Building of the now-dissolved Al-Haramain

By Fawaz Mohammad, IOL Correspondent

RIYADH , October 18 (IslamOnline.net) - Officials of Saudi charities are cautiously optimistic regarding the future of charitable work in the kingdom, during the holy month of Ramadan, which is considered a usual Muslim occasion for donations and fund raising.

Some officials, however, expressed concern over the shrinking support charities have been getting in the kingdom, following the 9/11/2001 attacks in the United States . This concern stems from the subsequent resolutions that were enforced to “regulate” fund-raising by Islamic charities regionally and internationally.

On the other hand, other officials were cautiously optimistic, pointing out to the need to “change and develop methods and instruments of gathering and distributing donations to conform with the changing events and different challenges.”

“Ramadan this year is likely to witness less support to charities due to the campaign launched against Islamic charities,” a resource development director at a charity institution in the kingdom told IslamOnline.net.

“All operators of the charity sector have expressed their deep worries about the future of charity work. We are afraid more laws and mechanisms are in the making to slow down charity march,” he added, asking not to be named.

Meanwhile, a director of another charity institution has attributed his worries to “scarce financial resources and support given to charities due to restrictions imposed on banking transfers and dealings.”

Reality of the Problem

Saudi families shop to prepare for Ramadan

Dr. Abdullah bin Omar Nasif, a member of Ibn Baz Charity board of trustees told IslamOnline.net that the “problem is not related to lack of financial means or capabilities, but rather to the black propaganda against charities and peoples’ conviction that it could be true.”

“Western attacks on Islam and charities have succeeded, to a great extent, in implanting fears and concerns even inside the hearts and minds of ordinary Muslims,” Nasif added, pointing out that 9/11 events have helped in reducing Islamic charity work.

But Nasif insisted he was still “optimistic about the future of charities and that soon such charities would restore their past glory.”

He further expressed hope that “charity institutions may succeed in changing the image portrayed by the media, reach people to inform them of the great results they have achieved in this regard.”

On his part, Dr. Saleh bin Suliman Al-Wihaeby, secretary general of the Muslim Youth Global Symposium, said, “Our role and objectives have not changed, as they stem from the never changing bases of Islam.”

Since the beginning of 2004, Riyadh has issued several regulatory resolutions that helped reduce the activities of charity institutions in Saudi Arabia after being accused of supporting “terrorism”.

Al-Haramain Charity, the largest among Saudi charities, has been dissolved October 5, 2004, after Washington accused it of financing “terrorism”.

All of its assets and funds have been transferred to the National Saudi Authority for Relief and Charities Abroad.

Work Regulation

On his part, Saudi Ministry of Interior spokesman Brigadier general Mansour Al-Turky told reporters “The Ministry of Interior has not imposed any restrictions to the charity work but it has regulated the work of charity institutions in the kingdom.”

“The concerned parties started raising funds during the month of Ramadan,” Al-Turky added.

Several charity institutions have started to find alternatives that enable them to keep their activities going.

Among such alternatives is to send envoys, setting up exhibitions and inviting to annual parties under the auspices of princes of the regions.

On the number of Saudi charity organizations, director general of charities sector in the Ministry of Justice Daif Allah bin Selim Al-Balwy said, “charities are gradually increasing in Saudi Arabia and have reached 217 charity society and 14 charity institutions that spend billions of Saudi Riyals.”

Al-Balwy pointed out that the total assistance provided by those charities according to the latest five-year statistics amounted to SR 3,233,317,727 (Equivalent to US$ 862,264,000).