بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
News Right Now: Negative Influence
Welcome to this week’s episode of News Right Now: Negative Influence
“Hijacked by Hate”, a new report by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) where they analyzed tax records of 50 anti-Muslim organizations in the US. They were both faith-based charities and private family foundations in which 26 were Islamophobic. The years of 2017-2019, 35 of them were a source of a total of $105 million that went towards anti-Muslim groups.
The report was the first to uncover the involvement of the American philanthropies with Islamophobic organizations. It had identified 39 organizations (who had received that money) who were from the “Islamophobic Network”. They had watchdogs, experts on security or the Middle East, or centers of “freedom”. Thus, this report urged the philanthropic community to create clear policies to ensure that funds were not being directed towards anti-Muslim groups. As well as to educate their employees and boards about anti-Muslim bigotry. For many of these donors that donated to these organizations were donor-advised funds. Which means that these donors could suggest where they wanted their money to go but, at the end of the day, the fund is who decides where that money goes.
These traditional charities and foundations, community organizations and foundations, and religious foundations are all foundations of philanthropy and they are an integral part of America. With $1.5 billion used to directly affect the American Muslim community, and then to Americans in general. What is this money being used for? This money is used to advance anti-sharia legislation, shut down women’s shelters, fund activities of anti-Muslim groups, and even to hire private operatives for over a decade on Muslim leaders! And this impacts the Muslim community, for it causes hate crimes and harassment in places of worship.
A big part of the influence set onto the people is through manipulating the public opinion. Creating a bias so people are convinced of the twisted story they portray. In some cases, monitoring how things are being said in order to manipulate public opinion in support of Zionism or against Islam. There are also organizations that are benefiting from these donations who are supporters of the Jewish entity. Such as the Middle East Media Research Institute, who are accused of translating in an inaccurate and “selective” way- trying to portray Muslims and Arabs in a negative light. Also the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA), who falsely accused American Muslim organizations of being fronts for terrorism. They also monitor the global media, looking for anti-“Israelis”.
Other organizations are, Christian Advocates Serving Evangelism Inc., who donated close to $20 million annually between 2017-2019 to special interest groups who identified as Islamophobic. They also donated $60 to the American Center of Law and Justice (ACLJ)- which had defended Trumps 2017 Muslim ban. Also, the ACT for America is also a hate group that is benefiting from these donations. This group, who is the largest anti-Muslim group in the country, strokes irrational fear of Muslims and the Islamic principles and spreads misinformation about Islam and Muslims. There are more funders, such as the Adelson Family foundation, Schwab Charitable Fund, Marcus Foundation, the Jewish Communal Fund, Sarna Family Foundation in Eaglewood, and the FM Kirby Foundation.
All this hate to be spread, who is to blame? Well it all starts with the U.S. government. It has fanned the flames of Islamophobia long before 9/11. However, since then, we have witnessed a rise in hate crimes, discrimination, and profiling. Along with mosques, Islamic institutes, and Muslim communities being under constant surveillance and scrutiny. The government puts the Muslims and Islam under negative light in order to justify their wars. Along with passing of laws and policies against Muslims on a daily basis, the U.S. government works hand in hand with the media, creating fear to legitimize and rationalize its subjugation of Muslim lands.
These faith-based charities and private family foundations are a by-product of the system and the fruit of its liberal and secular values. Dishonesty, recklessness, and hate gets encouraged from such an ideology. Pushing to stay in power... to be in power... ruining anything that may get in their way. Millions go to these causes because they fall in line with the greater agenda.
Allah (swt) says,
( إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ لِيَصُدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ فَسَيُنفِقُونَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسْرَةً ثُمَّ يُغْلَبُونَ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ يُحْشَرُونَ)
“Surely, those who disbelieve spend their wealth to prevent (people) from the way of Allah. So, they shall spend it, then it will become remorse for them, then they shall be overpowered, and those who disbelieve shall be gathered into Jahannam” [8:36]
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