it make? If you like Flourless Mocha Torte but I keep imposing on you a Tiramisu.. chances are you can't convince your taste bud of something they are not likely to find palatable!
BTW...I didn't say I agreed with the indictment of the Holy Land Foundation, I was just explaining the negative impact it had on American perceptions of Muslim giving. I like you idea though. Muslims stop caring about the "West" and the "West" can go back to not caring about Muslims. Brilliant!
I have come to learn that you derive great satisfaction from simplistic conclusions.. so kudos...
Hard to argue with the local needs first idea. Aren't there a lot of Muslims who don't read Arabic? Seems to me they will need some guidance. They can't exactly search the USC library.
I don't exactly understand what that is to denote?
I am not here to defend Israel. Ben Gurion or Sharon never once asked me for any advice.
I don't think they will either...
peace!
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
So, if a person gives charity to non-Muslim organizations, he is not allowed to deduct that from the amount he has to pay for the obligatory Zakah. He still has to pay full Zakah from his wealth annually according to the nisab."
Sort of like you paying tax the 'Charge against a citizen's person or property or activity for the support of government'-- this is the obligation under an Islamic state.. giving charity is obligatory upon every Muslim 4% of your income, however giving beyond that for the sake of Allah which isn't compulsory is very much encouraged..
How many people do you honestly know give to charity as mandated by religious law, as well as for the sake of Allah and the love of humanity?
Indeed, nothing stops Muslims from giving charity to non-Muslims. But you are not allowed to consider it Zakat.
The only reason I bothered to comment on your post is because you said "Actually, it is obligatory for Muslims to give of their income to charity...". This was in the context of giving help to non-Muslims. Yet, this obligatory charity cannot be spend on non-Muslims. I see you have now accepted that.
I still don't understand why I'd have to share with you anything that you 'would gladly hear it'? I don't think ultimately we are to answer to you!
Who ever claimed you had to? You may of course ignore me, that is your prerogative.
and again, I maintain people dedicate a life time to studying Islamic jurisprudence, cutting and pasting from a website, doesn't make you an expert!
No, of course I am not an expert :confused:. Thats why I cut and paste what Islamic scholars say about it in fatwas. These are not just 'some websites'. These are legitimate fatwas from respected scholars posted on well-known Islamic websites. I wouldn't dare to quote directly from the Qu'ran or Hadith's, since I know the matter is way to complex for a layman like me. So I try to learn from Islamic scholars and read the occasional fatwa. IMHO that is the best approach for a non-Muslim to take while learning about Islam.
I don't doubt you maintain close contact with people who dedicate their life to Islamic jurisprudence, but that doesn't change the fact that it made no sense for you to start talking about Zakat in the context of charity to non-Muslims.
Indeed, nothing stops Muslims from giving charity to non-Muslims. But you are not allowed to consider it Zakat.
.
So? I don't understand your point really?... what do you care what I consider it? to you rather the person it is given to lest you pull a paranoid on me too, it is a charitable contribution.. I can only assimilate this as a woman making up her obligatory fast for days missed in Ramdan because of 'lawful reasons', what I mean by that is, whatever days you've missed you must make up, however it is stated that if you fast 6 days in sha'wal is as if you have fasted an entire year, but those 6 days won't count toward the days you've missed even though it counts as an entire year in its own right... or if you make obligatory salat (prayers) and sunna prayers.. most just happily oblige by what is mandatory and don't go further, it is all too dependent on your abilities... So long as needy people get what they need that is all that matters, how it counts in my religion is not really a point for a debate!
I don't see what you have taught me here from the fatwa sites?
I hope we are clear!
peace!
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
I meant what about non-Arabic-literate Muslims? How do they form their opinions if not from the advice of an elder (or being told what to think)?
well.. I wonder about them too, but it is your religious duty to seek knowledge... had a smiliar conversation about this with my old man the other day.. reminiscing about a shiite lady who had lost her daughter in the Lebanon/Israel war.. she was dedicating her daughter as she lay dying to sayeda zeinab (daughter of the prophet PBUH).. which is a big big big no no NO in Islam That is shirk no different than a christian who prays to Jesus (p).. and I knew she was a very simple lady, I was really concerned how people can live and die in ignorance... All I can say is, I hope they observe their religious duties by learning, I hope those who are learned seek them out and teach them, and if all else fails, I believe that God has assigned himself the law of mercy and certainly knows who is refractory out of innocence and who is learned yet chooses to remain ignorant!
peace!
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
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