El Sayed-aligned Islamic council issued fatwa to fund Muslim candidates
A preeminent Islamic council with organizational ties to a suspected financial collaborator of terrorism has authorized followers of Islam to flood Muslim and anti-Israel candidates with financial support using monetary obligations under Sharia law.
TL;DR
- The Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) issued a fatwa permitting the use of zakat funds for political campaigns.
- The fatwa specifically authorizes support for Muslim and anti-Israel candidates.
- FCNA justifies this by stating it serves the general benefit of the Muslim community and can help 'win over' or 'soften hearts' toward Islam.
- Zakat is a mandatory Islamic almsgiving, typically 2.5% of a Muslim's net worth.
- The ruling has faced internal dissent from some FCNA members who believe it misdirects zakat from its traditional charitable purpose.
- FCNA has organizational ties to the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), which was identified as an unindicted co-conspirator in a federal terrorism-financing case.
- Candidates like Abdul El-Sayed and Rashida Tlaib have historically appeared at ISNA events, and their campaigns have received significant support.
- The fatwa's issuance is framed as a countereffort against U.S. involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.