Ramadan: Yet Another Opportunity for Charity Season
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.
By Sharif Shamroukh
April 25, 2021
Let me start by highlighting that charitable giving in the United States and around the world has peak times and seasons when people, in general, tend to give the most and act in response to calls for donations. This is not limited to certain faith followers or specific communities. Charitable giving is specifically fitting for Muslim faith followers regarding all aspects of Ramadan, the holiday’s purpose and why it is a special time of the year.
For those who might not know, Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar that relies on moon citing, in which the first verse of the Holy Qur’an was revealed. It is when Muslims are obligated to fast and withhold food and drink from dawn until sunset as a religious requirement. This applies unless someone has a medical condition, for instance, that prevents him or her from doing so. It is the time to exercise valuable lessons, including self-discipline, empathy and generous charity, that form an inspiring message to Muslims and all humanity.
However, one might ask if Ramadan is all about exercising hunger all day. And most importantly, what are the meanings of Ramadan, if any, that would go beyond fasting for the whole day? And how does the act of goodwill fit into this annual phenomenon?
The purpose of fasting throughout Ramadan is to remind oneself that there are people within our communities and around the world that suffer from a lack of food and water, and the act of fasting would put every person in the place of those who suffer from hunger throughout the year. It is an exercise to feel other people suffering because they cannot afford to have the fundamental necessities to remain alive. Therefore, fasting one month every year would be considered as a wake-up call to stand up for human responsibility and feel the same course of distress that others, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, sense all year round. Although, acting to help others who are less fortunate is highly encouraged all year round. By doing so, the fasting individuals become more motivated to work towards helping others, not only those who suffer from lack of food or water but also those who are less fortunate among our communities and around the world.
When it comes to Ramadan, donating generously is rewarded by a countless blessing that convinces Muslim faith followers to increase their charitable giving. This makes this month a peak time for charitable organizations who offer their services to help individual donors direct their contributions towards the most needed charitable causes within the local communities and around the world. Therefore, this is another charitable season in the United States in addition to the holiday season that comes during the last quarter of the calendar year.
Talking about Ramadan leads us to feature the Zakat, one of the main five pillars of the Islamic faith. Zakat is simply a portion of the gross income that every individual makes throughout the year for charitable causes. Mainly Muslims are required to give 2.5% of their income through the Zakat process. It is a whole system that has very lengthy details that manage and details the giving to all charitable causes, which is an obligatory commitment by every follower of the Muslim faith. Throughout the year, Muslims are required to give Zakat, not only in Ramadan. At the same time, most Muslims tend to give their entire calculated Zakat for the year during the holy month of Ramadan, which provides a signal of how much volume of giving opportunities are there during this month. Zakat giving is not designated for tax benefit purposes. However, it is a part of the Muslim faith identity that inspires individuals to become generous when they decide to give for charitable causes.
Besides Zakat giving, Muslims are encouraged to be more generous and give beyond the minimum required by Zakat, which is commonly known as Sadaqah, for charitable causes. This makes charitable giving more spiritually rewarded and enables more opportunities to help fight poverty, homelessness, issues in the foster system and other means of charitable causes to give for.
Therefore, I am confident to say that Muslims form a great part of their identity around goodwill and acts of generosity, not only towards Muslim communities but also towards others, locally and globally. This highlights the importance of changing stereotypes and becoming more connected to Muslim neighbors within all United States communities. The message of Ramadan is not, and never has been about hunger and thirst. It is the message of empathy, kindness and care towards those who happen to live less fortunately in this world. Therefore, Ramadan is a great opportunity to connect and form a stronger bond to fight poverty, homelessness and hunger, and to bring joy to those who missed it all year round.
Author: Dr. Sharif Shamroukh is a Senior Lecturer at the American Institute for Philanthropy Advancement, and frequently writes about various public policy issues. Also, Dr. Shamroukh provides consulting services to nonprofit organizations covering a wide range of topics that help achieve their missions.
Contact Dr. Shamroukh via e-mail: [email protected] or Facebook / LinkedIn / Twitter @DrShamroukh
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Ramadan: Yet Another Opportunity for Charity Season
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.
