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Helpless and Afraid – Handling Your Anxiety around a Loved One Who is Hospitalized

Helpless and Afraid - Handling Your Anxiety around a Loved One Who is Hospitalized

By Sara Ali, LPC-I, MS, Madiha Tahseen, Ph.D. Is this story familiar to you? Malaika’s mom hasn’t been feeling well and was recently diagnosed with COVID-19. She gets the dreaded call that her mom is having difficulty breathing and is being hospitalized. Malaika is worried and constantly feels hopeless since she has limited communication with […]

When They See Us- A Learning Companion

When They See Us- A Learning Companion

WHEN THEY SEE US tells the harrowing story of New York’s Exonerated Five.  A film in four parts, the series chronicles the wrongful arrest and incarceration of teenagers Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana Jr. and Korey Wise. It explores how the five innocent teens were prejudged as guilty by a powerful criminal […]

Brené Brown on Blame

Brené Brown on Blame

You are probably a bit of a blamer – most of us are. But why should we give it up? In this witty sequel to our most watched RSA Short, inspirational thinker Brené Brown considers why we blame others, how it sabotages our relationships, and why we desperately need to move beyond this toxic behaviour. […]

Losing a Loved One During the Pandemic

Losing a Loved One During the Pandemic

By Sara Ali, LPC-I, MS, Madiha Tahseen, Ph.D. As we all move through this pandemic, it is highly likely that we have lost a loved one or know someone who has lost a loved one. COVID-19 has changed the way we grieve and honor the passing of our loved ones. Here are some of the […]

150+ EDUCATIONAL SHOWS ON NETFLIX

150+ EDUCATIONAL SHOWS ON NETFLIX

In the last few years, Netflix has completely transformed the way many Americans watch movies.  Long gone are the days of driving to the video store, browsing through the aisles of endless new releases. Now,  you can do it all, right from the comfort of your home. From romance to dramas, there’s something for everyone. Lucky for us, the […]

How to Deal With Difficult People and Avoid Conflict

How to Deal With Difficult People and Avoid Conflict

Research shows that supportive relationships are good for our mental and physical health.1 However, dealing with chronically “difficult” people and maintaining ongoing negative relationships can actually be detrimental to our health. The toll of the stress can affect us emotionally and physically. Because of this, it’s a good idea whenever possible to diminish or eliminate relationships that […]

Proactively Coping With Racism

Proactively Coping With Racism

Racial Media Violence is Stressful This month Black America awoke to news of two troubling killings of Black males by-way of police encounters. For most people of color, it becomes increasingly impossible to escape the barrage of news coverage broadcasting the gruesome details of the events that led to the deaths of Alton Sterling and […]

Zakat eligibility of The FYI

The Family & Youth Institute, or The FYI, is a well-known Muslim organization in the United States. It works to promote mental health and wellness by strengthening and empowering individuals, families, and communities through research and education. It has been working for many years to bring Islamic perspectives to understanding and promoting mental health in our communities.

It is dedicated to serving and supporting Muslims – safeguarding our deen, our families, and our future generations. Therefore, the work of The FYI comes in the category of ‘fi sabeelillah’ or the Path of Allah, within the eight categories where Zakat money can be used.

Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed for it and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah, and for the [stranded] traveler – an obligation [imposed] by Allah, And Allah, is Knowing and Wise.”
(Al-Tawbah 9:60)

According to scholars who widen the meaning of fee sabeelillah to include any activities that promote Islamic growth, The FYI is indeed eligible to receive part of the Zakat funds for its programs and services. I urge Muslims in America to support this organization through their donations, general charity, and through their Zakat. I ask Allah swt to strengthen and guide The FYI to continue its good work in supporting Muslims.

Shaikh Ali Suleiman Ali, PhD

About Shaikh Ali

Sh. Ali Suleiman Ali was born in Ghana where he spent his childhood studying with various Muslim scholars. He then moved to Saudi Arabia and enrolled in the Islamic University of Madina.  He graduated with a degree in both Arabic and Islamic Studies. Dr. Ali went on to complete his Ph.D. in Islamic Studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Sh. Ali serves on the Advisory Council of The Family & Youth Institute. He is the Senior Imam and Director of the Muslim Community of Western Suburbs in Canton, Michigan. Additionally, he serves as the Director of Muslim Family Services in Detroit and is a council member of the Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA). He is also a member of the North American Imams Federation (NAIF) and the Association of Muslim Jurists of America (AMJA).