The Issue with Fundraising at Jummah and Islamic Gatherings

Assalamu alaikum, brothers and sisters. I gotta get something off my chest that’s been bugging me for a while-the way fundraising is done at Jummah and community events has gotten way too pushy, and I think we need to talk about it. I get it, supporting our masjids and good causes is super important. But lately, some mosques bring in imams who focus on fundraising, and they really lay it on thick. It’s not the asking itself that’s the problem-it’s how they do it. They cut into the little time we have for Jummah, especially for folks squeezing it in during a lunch break. They use guilt, emotional pressure, and salesy tactics that just feel off. I’m not trying to badmouth anyone, honestly. But I think we gotta rethink some of this. Just the other day, I went to a paid event by a charity. It started at 7 p.m., and the organizers talked for like 30-45 minutes about their work over the past year. A bit long maybe, since we already paid for tickets, but okay, I figured they’d share that stuff. Then the guest scholar gave a really good talk, ma sha’ Allah, and left. That’s when things went south. The MC came back and started a fundraising session that lasted around 20 minutes. He kept joking that it felt like an auction and that we were basically "held hostage" until we hit a donation goal, all while Maghrib time and dinner were slipping by. People started walking out because he just wouldn’t stop. Me and a brother next to me were both uncomfortable. So I’m wondering: since when did fundraising in our community turn into something where you feel trapped until you give? There’s nothing wrong with asking folks to support a good cause. Encouraging sadaqah and community projects is something we should all be into. But there’s a difference between inviting people to give and pressuring them so they feel bad if they don’t. And what bugged me more was that the event didn’t really tell you it’d turn into a big fundraising push. We paid to hear a scholar, not to sit through a drawn-out donation call. Here’s the bigger worry: imagine a new Muslim comes to an event like this for their first experience. They’re coming to learn about the deen and meet Muslims, and this is what they get? Do we want them to see Islam as full of compassion and generosity, or that they’ll be guilt-tripped every time? I’d hope they see the beauty of our faith-not feel pressured. Sadaqah should come from the heart, not from being coerced. If someone wants to give, let’s explain the cause clearly, be honest about where the money goes, and then let them decide freely. We can raise funds without turning our masjids and events into an auction floor. We can promote giving without making people feel guilty. Look, I’m not picking on that one charity-this is a thing across the community. We need to do better and hold our leaders accountable, especially since they often deal with non-Muslim leaders too. May Allah bless those sincerely serving the ummah, accept their work, and give our leaders the wisdom to fundraise in a way that reflects the dignity and sincerity of our deen.