By Sharif Shamroukh
April 25, 2021
Let me start by highlighting that charitable giving in the United States and around the world has peak times and seasons when people, in general, tend to give the most and act in response to calls for donations. This is not limited to certain faith followers or specific communities. Charitable giving is specifically fitting for Muslim faith followers regarding all aspects of Ramadan, the holiday’s purpose and why it is a special time of the year.
For those who might not know, Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar that relies on moon citing, in which the first verse of the Holy Qur’an was revealed. It is when Muslims are obligated to fast and withhold food and drink from dawn until sunset as a religious requirement. This applies unless someone has a medical condition, for instance, that prevents him or her from doing so. It is the time to exercise valuable lessons, including self-discipline, empathy and generous charity, that form an inspiring message to Muslims and all humanity.
However, one might ask if Ramadan is all about exercising hunger all day. And most importantly, what are the meanings of Ramadan, if any, that would go beyond fasting for the whole day? And how does the act of goodwill fit into this annual phenomenon?
The purpose of fasting throughout Ramadan is to remind oneself that there are people within our communities and around the world that suffer from a lack of food and water, and the act of fasting would put every person in the place of those who suffer from hunger throughout the year. It is an exercise to feel other people suffering because they cannot afford to have the fundamental necessities to remain alive. Therefore, fasting one month every year would be considered as a wake-up call to stand up for human responsibility and feel the same course of distress that others, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, sense all year round. Although, acting to help others who are less fortunate is highly encouraged all year round. By doing so, the fasting individuals become more motivated to work towards helping others, not only those who suffer from lack of food or water but also those who are less fortunate among our communities and around the world.
When it comes to Ramadan, donating generously is rewarded by a countless blessing that convinces Muslim faith followers to increase their charitable giving. This makes this month a peak time for charitable organizations who offer their services to help individual donors direct their contributions towards the most needed charitable causes within the local communities and around the world. Therefore, this is another charitable season in the United States in addition to the holiday season that comes during the last quarter of the calendar year.
Talking about Ramadan leads us to feature the Zakat, one of the main five pillars of the Islamic faith. Zakat is simply a portion of the gross income that every individual makes throughout the year for charitable causes. Mainly Muslims are required to give 2.5% of their income through the Zakat process. It is a whole system that has very lengthy details that manage and details the giving to all charitable causes, which is an obligatory commitment by every follower of the Muslim faith. Throughout the year, Muslims are required to give Zakat, not only in Ramadan. At the same time, most Muslims tend to give their entire calculated Zakat for the year during the holy month of Ramadan, which provides a signal of how much volume of giving opportunities are there during this month. Zakat giving is not designated for tax benefit purposes. However, it is a part of the Muslim faith identity that inspires individuals to become generous when they decide to give for charitable causes.
Besides Zakat giving, Muslims are encouraged to be more generous and give beyond the minimum required by Zakat, which is commonly known as Sadaqah, for charitable causes. This makes charitable giving more spiritually rewarded and enables more opportunities to help fight poverty, homelessness, issues in the foster system and other means of charitable causes to give for.
Therefore, I am confident to say that Muslims form a great part of their identity around goodwill and acts of generosity, not only towards Muslim communities but also towards others, locally and globally. This highlights the importance of changing stereotypes and becoming more connected to Muslim neighbors within all United States communities. The message of Ramadan is not, and never has been about hunger and thirst. It is the message of empathy, kindness and care towards those who happen to live less fortunately in this world. Therefore, Ramadan is a great opportunity to connect and form a stronger bond to fight poverty, homelessness and hunger, and to bring joy to those who missed it all year round.
Author: Dr. Sharif Shamroukh is a Senior Lecturer at the American Institute for Philanthropy Advancement, and frequently writes about various public policy issues. Also, Dr. Shamroukh provides consulting services to nonprofit organizations covering a wide range of topics that help achieve their missions.
Contact Dr. Shamroukh via e-mail: [email protected] or Facebook / LinkedIn / Twitter @DrShamroukh
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