Humanitarian Islam

Abstract

In the aftermath of mass shootings by violent extremists and amid increasing anti-Muslim prejudice and discrimination, many Muslim Americans have responded to these and other social, legal and political developments with philanthropic initiatives inspired by orthodox Islamic teachings. This humanitarian impulse in Islam, which has shaped the religion since its founding, is relatively unknown to non-Muslim Americans. Humanitarian Islam is defined here in largely oppositional terms to so-called “radical Islam.” In contrast to the violence, aggression, death and destruction commonly associated with “radical Islam,” selfless volunteerism, benevolence, altruism and charitable giving in service to others are characteristic of humanitarian Islam. This article presents interdisciplinary research and employs case studies to achieve a number of objectives. First, through the unique lens of philanthropy, it reveals the Muslim American experience in contemporary America, from countering violent extremism to challenging intersectional and unlawful discrimination. Second, it explores the minority faith community’s varied contributions in geographically diverse regions of the country. Third, this piece examines the communal relations that Muslim Americans have formed with non-Muslim Americans. Fourth, it illuminates the role, extent and influence of Islamic faith beliefs and practices among Americans who are Muslims and a distinct perspective regarding Islam in America. Many non-Muslim Americans fear Islam and its law. In the realm of counter-terrorism or countering violent extremism, for instance, Islamic belief and practice are often conflated with an increased propensity for criminality. As evidenced within these pages, however, humanitarian Islam is informed by the same textual legal sources with distinct results.

Keywords: Islamic law, radical Islam, Islamophobia, Muslim Americans, racism, hate crimes, philanthropy, terrorism, civil rights, countering violent extremism, religious profiling, Muslim charities