The Foundation and Initiative Appeal

The Foundation for Mauritanian Relief and Development is a newly founded Non-Profit 501c3 certified organization.  It has been established to provide support and aid for the relief and development of the people of Mauritania and their communities through various charitable initiatives. The first of these initiatives is our appeal for sponsorship of the students at the Dar Us Salaam Mahdara (traditional Islamic School) located near the city of Kiffa in Mauritania.   Dar Us Salaam currently has approximately 150 students and it costs roughly $300 USD per year to sponsor a student.  The students' costs include food, clothing, healthcare, and school supplies. Since its establishment Dar Us Salaam has provided free classical Islamic education for students throughout Mauritania, West Africa, and worldwide.  Dar Us Salaam was established in 2003 by Shakyh Salek Bin Siddina, one of the top scholars of our time who has taught and trained students from all over the world including many notable people in the United States.  Dar Us Salaam was founded with the goal of establishing a place where the transmission of sacred knowledge could take place.  Additionally the school provides clothing, food, medicine, and shelter to all of its students.  In addition to providing free classical education, Dar Us Salaam also operates as the headquarters for humanitarian relief throughout the region. The school provides free health care, distributes sadaqah and zakat, and also builds houses, irrigation systems and wells.  Dar Us Salaam also conducts Udhiyya as well as Aqiqah ceremonies as part of its charitable operation. Funds are needed so that the students can continue to attend Dar Us Salaam and benefit from the quality classical Islamic education that it offers.  We are encouraging everyone that is able to sponsor at least one student for a full year by donating $300 USD, however any charity you are able to give is welcome and greatly appreciated.   All donations tax deductible.

Biography of Shaykh Salek Bin Siddina

Shaykh Salek bin Siddina

Shaykh Salek is from Mauritania, West Africa, a country known for producing some of the Muslim world's most knowledgeable scholars. 

He studied for over 17 years in the famous mountain region of Taganat, from numerous accomplished scholars including Murabit al-Hajj, one of the greatest scholars of our age. In addition to memorizing the entire Quran in two of its recitations, he has studied and mastered some of the most advanced texts in the disciplines of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), Arabic grammar (nahu), doctrinal creed (aqida), Prophetic narration (hadith), and the study of the life of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (seerah). From a family tracing its lineage back to the Prophet, peace be upon him, himself, he is respected and widely regarded amongst his peers as a scholar of the highest caliber. 

He currently runs the Dar Us Salaam school in Mauritania teaching the Qur'an, Islamic law, and numerous other subjects to children and adults of all ages. 

Area just behind Dar Us Salaam

Significance of giving Zakah and Sadaqah

We all know the importance that Allah places on giving Sadaqah as it is mentioned over and over in the Qur'an and in prophetic traditions.  Additionally, Zakah is an individual obligation on the believer that has reached the age of maturity and meets the threshold with regards to stored wealth.  Mauritania is a blessed land where the Qur'an is recited day and night and where classical Islamic teaching and training has been passed on from generation to generation until this very day.  There isn't a time during the the day or night when the Qur'an is not being recited.  The skyline is always lit by the bright moon and piercing stars and this is indeed a sign from Allah that this land is blessed due to the continuous recitation of the Book of Allah.  Dar Us Salaam, like other traditional Mauritanian schools, employs the traditional teaching system which is a highly individualized, one-on-one setting with the instructor going through one subject and one text at a time.  In each subject, students memorize the complete texts one by one until the subject is mastered.  This rigorous curriculum typically begins with the memorization of Qur'an and continues with the memorization and mastery of the other Islamic Sciences such as Fiqh (Jurisprudence), Aqeedah (Creed), Tazkiah (Purification), Nahwu (Grammar) and so on.  Donating for this noble cause would be assisting in the preservation of the Deen which is something that is necessary and vital to our Ummah. 

يا أيها الذين آمنوا إن تنصروا الله ينصركم ويثبت أقدامكم

"Oh Believers, if you Help (the Religion of) Allah he will help you and make your feet firm."  Al Qur'an 

"When a person passes away, their good deeds will also come to an end except for three: Sadaqah Jariyah (continuous charity); a knowledge which is beneficial, or a virtuous descendant who prays for them (for the deceased)" Sahih Muslim

Donating to this cause would not only be Sadaqah but it would be Sadaqah Jariyah.

Students at Dar Us Salaam Mahdara (School) reviewing their daily lessons

The Funds Raised

The funds, once received, will go directly to the Foundation for Mauritanian Relief and Development and will be used to cover the costs and needs of the approximately 150 students.  The ultimate goal is to raise $150,000 USD and by Allah's permission we have raised over $35,000 USD to surpass our Ramadan goal as part of the first phase of this project.  We are still encouraging everyone to continue to donate to  this initiative which will spill over to phase 2 of our project and further assist us in our final goal of 150,000.

Students at Dar Us Salaam Mahdara (School) 

Students heading to class

Students Making Salaat

The Blessed Land of Mauritania

How You Can Help

Please donate whatever you are able to but we are encouraging those that can afford it to donate a minimum of $300 USD to cover the costs of a single student for an entire year.  By Allah's permission you will receive a reward for whatever you donate.  If you are unable to give Sadaqah then you can assist by spreading the word via social media and word of mouth.

لَيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَنْتُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلَكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَالْمَلائِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَى حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّائِلِينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَاهَدُوا وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ

"It isn't righteousness that you turn your faces towards the Qibla direction of the East and the West, rather righteous is the one who believes in Allah, and the Last Day, and the angels and the Book and the prophets, and gives away wealth out of love for Him to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask and to set slaves free and who establishes the prayer and pays the obligatory charity; and those that fulfill their covenants when they convene, and the patient in distress and affliction and in the time of conflict. These are they who are truthful; and these are they who have Taqwa."