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Family Strengthening

Podcasts

Episode 2: To Stop or to Keep Going? Self Control After Ramadan

About the Episode Did you know that there are different types of self control? In this episode, we discuss two...

Articles

Untying the Knots of Generational Trauma in Encanto: 3 Takeaways for Your Family

This article was written by Duaa Haggag, LPC. It was reviewed by Issra Killawi, BA, and Madiha Tahseen, PhD.  Click...

Toolkits

Ramadan Toolkit

The Family and Youth Institute has prepared this toolkit with practical tips to nourish your spirituality and well-being this Ramadan....

Ten Tips for Shopping with Children

1. Remember that children have limits. If you are shopping with children, be alert to their needs: are they tired,...

Kitchen Math- Baking Brownies

It’s no surprise when kids groan at the mention of math homework. From the most mundane to the most ingenious,...

24 Science Experiments Your Kids Will Love

1. Make crystal geodes out of alum powder, eggshells, and glue. I would put this on my coffee table. Get...

10 Ways to Get Your Child To Put Their Cell Phone Down

Has your child’s cell phone become an extension of her hand? Between talking, texting, tweeting, taking pictures, sending emails, and...

Let’s Learn About Trees

Fall is a great time of year for going on a nature hike to learn about trees. In this episode,...

3 Ways to Build Empathy and Improve Communication in your Marriage

Marriage is hard. The difficulty primarily stems from the frustrating fact that men are from Mars and women are from...

15 Fun & Cheap Family Game Night Ideas & Board Games

Restaurants are great places to gather with all your friends and family, but they can get really expensive rather quickly!...

8 Ways to Help Your Aging Parents

As they age, our parents might need more help. But you might not know exactly how to lend a hand...

40 Festive Fall Activities to Strengthen your Family Bond

Enjoy some of these super fun seasonal activities this year! Visit a Cider Mill Go Apple Picking Get Pumpkins from...

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).