It’s just a hunch, but I’m guessing that, when most Americans think of religious charities, they don’t immediately think of Islam and Muslims. Nevertheless, Islamic Relief USA (aka IRUSA), which was founded in 1993, is a significant religiously motivated charitable organization with a worldwide reach. And IRUSA’s first interfaith partner was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For a while, at least, 20% of IRUSA’s annual budget came from the Church.
I share here some links regarding that partnership:
(Incidentally, my admiration for the efforts of Steve and Judy Gilliland is enormous.)
“Mormon Newsroom: “New Mormon Relief Society President Speaks at the UN””
Deseret News: “Mormons, Muslims Work Together to Help Refugees”
“Mormons, Muslims Team Up on Overseas Aid Projects”
“Islamic, Mormon Groups Unite For African Relief”
“Muslims and Mormons Flying Aid to Pakistan Earthquake Victims from Salt Lake City”
“Muslims and Mormons Flying Aid To Indonesia Tsunami Victims”
And these links are relevant, as well:
“WDIV ClickOnDetroit :”How can you still help people affected by the Flint water crisis?””
“IRUSA Volunteers and Donors Come Together to Serve Neighbors”
“When I Served The Homeless in ‘The City of Roses’”
“Musulmanes de EEUU se integran a la reconstrucción de Haití”
“‘Day of Dignity’ Serves Impoverished in New York City’s Brooklyn and Manhattan”
(For whatever little it’s worth, I once joined Imam Siraj Wahaj, of Brooklyn’s Masjid Al-Taqwa, for an interfaith LDS/Muslim dialogue. He is mentioned in the article immediately above.)
“Muslims put faith into action for Ramadan”
“Inland residents help Mideast relief effort”
“Over $700,000 Raised at Tsunami Benefit Dinner in Anaheim, California”
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The partnership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with Islamic Relief USA helps us better to embody the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith:
“A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.”
As President Brigham Young put it,
“We are not here isolated and alone, differently formed and composed of different material from the rest of the human race. We belong to and are part of this family, consequently we are under obligations one to another, and the Latter-day Saints … are under obligations to their brethren and sisters scattered in the nations who, through indigent circumstances, are unable to gather to themselves … the comforts of life.”
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