About the Episode Did you know that there are different types of self control? In this episode, we discuss two...
About the Episode Ramadan, patience, self control, compassion – how are these words related to one another? While we wrestle...
This Ramadan, many people may continue to work from home while others will commute to work. Whichever category you fall...
Staying focused, studying for exams, and being productive can be challenging during Ramadan. Here are some ways to stay on...
For recent converts/reverts to Islam, the first few Ramadans as a Muslim can be both exciting and challenging. Here are...
The Family and Youth Institute has prepared this toolkit with practical tips to nourish your spirituality and well-being this Ramadan....
Among Muslims, more than one in three people say they know a person who has or is struggling with addiction.1...
The emphasis on food and the drastic changes in diet and routine during the holy month can be triggering. Ramadan...
This is a question that many of us may still be struggling with as we finish these last few blessed...
Ramadan is the month that inspires us to get back to what matters most – our relationship with Allah SWT....
Family togetherness during Ramadan is especially important for parents of young children and adolescents. Children’s early experiences of Ramadan informs...
“One of the seven given shade on the Day of Judgment is the man who remembered Allah in private and...
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).