Muslim-Americans' Charitable Giving Dilemma: What About a Centralized Terror-Free Donor Advised Fund?

Abstract:     
In the post-9/11 national security oriented environment, many Muslim-Americans face an inhospitable philanthropic environment and the dilemma of how to satisfy their religious charitable giving obligations and goals. The Article addresses the chilled philanthropic climate by suggesting that it might be moderated through the creation of a centralized terror-free donor advised fund aimed specifically at enabling Muslim-Americans discreetly to direct their diaspora philanthropy to needy Muslims in a few targeted regions and communities abroad. It presents the financial feasibility of, and the essential requirements for, creating such a terror-free donor advised fund. The Article suggests how the benefits of a terror-free donor advised fund would inure not only to Muslim-Americans and the neediest Muslims abroad, but also to the American public.

Accepted Paper Series