European Muslim Philanthropy in the Coronavirus Pandemic

Amid a public-health crisis claiming thousands of lives in Europe, and despite intensified anti-Muslim prejudice and discrimination in the region, many European Muslims have responded to the deadly virus with philanthropic initiatives inspired by orthodox Islamic teachings that promote charitable giving. Such teachings are not only consonant with other Abrahamic faith practices but also with European values that account for a flourishing philanthropic sector in the region. In contrast to the violence and fanaticism frequently associated with this minority faith community, this humanitarian impulse among Islam’s faithful is relatively unfamiliar to numerous Europeans.

Fear, suspicion, and hatred toward Islam undermines meaningful understanding about a group solely viewed vis-à-vis a security lens. Anti-Muslim sentiments inform laws, policies, and practices. It also translates into prejudice and discrimination in education, employment, and the public square. From a British primary school teacher depicting the Islamic faith as a ‘cancer’ to hate-motivated violence at places of public accommodation in Germany, anti-Muslim sentiment continues to manifest itself in an increasingly violent manner in myriad contexts.

Set against this backdrop, the European Muslim humanitarian response to the coronavirus crisis is noteworthy and reflective of a global movement. While broad swaths of Europeans view Islam as incompatible with their values, Muslim charitable initiatives in response to the pandemic embody Islamic and European values. Such humanitarianism also helps facilitate inter-religious understanding, signify positive societal contributions, and challenge persistent stereotypes steeped in Islamophobic tropes and canards. Not only does it represent a learning opportunity for both religious and community leaders, it also provides a sound foundation for enhanced inter-community collaboration to serve vulnerable populations in a time of crisis.

Additionally, and significantly, such manifestations of humanitarianism represent a potential new lens for journalists who have otherwise offered effective coverage surrounding the pandemic’s inequalities. Academic research has found that news media portrayals of Muslims are overwhelmingly negative and generally contextualized in violence. Since Muslims constitute a minority population, most Europeans are unlikely to encounter them as coworkers, neighbors, or classmates. Rather, similar to their U.S. counterparts, Europeans learn about Muslims from narratives promoted by news media.

Muslim Humanitarianism in Focus

Across Europe, Muslims have made noteworthy philanthropic contributions to their respective communities and countries amid the public-health crisis. From Germany to the United Kingdom, European Muslims have coordinated related relief efforts for their compatriots as a whole and not merely coreligionists.

In Germany, for instance, local Muslim organizations distributed essential groceries to vulnerable segments of the population as well as gift packages to healthcare workers at Paulinen Hospital. In a campaign titled Help Your Neighbor Muslim, youth provided humanitarian aid to senior citizens.

In the United Kingdom, Muslim philanthropy is similarly manifest. In the city of Inverness, for instance, volunteers at a local mosque prepared 150 freshly cooked meals. Highlighting humanitarianism’s potential for enhancing inter-religious understanding, the mosque volunteers donated the meals to a local church food bank that serves the homeless. On a national scale, the Muslim Charities Forum is coordinating a coalition of mosques, community centers, and charitable entities to raise emergency funding for those in need of assistance. The Campaign for National Solidarity is providing grants to those facing economic hardships. Almost a dozen Muslim nonprofit organizations are part of the campaign.

Moreover, in the United Kingdom, individual acts of philanthropy complement such institutional activities. Representative is the famed boxing world champion Amir Khan  who pledged to donate a £5m property amid a shortage of hospital beds. A British Muslim businessman donated £200,000 to relief efforts and launched a campaign to raise another £1 million. Additionally, Muslim physicians are among the nation’s fallen heroes. For example, at least three medical doctors have passed after contracting the virus while assisting patients affected by the coronavirus. In Scotland, a Muslim small business owner is distributing free health kits to senior citizens aged 65 years and over. He has already distributed 500 packages that include face masks, antibacterial hand gel, and cleaning wipes.

A New Lens

The above offers just a representative snapshot of European Muslim philanthropy in the face of the coronavirus crisis. It contrasts with a social, political, and legal landscape that evidences European anxieties about the role of Islam in the region and an increasing hatred of Muslims as a people. These examples reveal members of a minority faith community prepared to serve the greater good at a time of national, regional, and international crisis. This is a distinct perspective of a marginalized, dehumanized, and demonized population that is often hidden from the public gaze. While the news media have offered impressive coverage of the manner in which the pandemic has exacerbated inequalities among minority groups, this narrative promises a fresh lens for understanding a disfavored community commonly portrayed as villains or victims. Moreover, it provides transatlantic leaders another opportunity for enhanced inter-community partnerships and collaboration to provide even more effective humanitarian assistance to those in need.