The Elhaam Foundation exists for one purpose: to ensure that no child is turned away from quality Islamic education because their family cannot afford it. Your zakāh and ṣadaqah make this possible.
Across America, Islamic schools face a painful paradox. The families who need them most, families seeking to raise children grounded in faith, identity, and academic excellence, are often the families least able to afford the true cost of a quality education.
At Elhaam Academy, we refuse to compromise. We believe Muslim children deserve certified teachers with advanced degrees and years of experience. They deserve modern curricula, safe environments, and an education that prepares them for both this life and the next.
But here is the truth: it costs $10,000 to $12,000 per year to educate a child at the standard our children deserve. Tuition is set at $7,500, but even that does not cover the true cost. Some families can only afford a portion. Some cannot pay at all. We have never turned a child away, but the gap between tuition and what quality education actually costs threatens our ability to continue.
When Islamic schools are underfunded, they lose their best teachers. Standards slip. Families lose faith. And our children, our most precious trust from Allah ﷻ, are the ones who pay the price.
For a school with a couple hundred students, this gap can range between $350,000 and $900,000 per year, funding that must come from the generosity of our community.
Elhaam Academy is committed to a standard of Islamic education that our children deserve and our community can be proud of.
We recruit and retain teachers with state certifications, master's degrees, and years of classroom experience. Our educators are professionals who chose Islamic education, not a fallback.
Academic rigor and Islamic identity are not in tension; they reinforce each other. Our students learn Quran, Arabic, and Islamic Studies alongside a rigorous core curriculum that meets or exceeds state standards.
We believe that a family's financial situation should never determine whether their child receives a quality Islamic education. The Elhaam Foundation exists to make this principle a reality.
We understand that zakāh is a sacred obligation, and we respect the care with which you fulfill it. That is why we offer two clear pathways for your giving, so you can donate with confidence, regardless of which scholarly position you follow.
Your zakāh goes directly to subsidize the tuition of a specific student whose family qualifies as fuqarā' (poor) or masākīn (needy), categories unanimously agreed upon by all schools of thought. The foundation identifies eligible families and applies your zakāh directly to their child's education.
Give Zakāh for a Student →A growing number of respected scholars and jurists recognize that supporting Islamic educational institutions falls under fī sabīlillāh (in the cause of Allah), one of the eight Quranic categories of zakāh. Your zakāh supports the school's mission holistically, including teacher salaries, student subsidies, and the educational standard our children deserve.
Give Zakāh to the Foundation →The following scholars, jurists, fatwa bodies, and institutions have supported the permissibility of zakāh being directed toward Islamic educational institutions, particularly in Western, non-Muslim-majority countries where no government supports Islamic schools. Click any entry to read their position.
AMJA has issued multiple fatwas affirming that Islamic schools in the West are legitimate recipients of zakāh. Their reasoning is grounded in the broad interpretation of fī sabīlillāh as encompassing all efforts that serve Islam and Muslims.
According to the Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League, the category of fī sabīlillāh could include supporting any civilian Islamic work as needed. I am in agreement with this approach. In North America and in the West in general, Muslims are desperately in need of funds to establish their masājid, Islamic schools, and other social and political organizations, as they do not receive any federal or state funds for this purpose. With this in mind, paying zakāh to support Islamic schools is allowed if the potential beneficiary is in need.
- AMJA Fatwa #85297: "Can Islamic School Receive Zakat?"
Islamic schools in the US are legitimate recipients of your zakāh. If you trust those in charge in the local Islamic school in your area, you can give them your zakāh.
- AMJA Fatwa #79936: "Can I Give Zakat to Local Islamic School?"
The Fiqh Council of North America, under the chairmanship of Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, has affirmed the broader interpretation of fī sabīlillāh to include efforts that protect the welfare of the Muslim community, including educational institutions. The FCNA holds that the scope of this category encompasses efforts aimed at upholding justice, promoting societal welfare, and protecting the rights and religious identity of Muslims in the West.
- Position referenced in multiple FCNA endorsements of zakāh-eligible organizations
After extensive deliberation on the meaning of fī sabīlillāh, the Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League adopted the position that this category is broader than military jihad alone. They concluded that it includes all good projects and general benefits for Muslims, including building and maintaining schools, facilitating da'wah, and other work that serves Islam and the Muslim community.
- Referenced in AMJA fatwas and IOU Fiqh Council translation (Fatwa #4917)
Egypt's Dār Al-Iftā' has issued multiple fatwas over decades favoring the broad interpretation of fī sabīlillāh to include public welfare projects, educational institutions, and social services. These rulings were issued by successive Grand Muftis, including Sheikh Abdel-Majid Salim (1941), Sheikh Hassan Mamoun (1958), and Sheikh Gad Al-Haq (1979).
