Can You Give Zakah to Politicians? A Round-Up
In early February, the Fiqh Council of North America released a fatwah permitting the giving of zakah funds to political campaigns in America. This topic spurred significant debate, including a dissenting fatwah from other members of the Fiqh Council of North America. So where does this leave you, the average Muslim American?
This round-up provides a list of the different discussions around this subject, to provide help readers explore the topic in more detail and consider for themselves the consequences of this fatwah.
Original Fatwah:
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This fatwah, signed by fourteen scholars from the FCNA and AMJA, provides validation for the concept of giving zakah funds to political campaigns, though this fatwah is portrayed as somewhat conditional. These include donating to institutions rather than individuals, limiting the contribution to 1/8th of one’s total zakah portion, and “reasonable signs to believe that such funds would help the cause for which it is being raised.”
Dissenting Fatwah:
This dissenting fatwah, signed by five scholarly members of the FCNA, rebuts the original fatwah by challenging the premise of the fatwah, an exploration of the reality of Islamophobia and the limited impact (if any) of zakah given to politicians, and a re-centering of the spiritual factors around zakah.
A Roundtable Discussion:
Safina Society | Ramadan & Zakat with Dr Hatem al-Haj & Shaykh Hamza Maqbul
This roundtable discussion featuring Dr Hatem al-Haj, Shaykh Hamza Maqbul, and Shaykh Shadee Elmasry provides varying perspectives on the matter of donating zakah contributions to political campaigns. This topic includes clarification around the Maliki madh’hab’s legal restrictions around the category of “mu’allafat al-quloob” as recipients of zakah funds.
Theory Vs Practicality:
Shaykh Joe Bradford approaches the topic from the perspective of theory vs practical reality. He addresses the serious consequences that the original fatwah will result in, as well as critiquing the foundations upon which the fatwah was based.
A Coalition of Objecting Scholars:
This website includes a statement signed by 47 American scholars from all four madhaahib, expressing strong objection to the original fatwah and its premises. The statement includes an assessment of the academic veracity of the fatwah, its internal contradictions, and the the socio-spiritual consequences of this fatwah. The website also includes separate statements from scholars of the Maliki, Hanbali, Hanafi, and Shafi’i schools of jurisprudence, detailing their specific responses and critiques to the original fatwah. Additionally, a statement is provided from the American Fiqh Academy, the faculty of Dar al-Qasim, and video analyses by Shaykh Suhaib Webb and Shaykh Shadee Elmasry.
Other Perspectives:
What contributions to this discussion have we missed? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Related:
Where Does Your Dollar Go? – How We Can Avoid Another Beydoun Controversy
Faith In Action: Zakat, Sadaqah, And Islam’s Role In Embracing Humanitarianism In A Globalized World
