Fear Limits Donations by American Muslims

Fearing federal government investigations, Muslim donors in the United States have reduced the amount of money they give to charities, reports The New York Times.

The federal government has been investigating numerous Islamic organizations to determine whether they have ties to terrorist groups.

As a result — despite religious obligations to donate money — many Muslims have shunned given during Ramadan, the Islamic holy month, which ended last week. Even Muslim charities that disavowed connections with specific religious institutions have suffered.

Muslim leaders say they support cracking down on terrorists but said fear of federal investigations has harmed their ability to raise money. Numerous charities overseas have been linked to terrorist groups, and the federal government has closed down five domestic Islamic charities since September 11, 2001. However, no convictions have resulted.

Read The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s coverage of investigations into Islamic charities here.