- Referenced in Boston Islamic Seminary fatwa compilation (2025)
The Boston Islamic Seminary issued a comprehensive fatwa specifically addressing zakāh to Islamic academic institutions in the United States, calling it both permissible and strongly recommended.
It is permissible and recommended that zakāh be allocated to Islamic academic institutions in the U.S., as they fulfill the fī sabīlillāh category by preserving Islamic knowledge and leadership. Additionally, needy students within these institutions qualify for zakāh under the categories of fuqarā' and masākīn.
I firmly believe that the zakāh category of "for the sake of Allah" is inclusive of everything that serves the religion of Allah, and of everything that is in need of financial support - whether it is for poor families or for organizations endeavoring to preserve the Muslim identity of the zakāh giver.
- Boston Islamic Seminary Fatwa on Allocating Zakat to Islamic Academic Institutions in the USA (2025)
Dr. Hatem al-Haj is one of North America's most distinguished Islamic scholars, holding a Ph.D. in Comparative Fiqh and serving on AMJA's Permanent Fatwa Committee. A Hanbali scholar known for his principles-based and context-sensitive approach to fiqh, Dr. al-Haj's work with AMJA directly supports the rulings that Islamic schools in Western countries qualify as legitimate recipients of zakāh, particularly for students who fall under the categories of fuqarā' and masākīn, and through the broader application of fī sabīlillāh.
- AMJA Fatwa Committee member; author of Fiqh of Worship (commentary on Ibn Qudāmah's ʿUmdat al-Fiqh)
Dr. al-Qaradawi's Fiqh az-Zakāh is widely considered the most comprehensive scholarly work on zakāh in the modern era. In it, he thoroughly examined the question of institutional zakāh and concluded that in non-Muslim countries, it is permissible to use zakāh funds for Islamic schools. His reasoning centers on the preservation of Muslim faith and identity.
Islamic education and da'wah institutions play a crucial role in preserving Islam, especially in minority contexts. Supporting them with zakāh is a legitimate necessity to ensure the survival of Islamic knowledge and leadership.
Al-Qaradawi further argued that institutions which provide Islamic information, protect Muslims from deviation, and preserve the community's religious identity are zakāh-eligible under fī sabīlillāh.
- Fiqh az-Zakāh: A Comparative Study, Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi
Dr. Siddiqi, chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America, holds degrees from both the Islamic University of Madinah and Harvard University. He has endorsed the use of zakāh for institutions serving the Muslim community under the fī sabīlillāh category, particularly for organizations that protect Muslim rights, preserve Islamic identity, and provide educational services in Western countries where Muslims receive no government support for religious education.
- Former President of ISNA; Former Director, Islamic Center of Washington, D.C.
Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, named among the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World, has been explicit in his support for zakāh going to institutions that serve the Muslim community's survival and welfare. While his specific statements address advocacy organizations, the same fī sabīlillāh reasoning applies directly to Islamic schools.
Among the commentators of the Qur'an as well as the jurists, who have used the term fī sabīlillāh in a far wider sense, extending it to include all beneficial works and projects of common benefit to the Ummah. They have included in this category such services as building and taking care of schools and mosques, establishing hospitals, and building bridges. In short, they definitely include institutions that provide educational or social services under this category - making them eligible to receive funds from zakāh.
- Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, Islamic Institute of Toronto (referenced in CAIR zakat eligibility rulings)
Dr. Shehab, in a detailed fatwa on the topic, affirmed that building and supporting Islamic schools, particularly in Western countries, is an essential community obligation and that zakāh may be used to support them. He emphasized that Islamic schools serve multiple vital roles: educating Muslim children, preserving their Islamic identity, and providing non-Muslims a window into authentic Islam.
Muslims are highly encouraged to give in charity to support public, educational, and social welfare projects. Islamic schools - that promote sound understanding of Islam and its values, raise students on Islamic ethics, spread awareness about Islam, and care about the welfare of the community - can be supported through zakāh under the category of fī sabīlillāh.
- Dr. Wael Shehab, referenced on AboutIslam.net
Even among more conservative scholars, Sheikh Ibn Bāz, the former Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, issued a fatwa permitting the use of zakāh funds to pay teachers and students in Quran memorization schools, provided they were in need. While his position was narrower than some contemporary scholars, it established an important precedent connecting zakāh to educational support.
