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Our Struggles – Mental Health And Muslim Communities

Our Struggles – Mental Health And Muslim Communities

Fariha just started her freshman year at university. Overnight, she was separated from her support system of family and friends and thrust into a foreign environment. She was facing many new challenges, including a heavier workload, new friends, student clubs and organizational responsibilities. She was drowning in endless assignments, exams, and meetings. Fariha never thought […]

Muslim Youth Mental Health Fact Sheet

Muslim Youth Mental Health Fact Sheet

This fact sheet was created By Madiha Tahseen, Ph.D and supported by Sameera Ahmed, Ph.D., Anwar Hussein B.S., and Haneya Mustafa The Muslim Youth Mental Health Fact Sheet is an easy-access resource for statistics and facts to use in your Youth talks, presentations, khutbahs, and research. The FYI provides the latest information on today’s Muslim youth and […]

Bingo! Back To School Edition

Bingo! Back To School Edition

Celebrate the beginning of a new school year with a fun game of Back to School BINGO and snacks! Get the free printable by clicking the button below! Learn more here.

Educators’ Guide To Supporting Muslim Students Around 9/11

Educators' Guide To Supporting Muslim Students Around 9/11

This year marks the twentieth anniversary of September 11th. Educators have the responsibility of meeting the needs of all their students as they experience this anniversary. Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR), an Islamic civil rights organization, usually receives a spike in complaints from students and families on anniversaries of 9/11. Some complaints involve peer-to-peer bullying, while others involve anti-Muslim […]

9/11 Anniversary Response Guide For Parents

9/11 Anniversary Response Guide For Parents

As parents, you may be concerned about what your children and teens may experience in schools and social circles during this upcoming anniversary. From worrying about them experiencing hate and bullying to the desire to counter-narratives, there are many emotions that could be going on. Fortunately, research on Muslim American youth shows that they don’t get negatively impacted when they […]

Coping with 9/11 As A Young Adult

Coping with 9/11 As A Young Adult

On September 11th, 2001, the world mourned the loss of life and destruction. It was also a pivotal moment in the history of Muslims in the U.S. and across the world. As a young adult today, you may not be aware of how much life changed for Muslims then and now. Anyone identifiably Muslim joined the list […]

How To Ask What Kids Are Feeling

How To Ask What Kids Are Feeling

“Our job as parents isn’t to provide certainty in a time of uncertainty. Our job is to help kids tolerate the uncertainty,” explains Jerry Bubrick, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. Getting kids, regardless of age, involved in problem-solving makes them feel empowered and like they’re part of the solution. But, if you ask […]

7 Essential Homeschool Tips For Parents Just Getting Started

7 Essential Homeschool Tips For Parents Just Getting Started

Many of you may be in the process of figuring out how to homeschool your kids for the first time. While it may be overwhelming, daunting, and exciting, you may need some tips to help get you settled on a routine. Read on for advice that’ll help you get through the first few months. Read More here.

It’s Suicide Awareness Month – The FYI’s Suicide Toolkit Update

It's Suicide Awareness Month - The FYI's Suicide Toolkit Update

In recognition of National Suicide Prevention Week, The FYI set out to create comprehensive and culturally specific resources addressing suicide risks, intervention, assessment, and prevention. This thorough resource includes information specific to teens, parents, survivors of suicide attempts, their families, survivors of suicide loss, a section for mental health professionals, imams, educators, and additional resources including […]

11 Educational YouTube Channels For Kids

11 Educational YouTube Channels For Kids

According to the most recent data from Pew Research Center, 80 percent of all parents with a child age 11 or younger said their child watches videos on YouTube, and 53 percent noted that their child does this daily. But given that there’s so much questionable content out there, parents are often trying to steer their […]

Updated Grief Toolkit – Team Share

Updated Grief Toolkit - Team Share

Grief is a natural response to a loss of any kind, whether it’s the death of a loved one or the loss of a job or friendship. Being able to grieve properly with support is the best way to move through the different emotions. The Prophet (PBUH) allowed himself to experience various emotions as part of […]

How To Help Someone Who’s Grieving

How To Help Someone Who’s Grieving

When someone you care about is grieving after a loss, it can be difficult to know what to say or do. The bereaved struggle with many intense and painful emotions, including depression, anger, guilt, and profound sadness. Often, they also feel isolated and alone in their grief, since the intense pain and difficult emotions can […]

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).