By Marco Bianchi
Zakat, or Zakaah, is the one of the Five Pillars of Islam called “alms giving.” “Alms giving” refers to the donating of a percentage of one’s wealth to other poor Muslims. Zakat is not given to the government, but to the individual communities, which then dispense the money and goods collected fairly. It is generally collected from Muslim individuals who have become adults, based on a Read the rest of this entry >>
By Imad Alassaad
The instance of giving that I have chosen to discuss involves the Islamic religious holiday of Eid. Eid can be described as being the combination of Christmas and New Years, in the sense that, it celebrates the end of the lunar calendar and a month’s long fast (Ramadan). On this day, Muslims worldwide practice the art of philanthropy by offering monetary and nutritional gifts (trays of rice and meat) to related family members, friends and fellow community strangers that undergo the act of pan handling. Read the rest of this entry >>