List of Top 10 Zakat Accepting Organizations in USA
Humans are dictated by wealth, money or power, but these materialistic things will only help them to live a smooth life in this world. None of us would be able to take it with us in the grave, nor it will be of any use in the Akhirah. List of Top 10 Zakat Accepting Organizations in USA
When we will be standing on the field of Hashr, our good deeds and worship will be shielding us from the fire of the Jahannam. So we should not cling to our wealth, and be wise enough to carry out the responsibility that the Almighty has bestowed upon us by giving Zakat accordingly.
The prophet (PBUH) said:“Every day two angels come down from Heaven and one of them says, ‘O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your Cause,’ and the other (angel) says, ‘O Allah! Destroy every miser.”-(Sahih Bukhari, Chapter 24, Hadith no.522)
Zakat has many worldly benefits too. The Almighty has promised to multiply the wealth of the giver and bless him with inner peace and happiness. Zakat helps the poor to get materially stable which, in turn, brings stability and prosperity in our society.
Zakat is not the charitable giving that you give to the poor out of pity. Zakat is the right of the poor. When you give to the poor give with due respect and dignity. Never let the feelings of pride intervene in your heart otherwise it will only diminish your good deeds.
Zakat has Overwhelming and far-reaching effects both for the giver and the recipient. Let us give Zakat generously, so that everybody can have a decent share of what they need to live and to do better.
Here is the list of top 10 Zakat accepting organizations in USA, where you can give your Zakat to fulfill your spiritual and religious duty.
List of Top 10 Zakat Accepting Organizations in USA
1. Transparent Hands
2. Islamic Relief USA
3. Zakat Foundation of America
4. Muslim Aid USA
5. ICNA Relief USA
6. Muslim Legal Fund of America
7. Hope USA
8. Muslim Community Association
9. CAIR
10. Hidaya
1. Transparent Hands
“Transparent Hands” is a trust organization and the online Crowdfunding platform in health sector of Pakistan, which is striving to provide the best surgical treatment to thousands of underprivileged patients. Transparent Hands uses its web portal, to connect billions of donors around the world to help in funding the surgeries of poor patients. It also ensures to provide transparent funding system to the donors. Donors are ensured that each penny they donate, will be spent on the needy patient’s surgery, and this is done through the hospital bills which are uploaded on Transparent Hand’s web portal.
Our Role:
- Committed to Provide Free Surgeries to Those Who Cannot Afford
Transparent Hands conducts the surgeries of deserving patients, free of cost at private hospitals with the help of donations and charity.
Download our TransparentHands iPhone Application for Online Donation
2. Islamic Relief USA
“Islamic Relief USA” accepts zakat donations and distributes them according to Islamic principles. They work with active mosques and community organizations around the country to identify people, who qualify for help and distribute the assistance. Recipients include low-income families, refugees and survivors of domestic violence. The zakat donations cover expenses such as rent assistance, emergency medical expenses, employment training, food vouchers, utilities and other emergency needs.
Sadaqah donations are also used to help support qualified programs. One of their programs, like the Winston-Salem State University Community Care Center in North Carolina, has used sadaqah to help provide patients with low socio-economic status gain access to physical and occupational therapy; and is supporting medical devices, equipment, supplies, shoe orthotics and more. The funds also helped support the salary of a part-time physical therapist. Another program with Islamic American Zakat Foundation, has been servicing needy families and individuals living below the poverty line with rental, utility, fuel, medical expense, shelter and clothing.
MISSION :
Islamic Relief USA provides relief and development in a dignified manner regardless of gender, race, or religion, and works to empower individuals in their communities and give them a voice in the world.
VISION :
Working together for a world free of poverty.
VALUES :
These traits express the belief and define the culture of the organization. They remain guided by the timeless values and teachings, provided by the revelations contained within the Qur’an and prophetic example.
3. Zakat Foundation of America
“Zakat Foundation of America” is unique among humanitarian organizations, in advancing zakat as a vehicle for social change. The third pillar of Islam, zakat is an obligatory claim on the wealth of the rich to empower the poor.
