Charity Navigator has lowered its overall rating of the Zakat Foundation. The historically four-star rated Islamic non-profit organization received its first three-star rating late last year, which was reaffirmed by Charity Navigator’s second overall three-star rating of the Zakat Foundation on Feb. 1, 2012.
Last fall, the Zakat Foundation—one of the five largest Islamic charities in America—received a two-star rating on accountability and transparency from Charity Navigator. Deficiencies included the lack of a written policy by the Zakat Foundation against conflicts of interest. Money Jihad believes this is an intentional decision by the Zakat Foundation because executive director Khalil Demir probably has his wife on the foundation’s payroll.
The Zakat Foundation also received low marks from Charity Navigator for not recording the minutes of board meetings, for its records retention policy, for its process of determining Khalil Demir’s salary, and a lack of accessible audited financials on its website. Charity Navigator found that the Zakat Foundation has made a few improvements to its website since last fall, and has slightly increased its transparency rating, but still scores three stars overall. Without any federal agency overseeing U.S. nonprofits, Charity Navigator is widely regarded as the nation’s top charitable evaluator.
Previously, Money Jihad uncovered the Zakat Foundation’s 2010 work with Muslim Hands, a British-based charity accused by Israel of funding Hamas. FrontPage Magazine has alleged that the Zakat Foundation sponsored a grant to IHH, another “Union of Good” pro-Hamas charity.
A Zappos customer recently reported to Money Jihad that the Zakat Foundation was the beneficiary of $1,300 that was taken from his bank account without his authorization. The pilfered money was “refunded” after an arduous process described by the Zappos customer.
The downgrading by Charity Navigator is just the latest black mark against the Zakat Foundation, which as recently as Jan. 2010 was hailed by Hillary Clinton’s State Department as a valued partner in disaster relief overseas.
Leipzig court confirms IHH funded Hamas
April 29, 2012A federal court has upheld Germany’s ban on the Turkey’s IHH, a major international Islamic charity, on the grounds that it funds Hamas. It’s just further evidence that IHH complies with Islamic law by taking a portion of the zakat it receives from its donors and funnels it into jihad.
From the Jerusalem Post, h/t Tundra Tabloids:
While the ruling focused on IHH’s ties to Hamas, IHH has also begun working with al-Shabaab in East Africa, and IHH claims to have spread its operations throughout 95 countries. The court decision should serve as a wake-up call to civilized nations that IHH is not an organization to be partnered with.
Islamic charities in the U.S. and Europe should immediately cease any cooperation or joint projects that they may have ongoing with IHH. The Illinois-based Zakat Foundation has reportedly passed funds through another foundation to IHH in the past. If the Zakat Foundation or any other Western charity continues working with IHH despite the evidence presented in the German case, that means they are knowingly working with an entity that funds Hamas—-a terrorist group dedicated to the destruction of Israel.
Posted in News commentary | Tagged Germany, Hamas, IHH, Turkey, Zakat Foundation | 3 Comments »