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Charity and Disaster Relief

Why aren't there any international Muslim charities that attend to the needs non-Muslim victims?
 

Muslims are not commanded to assist non-Muslims.  To do so is a waste of money, because they are going to Hell anyway.  The Qur'an and Hadith command that money flow either between Muslims or from non-Muslims to Muslims (Sura 9:29).

Neither has the Islamic community ever been particularly keen on disaster relief, even for Muslim victims.  This is because the Qur'an teaches that the disasters which befall communities are a punishment from Allah.
 

Natural disaster is ordained by Allah:

Sura (9:51) - "Say: 'Nothing will afflict us save what Allah has ordained for us';"

Sura (11:117) - "Nor would thy Lord be the One to destroy communities for a single wrong-doing, if its members were likely to mend."

Sura (28:59) - "...And never did We destroy the townships unless the folk thereof were evil-doers."  'We' refers to Allah.  This verse refers to natural disaster.

Sura (57:22) - "No misfortune can happen on earth or in your souls but is recorded in a decree before We bring it into existence: That is truly easy for Allah."  Allah wills misfortune in advance.

Sura (42:30) - "Whatever misfortune happens to you, is because on the things your hands have wrought"  Your sin is solely responsible for any misfortune in your life.

Sura (64:11) - "No calamity befalleth save by Allah's leave..."

Sura (90:4) - "Verily We have created man into toil and struggle."

Muslims are told that non-believers are the "vilest of animals" and commanded to be ruthless toward them.

Sura (8:55) - "Surely the vilest of animals in Allah's sight are those who disbelieve"

Sura (48:29) - Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard (ruthless) against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves
 

From the Hadith:

Bukhari (71:665) - The Prophet said, "No contagious disease is conveyed to others without Allah's permission..."

Muslim (1:153) - The best of all good deeds, according to Muhammad is "jihad for the cause of Allah"

Numerous hadith also mention giving to the poor (within the Muslim community).  This is the zakat, or almsgiving, that has become one of the "five pillars" of Islam.

Additional Notes:

It is common for Western multiculturalists to project their own values onto others.  If Western religion instills virtues such as giving and universal charity, then surely Islam must do the same... shouldn't it?

Not really. 

Muhammad used natural disaster as a threat to compel others to believe in has claim to be a prophet.  The Qur'an specifically says that earthquake and famine are sent by Allah as punishment for the sin of the people (usually unbelief).  There is no theological basis for helping those whom Allah is trying to hurt.

The zakat (almsgiving) may be one of the five pillars of Islam, but the Hadith only speak of it as an obligation to help fellow Muslims ("taken from among you and distributed among you").  Non-Muslims are not entitled to the zakat by virtue of their need, and many Muslims actually believe that it is forbidden for Muslims to give to unbelievers.  The website TheZakat.org, for example, lists unbelievers along with the wealthy, strong and healthy as being prohibited from receiving zakat (although some Muslims disagree with this).

Much of what is given today ($1725 or 2.5% of an increase in wealth) funds mosque operations or groups like CAIR, and never finds its way to "the poor."  Interestingly, the Qur'anic verse that is said to be the basis for zakat (9:103) comes from the most violent and intolerant of suras.  Its context also appears to be that of a penance taken from the property of 'hypocrites' for their sinfulness and failure to participate in battle against unbelievers.

In fact, international Muslim charities in general have a greater reputation for funding terrorism and hate than actually attending to the victims of natural disaster.  Even at its most legitimate, Muslim charity to the poor is heavily tainted by ulterior political agenda, such as the fact that most such international efforts go toward  Palestinians, while aid for the victims of Darfur (who are being oppressed by an Islamic regime) is virtually nil, even though their situation is far more dire by any conceivable measure.

Out of a religion that brags of one-fifth of the world's population, there are no international Islamic charities that take money from Muslims to help non-Muslims in need.  There is no equivalent to the Red Cross in Islam (the Red Crescent is actually a part of the Red Cross and is active only in Muslim countries).  Charity is truly an in-house institution, and, even then, the impetus is largely superficial.  The greatest contribution to disaster relief for victims in the Islamic world has always been (and always will be) non-Islamic organizations and nations with a Christian heritage.

Recommended Reading: Islamic Charity: For Muslims Only
 

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