Their Vision :
They help generous and caring people reach out to those in need. their goal is to address immediate needs and ensure the self-reliance of the poorest people around the world with zakat and sadaqa.
They believe that those whom God has granted wealth need to cleanse that wealth through charity, and those whom God has tried with loss, are accorded a rightful share from the resources of the rich.
Their Mission :
They foster charitable giving to alleviate the immediate needs of poor communities, and to establish long-term development projects that ensure individual and community growth.
They Accomplish this Mission by:
- Bringing immediate relief during and after disasters, building and supporting schools, orphanages and health clinics, supporting community development programs and micro-credit, providing Ramadan Iftars and food distribution, and providing fresh meat for Qurbani and Aqeeqah through the support of community-based initiatives.
- Serving as a trusted zakat and sadaqa resource center for their Muslim donors.
- Serving as a trusted charity option for all donors through financial transparency and strict standards of efficiency and accountability
- Minimizing expenses by maintaining a small administrative staff
- Maximizing donations by establishing strategic partnerships
4.Muslim Aid USA :
“Muslim Aid USA” was founded by a collective of established American non-profit professionals, who have envisioned a charity that would promote diversity, equity, inclusion and transparency at every level of its operation. In that spirit, Muslim Aid USA provides donors, from any background or giving capacity the opportunity to help people in need directly with their donations.
VISION:
Vision of Muslim Aid USA is Humanity-Increased.
MISSION:
Mission is with dignity, serve humanity through transparency, diversity and inclusion.
The ethos of Muslim Aid USA is rooted in the teachings of Quran and Sunnah highlighting a belief, that providing relief and aid to others is central to one’s humanity. As a verse from the Quran states:
“Whosoever saves a life, it is as if they have saved the lives of all humankind”
How Muslim Aid Uses Zakat:
With millions of Muslims donating their Zakat to relief aid organizations around the world, it is a pivotal way to fight poverty. Muslim Aid uses these funds to help poor communities in isolated and remote corners of the world.
5. ICNA Relief USA
Vision :
To become the charity of choice for all Americans based on faith, compassion and service.
Mission :
“ICNA Relief USA” seeks to alleviate human suffering, by providing caring and compassionate service to victims of adversities and survivors of disasters. ICNA Relief USA strives to build healthy communities, strengthen families and create opportunities for those in despair while maintaining their dignity and advocating for their basic human needs.
Volunteers from across the country help them to accomplish their mission every day. They are a Muslim organization, and feel it is their religious responsibility to support those in need in their country regardless of their race, religion or other identifying features.
Zakat :
ICNA Relief provides social services across the U.S to the underprivileged and those affected by natural disasters. Their services are made possible through contributions from donors and volunteers like you.
“ICNA Relief does a great job of domestically distributing the Zakat funds and charity on behalf of the Muslim community.”
6. Muslim Legal Fund of America
“Muslim Legal Fund of America” is a charity that funds legal work and programs to defend Muslims against injustice in American courtrooms, prisons, and communities. Muslim Legal Fund of America is the ONLY national tax-exempt nonprofit legal fund dedicated to defend Muslims’ civil rights and civil liberties in American courtrooms. The Muslim Legal Fund of America provides funding for cases impacting the civil rights and liberties of Muslims in America. A charitable legal fund may be a new concept for some donors, but it operates much in the same way a humanitarian aid organization operates.
Mission:
To defend constitutional rights for Muslims in America.
Vision:
An America in which Muslims are treated as equal under the law in all aspects of life.
Zakat :
MLFA is a zakat-eligible charity. MLFA received official declaration of zakat-eligibility from the ISNA Fiqh Council of North America in 2003.
7. HOPE USA
“HOPE USA” is a volunteer-driven nonprofit. Hope USA supports new and ongoing projects in health, education, and emergency relief for underprivileged communities by providing grants to
organizations with the funds it raises.They rely on generous funding from individuals like you. From sponsoring a child’s education, to contributing towards a generator or incubator for a hospital, to buying a child a rare new outfit on the Islamic holiday of Eid, there are many numerous opportunities to help. Hope USA passes the strictest tax standards for an American charity and is registered as a 501(c)(3) , it is 100 percent tax-deductible as per the IRS.
