Search
Search
Close this search box.

Tips For Increasing Your Happiness As An Introvert

Tips For Increasing Your Happiness As An Introvert

Take a moment and imagine the happiest person you know. Got him or her in mind? Now think about how you would describe that person’s personality. Did adjectives like outgoing, energetic, or bubbly come to mind? It’s very likely that one of the personality traits you described is related to extroversion, or the tendency to draw energy from […]

10 Ways To Be More Mindful At Work

10 Ways To Be More Mindful At Work

Mindfulness may seem like a great idea, but how do you become more mindful in the context of a busy work day? You may have emails, phone calls, meetings and presentations to deal with. And, of course, your own work! In the middle of all that, how can you apply the principles of mindfulness so that […]

Helping Siblings Communicate Instead Of Fight

Helping Siblings Communicate Instead Of Fight

Conflict is part of every human relationship, because every relationship has two people with different needs and perspectives. Our job as parents is to teach our children to manage that conflict in ways that bring them closer. On the other hand, research shows that if we just “let them work it out” without guidance, the […]

A Quick Guide for Setting Better Goals – And Sticking To Them

A Quick Guide for Setting Better Goals - And Sticking To Them

This piece is written for our college-aged or young professional audience, but these tips are relevant for anyone looking to set better goals this upcoming year! The feeling of a new year makes us excited to set goals about what we’d like to accomplish next year. It gives us motivation to be and do better […]

How To Help A Friend

How To Help A Friend

Have you known someone going through a tough time and wanted to help but didn’t know how? It’s important to learn the warning signs of mental health conditions and how to start a conversation about them. While the first conversation is important, the road doesn’t end there. These conversations aren’t easy, but they’re critical to have. You […]

How To Give Effective Instructions

How To Give Effective Instructions

The first step to harmony is teaching your child to listen and follow directions One of the most important keys to minimizing problem behavior is making sure that kids are getting the message you’re trying to send. When it comes to parenting, sometimes the way instructions are given can be just as important as what […]

5 Key Questions To Ask Yourself Each Year

5 Key Questions To Ask Yourself Each Year

My English comp professor freshman year was an amazing teacher. He was great at asking key questions. Twenty years later, I remember a question he asked in response to an overly simplistic essay I wrote on faith: “Could something as complex as all this really be resolved so quickly and simply?” The question caused me […]

Our Culture Of Digital Natives: 9 Ways To Curb Your Online Anxiety Triggers

Our Culture Of Digital Natives: 9 Ways To Curb Your Online Anxiety Triggers

“Guess what? I’m writing an article on anxiety” I texted my friend. She replied “lmao what? Will it be a summary of our message exchanges, self-medicate by regularly texting your equally anxious friend?”. She speaks the truth. If I typed in ‘Anxiety’ into my Whatsapp search bar, it would pull up hundreds of conversations. All […]

Disbelief, Trauma, & Betrayal: 3 Tips To Healing

Disbelief, Trauma, & Betrayal: 3 Tips To Healing

The Day they will appear before Allah, nothing about them will be hidden from Him. He will ask, “Who does all authority belong to on this Day? To Allah—the One, the Supreme! (Ghafir 40:16) To learn that a trusted friend and community leader has been keeping tabs on you, your loved ones, or your community […]

DEA Agent Reveals All The Places Kids Could Hide Drugs In Their Rooms

DEA Agent Reveals All The Places Kids Could Hide Drugs In Their Rooms

Two moms found out that kids can hide drugs in places like teddy bears and tennis balls. Donna DeStefano has a daughter recovering from drug addiction and Karen Stout has two teenage daughters in high school. DEA special agent Timothy McMahon says drugs can be found in unlikely places around the home. He enlisted the […]

8 Relationship Tips Couples Therapists Are Giving All The Time Right Now

8 Relationship Tips Couples Therapists Are Giving All The Time Right Now

To be fair, not all couples are having a rough go of it. Vagdevi Meunier, Psy.D., master trainer for the Gottman Institute and licensed clinical psychologist at the Center for Relationships in Austin, tells SELF that the stress of the pandemic has actually brought many of her couples closer. And, well, good for them. For the rest of […]

How To Fight Depression: 20 Things To Try

How To Fight Depression: 20 Things To Try

Depression can drain your energy, leaving you feeling empty and fatigued. This can make it difficult to muster the strength or desire to seek treatment. However, there are small steps you can take to help you feel more in control and improve your overall sense of well-being. Read on to learn how to incorporate these […]

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).