- Fatwa referenced in IOU Fiqh Council compilation (Fatwa #4917)
Sheikh Ibn Jibrīn issued a detailed fatwa affirming that Islamic schools and da'wah institutions fall under the category of fī sabīlillāh. He connected Quranic education and teaching to the concept of jihad in the broader sense, reasoning that since Quran memorization and Islamic teaching constitute da'wah to Allah, they are a form of striving in His cause.
When these institutes use zakāh funding to pay the teachers' salaries, then generally they fall into the category of fuqarā'. Likewise with paying for the education of the students - most of the time they are the children of fuqarā'.
- Fatwa #4917, translated by the International Open University Fiqh Council
One of the most respected classical scholars, al-ʿIzz ibn ʿAbdus-Salām held a broader interpretation of fī sabīlillāh that encompassed all means capable of enhancing the Muslims' strength and helping them attain better conditions in all fields, not limited to military activity. This classical precedent is foundational to the modern scholarly position on zakāh for Islamic institutions.
- Referenced in Boston Islamic Seminary and IslamiCity compilations
What is meant by those who are in the way of Allah is anything that makes man approach Allah. If it is necessary, anybody and any ways of charity that work in the way of Allah are included in this meaning.
- Badā'iʿ aṣ-Ṣanā'iʿ, Vol. II, p. 451
Imam an-Nawawī established an important precedent in his landmark work Al-Majmūʿ: if someone is teaching Islamic knowledge and would have to stop teaching in order to earn a living through other means, then it is permissible for them to accept zakāh because teaching Islamic knowledge is a communal obligation (farḍ kifāyah). This directly supports the use of zakāh for teacher salaries at Islamic schools.
- Al-Majmūʿ, Vol. 6, p. 190
The phrase fī sabīlillāh is not confined to warriors only.
In his monumental tafsīr, ar-Rāzī generalized the meaning of fī sabīlillāh to extend beyond the battlefield, laying scholarly groundwork for the broader application of this category to include educational, social, and da'wah endeavors.
- at-Tafsīr al-Kabīr (Mafātīḥ al-Ghayb)
Sheikh Muḥammad ʿAbduh (d. 1905), the Grand Mufti of Egypt, and his student Rashīd Riḍā (d. 1935), author of the influential Tafsīr al-Manār, were among the earliest modern scholars to advocate for a broader understanding of fī sabīlillāh. They argued that this category should be applied in all situations where there is a need to serve Islam and Muslims, including schools, hospitals, and institutions of public benefit. Their positions laid the intellectual foundation for nearly all contemporary scholars who support institutional zakāh eligibility.
- Referenced in IslamiCity, Boston Islamic Seminary, and IslamOnline compilations
Maulana Mawdūdī (d. 1979), who described al-Qaradawi's Fiqh az-Zakāh as "the book of this century in Islamic jurisprudence," and his associate Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī both held the view that fī sabīlillāh is a broad, general term that applies wherever there is a need to serve Islam and Muslims. They supported the permissibility of using zakāh funds for da'wah and public welfare programs, including educational institutions.
- Referenced in IslamiCity and IslamOnline compilations
We believe your trust is sacred. Here is exactly how Elhaam Foundation funds are used - updated regularly so you always know your impact.
Every dollar accounted for and directed to its intended purpose: student education and teacher retention.
We are only in February and your generosity is already making an impact. These funds have supported six full tuition subsidies so far this year.
Six children are receiving a quality Islamic education this year because of your generosity. Each one with a name, a story, and a future you are shaping.
Zakāh-designated funds are never used for operational overhead such as utilities, rent, or administrative costs. They go directly to student tuition support and the educators who serve them.
Whether you give $190 or $7,500, your contribution directly changes a child's life. Choose an amount below or enter a custom amount.
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Please make your check payable to Elhaam Foundation and mail it to:
Elhaam Foundation
[150-15 Hillside Avenue, Suite 1001]
[Jamaica NY 11432, USA]
Please write your zakāh or ṣadaqah designation in the memo line so we can direct your gift appropriately.
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[Pay@elhaamacademy.org]
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For wire or ACH transfers, please use the following details:
Bank: [Bank Name]
Routing Number: [000000000]
Account Number: [000000000]
Account Name: Elhaam Foundation
Please email [email@elhaamfoundation.org] after sending your transfer so we can confirm receipt and issue your tax receipt.
Elhaam Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. You will receive a receipt for your records.
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"Who is it that would loan Allah a beautiful loan, so He may multiply it for him many times over?"
Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:245