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A religious ruling issued in January, and brought to wider public attention in August, has become a subject of debate in the run-up to the November midterm elections, raising questions about the use of Islamic charitable giving in American politics.
On January 30, 2026, the Fiqh Council of North America, together with the Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America, issued a fatwa ruling that Muslims may, under certain circumstances, direct zakat — obligatory Islamic almsgiving, traditionally 2.5% of wealth given yearly, typically to the poor — toward efforts to influence political causes. The ruling's words: "giving one's zakat for influencing political causes is warranted."
The council argued Muslim and Muslim-aligned candidates qualify under the Quranic zakat category for those whose "hearts need to be softened" toward Islam, and said zakat could go even to the wealthy, to non-Muslims, or to those of questionable character when that secures a general benefit for the Muslim community. It also warned individuals should not decide by themselves which candidates and causes are worthy — only trusted, reputable institutions should collect and distribute the funds.
The ruling was framed around the war in Gaza and U.S. policy toward Israel: it said it is "imperative" that Muslim constituents support candidates and lobbying organisations working to shape U.S. foreign policy in favour of Palestinians, and that zakat may go toward countering a "clearly anti-Muslim politician with an agenda of harm." An analysis by the Institute for National Security Studies notes the ruling permits only a limited portion of zakat for political advocacy, prioritises the poor, and says it must accord with the laws of the state, and traces its precedent to Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi.
Investigative reporter Paul Sperry's August 18, 2026 RealClearInvestigations report, which first publicised the ruling widely, estimated the ruling could unlock a potential political war chest of more than $140 million a year in mosque and other donations from the Muslim-American community, as organisers back Muslim and Islamic-friendly candidates. Sperry reported at least $315,000 from donors he characterised as tied to Muslim Brotherhood-linked organisations supported Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed's primary campaign, and that the Unity and Justice Fund is soliciting money from mosques and Muslim organisations to support Democratic candidates in November.
The Washington Examiner's September coverage likewise described the council as having organisational ties to a suspected financial collaborator of terrorism. That characterisation is the Examiner's, not an established court finding.
For balance, the Council on American-Islamic Relations told RealClearInvestigations there is no evidence American Muslims are trying to impose religious law on the United States.
The story matters now because the November 3 midterm elections are days away, and the ruling is in play for those races. The fatwa itself dates to January 30, 2026, and was reported in August and September 2026; it was not issued today.
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