Zakat and democratic salvation

However, the evolution of events following the invasion of Iraq as a first step to implement the project and all the moral and practical failures that unfolded, born out of the inhuman method put to use for a humanitarian cause, betrayed all the exalted ideals we upheld. Our belief in the intentions and wisdom of the American administration vanished as it depleted the moral, human and material resources of its own nation that was turned into a security paranoiac.

It was during this period that a lot of interest grew for the problematic regions to be acculturated and transformed. The Middle East was on the priority list. What could be the most interesting thing about the Middle East? Of course its religion defied the superiority of the West and challenged its democracy as a placebo for the justice denied of Western people under the guise of self-governance.

Lots of research institutes cropped up or existing ones were empowered to take on new missions. Such civic or semi-civic organizations were sponsored by research or field projects concerning democratic culture and organization in the Islamic world. One such organization was the Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy (CSID) based in Washington, D.C.

Among others, I received an urgent email from the center that sounded like a distress call. I would like to share the message with you as an indication of how US policy makers gave up the idea of knowing Islam in order to deal with Muslim societies in a compassionate and peaceful way. Is it because the US gave up the idea altogether or because it gave up on democracy for this part of the world because it no longer serves its purpose of building influence on Muslim countries?

The email reads as follows: “We urgently need your help and support.  Please read the letter below and consider sending a donation/membership fee to support CSID with at least $100 asap and urging 3-4 friends to do the same. Thanks.

“As you know, CSID has been facing a very difficult financial crisis for the past six to seven months, and we really need your help and support. The problem is that two major grants ended in the summer and extensions and future grants have not materialized in time to resolve our financial crunch. At the same time, membership fees and donations have also decreased… Other factors may also be at play:

1. The US government appears to be less interested in ‘promoting’ democracy in the Muslim world than it was a year or two ago,

2. Many Americans, Arabs, and/or Muslims have doubts about ‘democracy,’ especially after the rising violence and turmoil in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine.

3. The majority of donations from American Muslims are going towards building mosques and Islamic schools.

“Yet, our goals of promoting dialogue and improved relations between the US and the Muslim world, promoting human rights and democracy in Arab/Muslim countries and encouraging the development of a moderate and modern interpretation of Islam are now more critical than ever.

“The reality is sobering. CSID may be forced to close down in a few months because we do not have money to pay ongoing operational expenses…”

Then the CSID management does something quite ‘un-Western’ and appealed to the religious side of its followers: It issued a fatwa.

Fatwa on zakat [alms] for CSID

“Alms are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds); or those whose hearts have been reconciled (to Truth); for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of Allah and for the wayfarer: (thus is it) ordained by Allah, and Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom”. [al-Tawba, verse 60]

The efforts and activities of the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID) fall under the category of contributions ‘in the cause of Allah’ (fi sabeelillah), since the Center was created for, and is working toward, resisting the negative effects of oppression and dictatorship which dehumanize people, and control their lives and destiny.”