: “Afghan Orphan” Email Hoax Rattles Muslim Community

Some of you may have recieved an email over the past two weeks asking Muslim families to adopt one of 500 Afghan orphans that US armed forces have brought to America. Aside from the positive outcome of hundreds of offers to help, it seems that the emails are a hoax, and that no orphans have left Afghanistan. Further research into the source of the email, Los Angeles resident Julie Farrer, has gone nowhere, as she isn’t talking about the email and has so far failed to turn up one orphan, although she claims several have already been sent to the Midwest. So it seems that while the Muslim community is well-intentioned and ready to give, a little caution is warranted when responding to calls for help.

Shahed Amanullah is editor-in-chief of altmuslim.com.