FWIW - Muslim Americans Pledge $10 Million for Hurricane Relief

[HeldUp]

MUSLIM AMERICANS PLEDGE $10 MILLION FOR HURRICANE RELIEF

Muslim American groups form task force to coordinate humanitarian aid

(Chicago, 9/5/05) -- A coalition of major Muslim American groups meeting at the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) in Chicago last night announced a pledge to raise $10 million in humanitarian relief for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The coalition also announced the formation of a Muslim Hurricane Relief Task Force (MHRTF) to coordinate the aid effort. MHRTF members include (in alphabetical order) Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Islamic Relief, ISNA, Kind Hearts, Life for Relief and Development, Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), Muslim American Society (MAS), Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), and Muslim Ummah of North American (MUNA).

Other groups who agree to the task force's guidelines will be added as the relief efforts develop. MHRTF guidelines for collection and distribution of funds will focus on financial transparency and accountability as set forth in relevant government regulations and standards. No proselytizing of hurricane victims will be allowed by any member of the task force.

"It is a national and Islamic obligation to assist one's neighbors when they are in need," said ISNA Secretary General Sayyid Syeed. "The American Muslim community pledges to do its part in helping those Americans, of all faiths, who suffered such great losses in lives and property."

Syeed said MHRTF will announce a comprehensive list of Muslim relief group that promise to adhere to the task force's guidelines.

The initial MHRTF action plan includes an assessment of the humanitarian needs that can be met by American Muslim financial and human resources, as well as a similar assessment of the Islamic community's ability to meet those needs.

More than $2 million in hurricane aid has already been disbursed by Islamic charities. Muslim relief workers are currently on the ground in Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, and Mississippi. Other task force efforts will focus on evaluating the material and spiritual requirements of Gulf Coast Muslims. MPAC encourages all Muslims to donate generously to relief organizations in order to assist the victims of Hurrican Katrina.

[orthy]

very nice..many thanks to all involved...

[mhafinancial]

A very nice move, indeed.

Even nicer are the folks on the ground helping out.

Thanks for posting.

[TIES2]

Hey David, Orthy -- what about the millions and millions donated by other faith based organizations such as Catholic Relief Fund, Jewish United Fund, Salvation Army among thousands of others....don't they deserve a hardy thank you, too?

Oh, I forgot, they don't issue press releases talking about what they're going to do or feel they need to point out how they will help all Americans regardless of an individual's faith...

[LesterX]

Uh, yes they do. Just a couple of examples:

UNITED JEWISH COMMUNITIES ESTABLISHES HUMANITARIAN RELIEF FUND IN WAKE OF HURRICANE KATRINA (http://www.ujc.org/content_display.html?ArticleID=161567)

Team from Catholic Charities Agencies in Florida, the Florida Catholic Conference Heads to Mississippi to Provide Assistance (http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/news/content_displays.cfm?fuseaction=display_document&id=648&location=3

Perhaps the Muslim-American community feels compelled to point out their support for their fellow citizens because they are constantly accused of being anti-American, terrorist-sympathizing, etc., etc...

[HeldUp]

Leslie, don't bother with TIES2. He/she is constantly looking for the gnat poop in the pepper.

[mhafinancial]

Leslie, don't bother with TIES2. He/she is constantly looking for the gnat poop in the pepper.
Or the pepper in the gnat poop,if you will.

[TIES2]

Uh, yes they do. Just a couple of examples:

UNITED JEWISH COMMUNITIES ESTABLISHES HUMANITARIAN RELIEF FUND IN WAKE OF HURRICANE KATRINA (http://www.ujc.org/content_display.html?ArticleID=161567)

Team from Catholic Charities Agencies in Florida, the Florida Catholic Conference Heads to Mississippi to Provide Assistance (http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/news/content_displays.cfm?fuseaction=display_document&id=648&location=3

Perhaps the Muslim-American community feels compelled to point out their support for their fellow citizens because they are constantly accused of being anti-American, terrorist-sympathizing, etc., etc...


Or maybe because the next terror attack will be by some muslim group in the name of Allah and Islam. It's more window dressing.

[PalestinianPride]

^
Just like how Bush will go make a war and sent troops to their deathbeds and kill thousands of civilians all for black oil because God spoke to him?With the way he handled the Katrina aftermath,we all know where his priorities lie.

That is such a nice and generous gesture of the Muslim association and all the other relgious associtations to give money in this time of need.

