The Zakat: Part III

On Friday, Money Jihad looked at four major flaws of the Islamic zakat tax.  Yesterday, we explored details in the Hadith about the administration of the tax and the penalties for non-payment.

Today, I’m ranking the top 10 news stories in the past five years exposing the connection between zakat and jihad.   Hyperlinks to original news articles are provided so you can draw your own conclusions:

10.  North Caucasian Islamist admits zakat funding:  Anzor Astemirov, head of the Islamist insurgents in the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, denies receiving Arab or Western funds.  Instead, he insists, his Islamist movement relies strictly on local zakat.  Oh, what a relief!  The Jamestown Foundation, Mar. 20, 2009.

9.  Radical U.S. mosques funded by Saudi zakat:  Major funding for U.S. mosques, particularly a new mosque in Boston, is being channeled through charities via Saudi zakat revenues.  Boston Globe, Jan. 10, 2007.

8.  Terrorist fund-raiser advises paying zakat to Bin Laden and Iraq insurgents:  Shah Jalal Hussain, a Muslim in Britain, was found guilty of attempting to raise funds for insurgents in Fallujah, Iraq.  He urged followers in London to  “Give your Zakat to the mujahideen. And spend in the cause of Allah and do not throw yourself into destruction and do good. Your money must go to the mujahideen, your money must go to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi … to Sheikh Osama bin Laden, to the Muslims in Falluja.”  Notice that his admonition to spend “in the cause of Allah” is a direct quote from the zakat-for-jihad verse of the Koran 9:60.  BBC News, Apr. 17, 2008.

7.  Taliban commander says he’s funded by the zakat:  In Afghanistan, reporters interviewed “Ezatullah,” a 27-year-old Taliban commander.  “Ezatullah says he receives funds from poppy growers, other Taliban commanders and locals who give him zakat…”  San Francisco Chronicle, Nov. 26, 2006.

6.  Bin Laden urges Muslims worldwide to pay the zakat to the mujahedeen:  In a tape released early this year, Osama bin Laden said “Your duty is to support the Mujahideen with money and men. I have experienced Jihad myself and I know how costly it can be. The Zakat of one affluent Muslim merchant is enough to finance all the Jihadi front against our enemies.”  CBS News, Jan. 14, 2009.

5.  Twenty-seven Islamic “charities” revealed to support terrorism:  Prior to Ramadan in 2004, the U.S. Treasury Department designated a long list of Islamic charities determined to support terrorism.  U.S. Treasury Press Release, Oct. 19, 2004.

4.  Southeast Asian militants funded by zakat:  “Islamic militants across Southeast Asia have become increasingly dependent on donations, including zakat (alms), to finance bombings because governments have tightened bank controls, according to security experts.  More than 50 percent of terrorist financing in Southeast Asia now comes from individual donations…”  Reuters, July 9, 2008.

3.  Zakat helps keep Al Qaeda afloat despite lousy global economy:  Due to diverse funding sources including the zakat, Al Qaeda will do better financially than many organizations during this recession.  Fox News, Oct. 16, 2008.

2.  Saudi zakat fueled the worst days of the Iraq insurgency:  “The Iraqi officials interviewed for the article say most of the money comes from ‘private Islamic donations inside Saudi Arabia, known as zakat’.”  Christian Science Monitor, Dec. 8, 2006.

And the #1 story highlighting the dark side of the zakat…

1.  Holy Land Foundation transferred zakat money to Hamas:  “The Holy Land Foundation and five of its former organizers were found guilty of illegally funneling more than $12 million to the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.”  Dallas Morning News, Nov. 25, 2008.

Unfortunately, the majority of articles in the last several years have been focused on how “unfair” it is that the ability of Muslims to fulfill their zakat obligations has been limited by restrictions imposed by the U.S. Treasury.  One would hope that journalists would be more concerned with the zakat-funded terror itself. 

Given that the zakat is imposed on all Muslims, that zakat revenues may be used for Allah’s cause, and that zakat revenues are actually being used in jihad today, now is the time to tighten the financial screws, not loosen them.