Their Mission :
A society in which all citizens are guaranteed access to health and educational opportunities as
basic human rights.
Zakat :
Donations of Zakat and Sadaqa are accepted by Hope USA.
8. Muslim Community Association :
“Muslim Community Association (MCA)” was founded as a non-profit religious organization in 1981.
Their Mission :
Their mission is to: Live our faith as a congregation, inspired by the teachings of the Quran and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as individuals and as a collective body, and to foster a mission of peace, justice and compassion for all within our Mosque, our community and the world.
Zakah :
They have zakat calculator on our website.
Zakah is one of the five pillars of Islam and is a duty performed on a regular basis. This giving is to “cleanse” your money and possessions from excessive desire for them or greed. Zakah is a compulsory payment and is neither charity nor a tax. It is expected from every Muslim individual.
9. CAIR
About Us :
“The Council on American-Islamic Relations Pennsylvania (CAIR-PA)” is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), grassroots civil rights and advocacy group. CAIR is America’s largest Islamic civil liberties group, with regional offices nationwide. The national headquarters is located on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.
Mission and Vision :
CAIR’s vision is to be a leading advocate for justice and mutual understanding.
CAIR’s mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
Since its establishment in 1994, CAIR has worked to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in America. CAIR seeks to empower the American Muslim community and encourage their participation in political and social activism.
Does CAIR Qualify to Receive Zakat?
Yes. Numerous Muslim scholars have confirmed that Zakat is payable to organizations, that exist to serve the Muslim community by protecting their rights. This is because the work done by CAIR (and other such organizations) can be classified as fi-sabilillah, which is one of the eight categories of Zakat recipients detailed in the Quran (Chapter 9, Verse 60).
Muslims should have no hesitation in giving part of their Zakah to CAIR or CAIR-CAN, which is providing a most timely and essential service for the cause of Islam and Muslims. They both have a reputation for professionalism, efficiency, commitment and integrity, which in my mind are the most valuable assets of any Islamic organization worthy of the name.
10. Hidaya
“Hidaya Foundation” is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational and charitable organization with Federal Employee Identification Number 77-0502583. Your donations are tax deductible.
Hidaya Foundation has since been serving the poor and needy in economically depressed areas of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, West Africa, USA and Canada.
Hidaya Foundation collects and distributes Zakat donations per Islamic guidelines as mentioned in Al-Quran, Surah At-Tawbah, Chapter 9, Verse 60.
How Hidaya Distributes Zakat:
Zakat funds are mostly distributed directly by Hidaya’s own team, however, it sometimes becomes necessary to engage other reliable organizations and partners in order to extend Hidaya’s reach. Zakat funds are used to support orphans, widows, poor elderly, families in extreme poverty, poor women for marriage, deserving students, poor medical patients and people affected by disaster.
The proper distribution of Zakat is a personal responsibility. Preferably, you are encouraged to give Zakat yourself to the deserving. However, if you are not able to do so, you may give it to a reliable person or organization capable of distributing Zakat per Islamic guidelines.
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Conclusion
Every Muslim must keep in mind that on The Day of Resurrection, we will be standing in one line before Almighty Allah regardless of who we are or how wealthy we were in this world. No standard or status quo would be able to save us on that final day of the verdict. Only our prayers, charity and other good deeds would help.
The consequences on the Day of Judgment may not frighten us at this moment, but this will be a terrifying crisis for us. So if we start giving Zakat from now it may bring us a sense of relief in the hereafter.
“Give Charity without delay, for it always stands in the way of Calamity.”- (Tirmidhi)
Many people hesitate to give charity or Zakat because sharing their wealth with the poor frightens them. They are frightened because giving to the poor may reduce their wealth as these people can never repay them back.
“When they spend their wealth in the Cause of Allah, and do not follow up their gifts with reminders of their generosity or with injury, their reward is with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve” [Surah al-Baqarah 262]
Yet Zakat has been made compulsory in Islam, because a true and righteous Muslim will only expect to get returns or benefits from the Almighty Allah and not from others.
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