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Are you Feeling Empty? Here’s What it Means & What to do

Are you Feeling Empty? Here's What it Means & What to do

If you’re feeling empty, you’re not alone. Many of us feel empty in different ways. For instance, you might feel empty because something is missing in your life, said Kaitlyn Slight, a marriage and family therapist in Raleigh, N.C. This might be emptiness from a loved one moving or passing away. Or the emptiness might […]

What Selfies Are Doing to Self-Esteem

What Selfies Are Doing to Self-Esteem

Selfies can be silly and lighthearted, of course. But there is a dark side when photos become a measure of self-worth. We’re used to worrying about how kids will be affected by seeing too many air-brushed images of models in magazines or movies. But now young people themselves are the models, and they’re wielding their […]

Here’s a list of Indoor and Outdoor Snow Day Activities

Here's a list of Indoor and Outdoor Snow Day Activities

What are some fun things to do on a snow day? Snow day activities for kids need to include ideas to burn off energy indoors, quiet time to give parents a break, a few outdoor activities just in case the weather cooperates, and–last but not least–one or two snow day traditions that give families a […]

10 Habits of Happy Muslim Couples

10 Habits of Happy Muslim Couples

The whole purpose of having a spouse is to find tranquility in and with them, and our relationships with our spouses have signs that ask us to give thought to. So, how are some Muslim couples finding this tranquility in their marriage? What are those couples whose eyes exude deep love and contentment doing right […]

Tips for Helping Children with Learning Disabilities

Tips for Helping Children with Learning Disabilities

All children need love, encouragement, and support, and for kids with learning disabilities, such positive reinforcement can help ensure that they emerge with a strong sense of self-worth, confidence, and the determination to keep going even when things are tough. In searching for ways to help children with learning disabilities, remember that you are looking […]

5 Ways to start a new hobby at home

5 Ways to start a new hobby at home

It’s hard to focus on much right now. But taking up a new hobby (or dusting off an old one) might be just the thing to give your brain a break from the worry spiral, even if only for short stretches at a time. Learning something new can help you feel productive during a time when many of us […]

How to Prevent Loneliness in a Time of Social Distancing

How to Prevent Loneliness in a Time of Social Distancing

COVID-19 is not the only public health threat we should be worried about—loneliness is one as well. So how can you cultivate your social well-being while avoiding infection? People often blame technology for the prevalence of loneliness, pointing out that we spend too much time scrolling through social media and not enough of it interacting IRL. Yet recent research from the Harvard T. […]

Coping with the Coronavirus

Coping with the Coronavirus

With all the fear around the recent spike of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, we can feel panicked and anxious, like our life is spiraling out of control. This infographic aims to help us reflect and refocus our thinking on our current reality. Check out the infographic by clicking this link!

Here’s a Giant List of Indoor Activities to Keep Your Kids Busy this Weekend!

Here's a Giant List of Indoor Activities to Keep Your Kids Busy this Weekend!

Here is a giant list of indoor activities and projects for kids! Nearly all are free or super-cheap, can be easily set-up (a few are more complicated) and many, depending on the age of your child, do not necessarily require intense parental involvement (Hurrah!). Of course, engaging in the activity with your child is never […]

What’s Separation Anxiety and Separation Anxiety Disorder?

What's Separation Anxiety and Separation Anxiety Disorder?

It’s natural for your young child to feel anxious when you say goodbye. In early childhood, crying, tantrums, or clinginess—all the hallmarks of separation anxiety—are healthy reactions to separation and a normal stage of development. While the intensity and timing of separation anxiety can vary tremendously from child to child, it’s important to remember that […]

Has your teen ever considered entering a writing contest?

Has your teen ever considered entering a writing contest?

In a world where J.K. Rowling’s manuscript of “Harry Potter” was rejected 12 times, it can be easy to become despondent about publishing your fiction, even more so for teenage writers wanting to voice their thoughts to the world. However, there’s an abundance of writing competitions year-round for teens and writing contests for high school students […]

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).