GlobalGiving’s Ramadan Initiative Partners with Mecca.com to Provide Safe, Secure Options for Muslims to Give

Muslim Community Moving to Online Philanthropy to Satisfy Tenets of Ramadan

Washington, D.C. – The tradition of giving during Ramadan — one’s zakat and sadaqah — is rooted in the belief of selfless compassion and a redistribution of wealth. Unfortunately, many Muslims in the U.S. struggle with giving money safely to organizations at home or abroad, with the assurance that it is going to the right place. But thanks to GlobalGiving, the innovative marketplace for online giving, the Muslim community now has a new option — GlobalGiving Ramadan.

“My friends and I wrestled with the issue of giving safely and securely during Ramadan for years,” said Saima Zaman, Program Officer at GlobalGiving. “We started giving circles in college, during which we would share giving ideas; but this was a limited solution, based on personal knowledge rather than a broad, well researched resource.”

In 2006, Saima started working with GlobalGiving to create a safe, online Ramadan initiative that would be a better solution for Muslims to give back. Today, through www.globalgiving.com/ramadan, Muslim donors can scroll through a number of projects and select the cause most meaningful to them. All projects on the GlobalGiving Ramadan site are run by reputable organizations that satisfy IRS guidelines for international grant making, meet tax-deductible requirements, and follow anti-terrorism laws. GlobalGiving also provides a zakat calculator so donors can determine how much to give during Ramadan. And over the last 2 years, online giving during Ramadan has increased by over 400%.

“Ramadan brings out the best in me. When I have food and all the blessings, especially in the month of Ramadan, it makes me want to help others who don’t have as much,” said Hinna Mansoor, who is using GlobalGiving to make her charitable donations for the second year in a row. “I was blown away by the GlobalGiving website – it was so easy!”

This year, GlobalGiving is partnering with Mecca.com, one of the world’s biggest online communities for Muslims, to help get the word out about GlobalGiving’s Ramadan giving options. And for every 5 donors who register on the Mecca.com website, Mecca will make an additional contribution towards projects it is supporting.

“Partnering with Mecca.com is a terrific opportunity and the logical next step for us to reach a broader community of Muslims worldwide,” added Zaman.

GlobalGiving believes in transparency from start to finish. Once the donor gives to the cause of their choice, they will see the impact of their donation over time through regular updates from project leaders. Donors can even contact and build relationships with the project leaders directly, deepening the connection between individuals and communities from around the world.

About GlobalGiving

GlobalGiving is an easy-to-use online marketplace that connects people to the causes they care most about. Donors select the locally run projects they want to fund, helping to make lasting change throughout the world. You choose exactly where you want your money to go and we get it there — it’s that simple.

About Mecca.com

Mecca.com offers a point of solidarity for online Muslims worldwide. Our goal is to promote and reinforce an inspiring, positive image of the strong values that Muslims bring to their respective communities everywhere.  At Mecca.com, we help Muslims everywhere come closer to achieving their own personal dreams – whatever they may be.  Together, anything is possible.

Media Contact:

Angela Pauly: 202 478 6139

apauly@mrss.com

Joan Ochi: 202 232 5784

jochi@globalgiving.com

Let the moon fighting sighting begin.

"Crescentwatch.org encourages everyone to go out to look for the new crescent moon this Tuesday night (Sep. 30th 2008) in anticipation of the beginning of the month of Shawwal and the close of this blessed month of Ramadan. However, Muslim astronomers have indicated that it will be very difficult to sight the moon anywhere in North America on Tuesday evening (see visibility charts here), and we will perhaps complete the 30 days of Ramadan and sight the new moon of Shawwal on Wednesday night. We are thus anticipating to celebrate Eid on either Wednesday, Oct. 1st 2008, or on Thursday, Oct. 2nd 2008.

The crescent would be visible shortly after sunset, low in the sky, and slightly to the left (south) of where the sun had set. It is a beautiful experience to sight its emergence, and it is a sunnah of our noble Prophet, sal Allahu alayhi wa salam, that we hope the ummah revives.

Please check our site (www.crescentwatch.org) for regular updates, moon sighting reports, and additional information on moon sighting. We will post our final determination regarding the date of Shawwal and Eid al-Fitr on Tuesday night at 8:30pm PST. in sha Allah"

The IslamCrunch team wishes all our readers, the Muslim community and humanity and blessed ‘Eid il Fitr and Selamat Hari Raya.

Don’t forget the 6 days of fasting in Shawwal, for more effective discipline of the soul.

Zaytuna Institute presents

Prophetic Counsel: A weekend intensive workshop on the Forty Hadith of Imam al-Nawawi

with Ustadh Yahya Rhodus.

