By Dilnaz Waraich and Tamela Spicer
Stories are vital in the philanthropic sector. Being able to tell your story of resilience, struggle, and strength is not easy, but it is especially difficult for marginalized individuals, including those in Muslim American communities. As non-dominate communities, not having diverse Muslim American stories believed can threaten our success physically and financially, particularly as we continue to see the waning tolerance of difference in the political and racial divides that plague the public narrative.
To help shift this narrative, the WF Fund invited Muslim Americans to tell their stories of generosity, sharing everyday stories of volunteerism, family connections, and activism. With nearly 200 stories to choose from, a national selection committee chose just over 50 to be part of a travelling storytelling showcase, Inspired Generosity, that launched in Atlanta this past September. These stories can poke through the unconscious bias that impacts everything from housing and employment, to engaging with philanthropy, and funding for Muslim-led nonprofit organizations.
The news is filled with misinformation and caricatures of Muslims in this country, which deny the richness of Muslim giving in this country. While research on Muslim philanthropy continues to be underfunded, the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy has produced a growing body of research that demonstrates that the Muslim community is not only the most ethnically diverse religious population in the United States, it is also one of the most generous. This highly diverse and quickly growing minority, contributed an estimated $4.3 billion in total donations to mostly non-religious causes over the course of a year. The 2021 Muslim American Giving Report found that “Muslims also are more likely than the general public to give to non-faith-based civil rights causes (11.87% Muslims versus 5.45% general population)” and that “Muslims contribute 27.45% of their faith-based charity to houses of worship” compared to the non-Muslim average of 51.28%. The report goes on to tell us that “compared to the general population, Muslims have a more positive image of the charitable sector” and are motivated more by compassion than the tax benefits.
Despite the growing body of research highlighting the good that Muslim Americans do in the sector, it’s news that often doesn’t get reported by mainstream philanthropic sources, leaving one to suspect that there are blind spots in philanthropy. While Muslims make up just over one percent of the American population, we see the growing scope of giving by this small and highly diverse community. A community that continues to face a great deal of discrimination in this country. Could funding and relationship building for this sector change the narrative?
At the WF Fund we combat this narrative and believe in the power of stories to interrupt bias and bring people together. With Inspired Generosity, partially supported by a fellowship of the National Center for Family Philanthropy, we seek to leverage that power of amplifying Muslim American stories of generosity to breakdown racialized and stigmatized biases and stereotypes. It is the hope of Inspired Generosity to change the narrative shaped by Islamophobia as we elevate, celebrate, and connect Muslim American stories of community impact with traditional, institutional philanthropy.
These stories are as diverse as the Muslim community itself, but they carry one common value: giving in response to God’s love. A 2022 article in The Conversation highlights decades of “widespread negative media representation of Muslims,” representation that shapes public attitudes that cast Muslims as terrorists, or giving only to fund things overseas in Muslim countries. The impact of these negative attitudes is amplified in the light of the Gaza conflict as we witness student protests on campuses across the country and the growing tide of religious-based bias. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) recently released data showing a 69 percent increase over the same period last year in anti-Muslim incidents during the first six months of 2024
Early in my philanthropic career, I was influenced by bias as I struggled with the title of philanthropist. Throughout my life my family has practiced the annual giving of Zakat and Sadaqa. Much like Christian tithes and offering or the Jewish concept of tzedakah, Zakat is the required annual giving to alleviate the burdens of those experiencing poverty, while Sadaqa is voluntary giving to a wide variety of causes. Until I began working in the sector, it didn’t occur to me that these were acts of philanthropy; that terminology simply wasn’t a part of my cultural experience. Like many in this country, when I hear the term philanthropist, it conjures a picture of a white wealthy man. As I continue my own giving journey as a philanthropic advocate, I want to amplify the work of my community. In my role as president of the WF Fund, I’ve found a way to live into those timeless values as we uplift and empower communities nationwide through strategic philanthropy and collaboration deeply rooted in faith.
Despite many efforts to share more positive Muslim American stories, deeply rooted in the history of this nation, philanthropy doesn’t always take notice, much less believe the stories. Following in the footsteps of The Soul of Philanthropy, which highlighted stories of Black philanthropy, IG will bring many untold stories of generosity to the forefront of the philanthropic conversation. Stories as simple as Zane’s who practices generosity by helping his grandmother learn how to use her iPhone, and as complex as Zayan’s, a pre-teen who started Lost and Found Heroes to find new homes for gently used coats and other items that would otherwise be thrown away after spending months in a school lost and found bin. These stories have the power to disrupt bias and reshape the future for Muslim American philanthropy. Amplifying these stories – told by Muslims themselves through poetry, videos, artwork, and written word – provide an opportunity to shift the narrative for a community that is woven into the fabric of American life, and yet too often is separated by implicit or explicit bias.
Inspired Generosity is designed to build hope as we celebrate the compassion and creativity of the Muslim American community. The IG showcase reveals how generosity arises from a deep love of mankind, rooted in relationship with God, and compels us to care, support and honor one another. These stories show us that Muslim philanthropy is American philanthropy. We invite you to experience Inspired Generosity for yourself, opening your eyes and heart to the love of mankind, especially when it doesn’t look or sound like you.
About the authors
Dilnaz Waraich is the President of the WF Fund, a national leader in uplifting marginalized communities in education, human services, and religious pluralism. She is a philanthropic advocate, community organizer, educator, and interfaith activist with more than three decades of experience in relationship building, cultural sensitivity facilitation, spiritual engagement activities, and civic empowerment. As a vocal advocate, she is known for bringing awareness and recognition to multiple causes. She was instrumental in establishing the Community Collaboration Initiative, Year of Learning, and Muslim Collaborative Prizes; all of which were part of a three-year community-based action research project hosted by Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Through Dilnaz’s work with cross-functional teams and external partners, she has a proven track record of personal, impactful, and community led engagement. She is a fellow for National Center for Family Philanthropy, co-chairing multiple giving campaigns, on the board of WBEZ Chicago Public Media, Catholic Theological Union, and also engaging in hospital chaplaincy work at the local hospital. Dilnaz is also a member of the Board of Visitors at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Tamela Spicer, M.A. has spent over 30 years in philanthropy, serving in leadership roles with The Salvation Army, The Arthritis Foundation, and Flat River Outreach Ministries. Before joining the WF Fund team, Tamela spent seven years as a senior program manager for the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy. Her work was shaped by her many years as a volunteer, service that included leadership roles with the Grand Rapids and Michigan Jaycees, Rotary International, and the Alliance for Nonprofit Management.
