Muslim Leaders Meet With Treasury Officials

August 12, 2009

Author: Jacqueline L. Salmon

Source: The Washington Post

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/godingovernment/2009/08/muslim_leaders_meet_with_treasury_officials.html

Muslim leaders have been meeting with Treasury officials to see if they can do something about roadblocks to American Muslims' charitable giving. They hope to have an agreement hammered out before the beginning of the month of Ramadan on Aug. 22.

During Ramadan, Muslims are encouraged to be charitable. Indeed, charitable giving, or zakat, is the third pillar of Islam. But that's been a problem for American Muslims since Sept 11. A number of U.S.-based Muslim charities have had their assets seized and have been shut down, with federal officials alleging they had ties to terrorist organizations. (The U.S. government has had mixed success proving that in court.)