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Editor's note:
Ramadan – a time when Muslims observe a dawn-to-dusk fast – is also when a majority donate Zakat, an obligatory type of charity and one of the five pillars of Islam.
Muslims see themselves as custodians of the wealth God has bestowed upon them and are required to use it responsibly. Under Zakat, Muslims must donate 2.5% of their wealth, traditionally to institutional charities.
Indiana University’s Shariq Siddiqui writes that, over the years, many American Muslims have come to distrust Zakat-collecting institutions due to “perceived corruption.” As a result, the practice of Zakat has become less communal.
In response to these concerns, Muslim American nonprofits are adopting Zakat policies to ensure compliance with Islamic requirements to serve the needy and the poor. The month of Ramadan, Siddiqui argues, might be an opportunity to rebuild trust through more “transparent Zakat policies.”
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