Islamic Foundation has Zakat and Sadaqa committees that have been serving the needy for more than 30 years.

Zakat and Sadaqa funds are distributed to the needy with the consensus of the committee, which meets on a regular basis. The assistance is provided on a case-by-case basis, and members of the committee have a daunting task of assessing and evaluating one’s financial, familial, emotional and physical status in order to determine the proper level of need. Individual needs vary from financial stresses due to extremely limited income (e.g., on FDS cash, food stamps assistance, SSI, or low paying jobs) and expenses that become overwhelming in many cases.

• Payment of rent, utility bills
• Training for employment (sewing, janitorial services, etc.)
• Employment and job search assistance
• Providing shelter and help for victims of domestic violence
• Summer camps for the needy children
• Eid Open House for needy families
• Distribution of Fitra money on Eid-ul-Fitr; meat donations on Eid-ul-Adha
• Learning of English and Quran classes
• Helping immigrants in the citizenship process
• Providing fans, heaters, furniture, household items, etc.

ZAKAT: Must give Zakat if you have                  SILVER: Must give Zakat if you have:

3- ounces or                                                         21- ounces or
7.5- Tolas, Bori, Vori or                                         52.52- Tolas, Bori, Vori or
56.25- pennyweight or                                         393.75- pennyweight or
87.48- grams                                                         612.36- grams

Zakat: 2.5% on your annual Savings and Gold and Silver.
1. Poor 2. Needy 3. Zakat Collectors/Administrators 4. Those Whose Hearts are reconciled towards Islam 5. Those in Bondage (Slaves/Captives) 6. The Debt-ridden 7. Fe-SabilAllah: In the cause of Allah 8. The Wayfarer (Travelling with few resources)

Shaikh said: Zakat can be given to people in Debt, Baitulmal employees salary, Masjids which give dawah in Kaffir land, Madressa students out of town.

Fitra: (Zakat Al-Fitr): on Eid-al-Fitr, $8 per person (one time Full meal)

Sadaqa (Charity): FiSabilillah, Can be given to anyone including non-Muslims

Fidya: If you skip a Ramadan Fast for valid reasons (illness, old age) then, you must pay Fidya. Approx. 2kg of wheat, rice, dates per Fast or Feed ONE poor man for each day.

Kaffara (Penalty, Expiation): If you deliberately miss or break a Ramadan Fast without a valid reason, you must pay Kaffara. Free a Slave or FAST 60 consecutive Days. If you can’t, then feed 60 miskeen for EACH missed Fast or pay $480 (same as Fitra per person $8) for EACH missed Fast for Redemption

Ushur (Zakat Al’Ard): Pay 10% of harvest on mechanically irrigated land. And Pay 5% harvest on Rain-water irrigated land.

For New Cases:

1. The new applicant must complete a ZSC application form and attach a government-approved photo ID.
2. The ZSC applications can be obtained via fax, U.S. mail, or by visiting our website
3. Within one or two days of receiving the ZSC form, an applicant is interviewed over the phone, followed by a home visit from a ZSC caseworker.
4. If the ZSC caseworker is satisfied that all the information provided by the applicant (i.e., Sadaqa or Zakat, Food Stamps, SSI, Annual Income) is accurate, then he/she signs the ZSC form and submits it to the Chairman of ZSC.
5. The Chairman/caseworker further inspects the case through other Organizations.
6. If all the information has been assessed and evaluated properly, then the PO order is originated and submitted to the IFGSTL office.
7. The amount of money to be granted depends on the applicant’s immediate need.
8. In most cases, the Rent checks are made payable to the landlords, and the Utility checks are made payable to the Utility companies.
9. Zakat and Fitra checks may be written directly to needy applicants in accordance with Islamic principles and IRS guidelines. ZSC is NOT responsible for investigating how the recipient spends his/her money.
10. Priority and preference are given to refugees, orphans, widows, homeless, and domestic abuse applicants. We do not pay for Lawyer fees in most cases.
11.  A soft copy is also created for every new applicant and stored in the database
12. There is a limit on Sadaqa/Zakat, depending on each family’s circumstances and number of dependents.

For Old (Repeater) Cases:

1. To avoid wastage of paper & time, a repeater case does not have to fill out a form.
2. If the information (i.e., address, Tel# or family #) has changed since the last assistance, note it on the PO form to update our database.
3. Previous assistance history is properly checked in the database but NOT attached to the PO form to avoid wasting paper and time.
4. It is Vital for everyone to explore ways to get employed, connect with other organizations to find jobs & vocational/job training so they can become self-supporting and NOT depend on Sadaqa/Zakat continuously.
5. We require them to document their efforts to find a Job and be ready to present it if asked.