Muslim Groups Give $100K To Help Detroit Residents Without Water

[Turborama]

The Muslim community of Michigan has stepped forward this week with a contribution of $100,000 to support Detroit residents who are facing hardship from water shut offs.

More than 60,000 households in Detroit have faced the risk of water shut off or are struggling to recover from water damage due to recent floods. The grant from the Michigan Muslim Community Council in partnership with Islamic Relief USA – the largest Muslim charity organization in the United States – will be used in direct assistance to disadvantaged Detroit families struggling to maintain their water utilities. The groups hope that this grant will encourage others to come forward with assistance since there is still great need.

“We are hoping this is going to be contagious,” said Islamic Relief CEO, Anwar Khan. “It is important to us in our faith to help our neighbors. It is a part of our faith to help our friends.”

Islamic Relief USA had provided disaster relief teams to metro-Detroit to help with recent Detroit flooding, and has partnered with local groups to offer Disaster Assistance Response Training to residents in order to have a group of trained individuals who can help if future disasters strike this area.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan led an effort to provide water relief to disadvantaged families by setting up the Detroit Water Fund and a plan for residents to receive help. Other major donors to this effort include Ford and GM who each donated $50,000, and the United Way which donated $100,000.

The grant is part of a concerted effort by metro-Detroit Muslims to contribute to the city’s revitalization because Detroit has been an important part of American Muslim history and is recovering from difficult economic times. Other initiatives include the Huda clinic, which provides free medical and dental clinic to all; Zaman International, which provides food and material assistance to at risk-women and children; DREAM (Detroit Revitalization Engaging American Muslim), which reclaims and renovates homes for disadvantaged families; and the Ramadan Fight Against Hunger Food Drive and Oedhiya project, which distributes several tons of food and meat annually to local food banks and community centers.

From: http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/muslim-groups-give-100k-help-detroit-residents-without-water/

Anything in the MSM about this?

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Methinks there should be a lot more talk about Zakah...

the Third Pillar of Islam.

Charity in Islam is not merely a required tithe, but it is as fundamental to the religion as it is to Christians.

Zakah, meaning "purity" isn't just giving tax deductible money, or reacting to a catastrophe, but is ingrained into every Muslim as a fundamental part of their lives. The Christian saying for "From each according to his ability to each according to his need" would seem to have the same root.

We don't hear much about it because most of it goes to other Muslims, but as they are becoming more mainstream in Western cultures, perhaps we will be seeing a lot more of it.

[kestrel91316]

2. If I'm not mistaken,

"from each according to his ability to each according to his need" is straight out of Marx and not the bible.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. You're mostly right...

It goes back to a verse in Acts and then some Frenchman in the 1850's. A few others used it before Marx.

But, yeah, even though Marx didn't invent it (and some of us don't think of it as particularly Marxian) he did popularize it.

[Turborama]

5. It could be seen as the economics version of the "Golden Rule"

"Do unto others as you would have them do to you" etc etc.

[oberliner]

4. 2 Muslim groups' donations to help pay for water bills

Two Muslim groups are contributing $100,000 to efforts aimed at helping Detroit residents with their water bills.

The Michigan Muslim Community Council and Islamic Relief USA are donating the money to the Detroit Water Fund — a partnership between the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department and the United Way for Southeastern Michigan — and Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency, which offers aid for utility bills and other services to low-income people.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2015/01/07/muslim-donations-help-pay-water-bills/21379373/

Significant regional story with significant regional coverage.

[Turborama]

6. Thanks for the addition. Nothing at all in the national mainstream media, though. n/t

[oberliner]

7. Care2 has made a similar point

Muslim Groups’ Philanthropic Efforts Often Go Unnoticed

http://www.care2.com/causes/muslim-groups-philanthropic-efforts-often-go-unnoticed.html

[Turborama]

9. Very well said.

Thank you.

[Fred Sanders]

8. THESE Muslims represent the vast majority of their religion and are inspired by their religion to do these deeds.

Or is that the No True Scotsman fallacy?