When my oldest was little, we spent so much time together playing, singing songs, going on adventures, and visiting friends....
With the chaos of juggling our own schedules with our kids’ calendars, it’s easy for your quality time to be...
Here’s a bit of trivia about me: My great-great-grandmother on my dad’s side was a full-blooded Mexicana. For whatever reason,...
Time to get messy, light some stuff on fire, and use food products in ways they were never intended! Parents and...
“I watch their softly tousled heads slumbering on their pillows, and sadness wells up in me. Have I drunk in...
Scrapbooking is a favorite pastime for moms the world over. It is a great way to create keepsakes for family...
“A bulldozer style of parenting, while terribly well-intentioned and meant to “protect” the child from short-term harm, ultimately results in a psychologically fragile child, fearful...
Do your kids complain that there’s nothing to do? Want to liven things up with a fun activity that can...
The typical family’s daily routine is often so chaotic that it’s much too easy to grow apart. Sure, your oldest...
Restaurants are great places to gather with all your friends and family, but they can get really expensive rather quickly!...
Have you ever been in love? We all have, at least once. The attachment bond is the term for your...
Enjoy some of these super fun seasonal activities this year! Visit a Cider Mill Go Apple Picking Get Pumpkins from...
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
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).
