1^st Congress
Highlights

The Road Ahead

Philanthropy with Coherence and Pride - 18 March 2008

By M. Cherif Bassiouni - Distinguished Research Professor of Law and President, International Human Rights Law Institute, DePaul University; President, International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences

Muslim philanthropy is difficult to estimate in part because philanthropists who give in their respective countries are not usually quantitatively known outside their national circles.  Additionally, Muslims pay zakat and give to charity anonymously, so such practices are not publicized.  What is known are the big name foundations who support philanthropic projects in Europe and America as well as other countries. 

These projects tend to be of high visibility.  Thus, building large mosques with extraordinarily attractive architecture, constructing buildings using Islamic architecture, or funding endowed chaired professorships in big name universities have been the hallmarks of big Muslim philanthropic giving.

For sure, there have also been numerous grants given to small communities to build modest mosques, community centers, and schools. But what has been lacking is a sense of coherence and cohesion in philanthropic funding whose aim should be to promote social justice and civic engagement, combat poverty, illiteracy, and disease, and address global issues such as the environment.  To a large extent, this lack of coherence and cohesion represents, on the one hand, a lack of global vision, and on the other, a hesitancy about Muslim philanthropy’s identity.

At the risk of hurting the sensibilities of some people, Muslim philanthropy has been timid in confronting the issues of Islamaphobia and prejudice against Islam and almost tentative in asserting a proud Muslim identity.  To fund a chair or academic program at a world renowned university or to build a magnificent mosque in a major city are certainly important statements.  But they are “safe” and uncontroversial.  It is not like supporting projects and organizations that confront Islamaphobia.  For similar reasons of timidity, large Muslim foundations do not contribute to the modern development of Islam by Muslims in the face of the 21st century’s challenges.  Instead, whenever such projects are funded, they go to institutions in the West that are not directed by Muslims because it is “safe” to do so. 

It is also important for Muslim philanthropy to fund institutions engaged in upholding the rule of law and human rights in the Muslim world.  As one who has been working in this field for over thirty years, I can attest to the fact that very little if any Muslim philanthropic funding has been involved in building the rule of law and supporting human rights in post-conflict countries such as Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq to name only a few.  That is not to speak of the almost total absence of funding for the rule of law and human rights in Muslim countries.

Understandably, philanthropy is shy when it comes to controversial issues. And traditional Muslim clerics have been among the principle opponents of various issues of social justice both in the Muslim world and outside of it.  There is little justification for these traditional if not regressive positions, which are simply the product of cultural conditions of several centuries ago.  The extraordinary strides in all civilizational aspects made by the Muslim Ummah between the 9th and 12th centuries should be a guide to the Renaissance of Islam in the 21st century.  Muslim philanthropy can help achieve that by focusing its policies in a more meaningful way and supporting Muslim organizations in non-Muslim countries and other organizations in the western world which are directed by Muslims.  Pride in Islam must show in deeds.

What is needed is a permanent international council for major Muslim philanthropies which can serve in two ways. The first is to serve as a clearing house for different proposals and also if requested to provide evaluations of the proposals, more importantly, to follow up on grants and to attest to their future outcomes. Another function of the council would be to convene an annual meeting in which the “big” picture would be discussed and maybe a consensus could develop on the focus to be taken, whether in a given sector or for a period of time. Whatever the outcome of this proposal may be, I suggest to this first conference that the focus for the next decade should be on combating Islamaphobia, widening inter-religious and inter-civilizational dialogue and advancing human rights and the rule of law. This is how Muslim philanthropy can contribute to the spirit of Islam and to peace and justice in the world.

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