[admiralkosmos]

^
Just like how Bush will go make a war and sent troops to their deathbeds and kill thousands of civilians all for black oil because God spoke to him?With the way he handled the Katrina aftermath,we all know where his priorities lie.

That is such a nice and generous gesture of the Muslim association and all the other relgious associtations to give money in this time of need.

You write with a dramatic flair and a sense of intensity which alienates the average Western eye but you speak the truth.

[LesterX]

Or maybe because the next terror attack will be by some muslim group in the name of Allah and Islam. It's more window dressing.

Wow, instead of retracting a statement that was shown to be in error, you have to further fuel the fire with this statement. Tarik is right -- blatant bigotry such as this isn't worthy of a response, so this will be my last one.

[TIES2]

Or the pepper in the gnat poop,if you will.


First, what was the purpose of Heldup posting the press release? Could Muslims not have easily given to other charities such as the Red Cross? Or is that haram? With regard to zakat, is a Muslim allowed to give to non-Muslim charities?

"Thus, Zakah should be given to poor and needy Muslims. Some non-Muslims may receive a portion of Zakah if there is hope that by giving them Zakah that might lead to their conversion into Islam. They would be then considered under the category of mu'allafati qulubuhun or those whose hearts are inclined to accept Islam."

"According to Nawawi's manual of Islam, Al-Maqasid, zakat is given to eight categories of people: 1. The poor; 2. People short of money; 3. Zakat workers; 4. Those whose hearts are to be reconciled; 5. Bondsmen who are purchasing their freedom from their owners; 6. Those who have debts; 7. Those engaged in Islamic military operations; and 8. The traveler in need of money."

Heldup's post was conciliatory. And you and Orthy lapped it right up. Or was your response just political correctness?

This is not a contest to see which organization can raise the most money. It's not about whether the Jews outgive the Catholics. Or the Catholics outgive the Protestants.

It is, however, about Americans, first and foremost, taking care of fellow Americans, first and foremost, regardless of ethnicity or religion. The emphasis here is on Americans.

[mhafinancial]

Heldup's post was conciliatory. And you and Orthy lapped it right up. Or was your response just political correctness?

It case you can't tell, political correctness is not my style.

And I assume he chose to bring it to the attention of those of you who seem to blame the Muslim community for all of the terror plots in the world.

Continue to ignore the fact that more than 60 terror plots have been foiled here in this country in the past ten years, almost all concocted by right-wing white men...not a Muslim man, woman or child among them. And most of those men are probably just a wee bit to the right of you, so watch where you step.

But, actively publicizing the fact that there is an enemy in our midst who looks like us and sounds like us does not do the Bush administration any good as it fans the flames of its war on terror, focused on the Muslim world.

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/050712/12natsec.htm

http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=549&printable=1

[TIES2]

It case you can't tell, political correctness is not my style.

And I assume he chose to bring it to the attention of those of you who seem to blame the Muslim community for all of the terror plots in the world.

Continue to ignore the fact that more than 60 terror plots have been foiled here in this country in the past ten years, almost all concocted by right-wing white men...not a Muslim man, woman or child among them. And most of those men are probably just a wee bit to the right of you, so watch where you step.

But, actively publicizing the fact that there is an enemy in our midst who looks like us and sounds like us does not do the Bush administration any good as it fans the flames of its war on terror, focused on the Muslim world.

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/050712/12natsec.htm

http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=549&printable=1

David, political correctness is all you are about. And I have never said that the Muslim community had a stronghold on terror. But I have also never said, nor will I ever say, the Muslim community does not play a significant role. Sugar coat it all you want, refuse to see it, whatever, but you will be proved wrong. And what's at stake is nothing less than your liberal way of life. But keep your head in the sand just a little longer. Apparently you have not yet figured out that Islam is totally and completely incompatibale with our American form of democracy. America was founded on the notion of what is Ceasar's is Ceasar's and what is God's is God's, but Islam makes no such distinction. God and Ceasar are one.

[TIES2]

Wow, instead of retracting a statement that was shown to be in error, you have to further fuel the fire with this statement. Tarik is right -- blatant bigotry such as this isn't worthy of a response, so this will be my last one.

There was no need to retract it...my original post contained no error. Of the multitude of faith based charities in this country, few find the need to call out that their charity extends to people of all faiths...

But since that is typically not the case with Muslim charities obviously there was some compulsion in this case to do so.

And it's not blatant bigotry, it's healthy skepticism. I suggest you help yourself to a serving.