To Register:  www.zaytuna.org | 510.548.1979

October 18 & 19, 2008 – Saturday & Sunday 10am – 7pm

Mehran Restaurant – 5762 Mowry School Road, Newark, CA 94560

TUITION & TERMS
- $55 per person
- $35 for students with ID
- Price includes a copy of the translation of Imam al-Nawawi’s Forty Hadith
- Lunch is included
- Please, no children under age 10

In conjunction with the Zaytuna Distance Learning Program

All praise is due to Allah, and may endless blessings be upon His Beloved Messenger Muhammad, his Kin, and his Companions
Once again, these are excerpts taken from the book "Kanz Al-Najah wa As-Suroor" (The Treasures of Success and Happiness) regarding the benefits and special qualities of each month. Now that have reached the last 10 days of Ramadan, this letter will focus on the benefits of these blessed days.

Allah showers His mercy upon the Muslims especially during these last ten nights. In them, dua is answered particularly quickly, and especially after one finishes a complete reading of the Qur’an (the best time to complete the last surahs in the Qur’an is either right after Fajr or right after Maghrib, and since the nights are so significant, it would be better in to finish it right after Maghrib during the last 10). Also, Allah forgives many, many people and frees them from the Hellfire – so it is recommended to repeatedly ask Allah for forgiveness with a heart that is present and focused on Him, Exalted is He!

Probably the greatest blessing within these last 10 nights is that Laylat Al-Qadr is hidden somewhere within its odd nights.

We have revealed this during the night of the Decree. And what will convey to you what the night of the Decree is? The night of the Decree is better than a thousand months: the angels and the spirit descend therein, by permission of their Lord, on every matter. It is peace: this till the rise of dawn} (Chapter 97)

It is related by Imam Ahmad that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "Laylat Al-Qadr is within the ten remaining days. Whosoever stays up [in prayer/worship]… Allah, most Exalted, will forgive all his [or her] past and future sins. And it is on an odd night, the 9th, or the 7th, or the 5th, or the 3rd, or the last night." [Sound Hadith].

It is particularly important throughout these nights to attempt to pray both ‘Isha and Fajr in congregation. On the authority of Anas, may Allah be pelased with him, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "Whosoever prays during Laylat Al-Qadr [both] ‘Isha and Fajr in congregation (jama’a) then they have taken from Laylat Al-Qadr the greatest portion."

Dua For the Last 10 Nights:
Al-Sayyida A’isha, may Allah be pleased with her, asked the Prophet, peace be upon him, "O Messenger of Allah, if it is Laylat Al-Qadr, then what [prayer] should I pray with?"

He replied with the well-known dua:
"Allahuma, innaka ‘Afuwun, tuhib al ‘afu, fa’afu ‘anna"
"O Allah, indeed You are Forgiving; You love to forgive, so forgive us."

Some scholars have recommended that one adds at the end of the previous dua another dua of the Prophet’s, peace be upon him:
"Allahuma inni asa’aluka al ‘afu, wa al-’afiya, wa al-mu’afat al-da’ima fi al-deen, wa al-dunya, wa al-akhira."
"O Allah, I ask You for forgiveness, good health, and constant well-being in my religion, worldly affairs, and afterlife."

May Allah put tremendous blessing in these last days for you all, your families, and the rest of the Muslims. Please remember the whole Ummah in your duas. May Allah reward you all immensely.

NOTE: In order to be concise, the exact strength of certain hadiths have not been mentioned. It is agreed upon by the vast majority of scholars to use weaker hadiths to encourage people to do extra acts of worship and goodness.

Click here for the Ramadan Letter Part 1.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This post was written by Sidi Amjad Tarsin and was originally posted on Facebook. Please see Sidi Amjad’s other posts about the blessed months of Rajab and Sha’aban.

Taken from the conference: “Loving God and Neighbor in Word and Deed: Implications for Muslims and Christians” hosted by the Yale Divinity School, July 2008.

With Shaykh Al-Habib Ali Al-Jifri and Rev. Dr. Robert Schuller
Wednesday, July 30

Introduction by Joseph Lombard, author of Submission, Faith & Beauty*.

Live translation by Ustadh Yahya Rhodus.

The video player above is an interactive video (place your cursor over the dots in the timeline). Add text comments, video comments, tags and share the video with your friends and family.

More videos here: http://www.yale.edu/divinity/video/commonword/video.shtml

Also available: a video with Shaykh Abdul Hakim Murad Winter

* Published by Zaytuna Institute, co-edited by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and Imam Zaid Shakir