As Ramadan nears, Muslims plan to donate

Often translated as "charity," it requires believers to give 2.5% of their cash assets (even including the value of their jewelry or stocks) to the Muslim needy and poor.

Zakat might be given at any time in the year, but Ramadan's focus on compassion and introspection often prompts a greater outpouring.

After the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Muslims in the USA struggled to be sure the charities they chose supported human welfare without financing violent political efforts.

President Obama pledged in his address to the Muslim world in June that the government would take IRS and anti-terrorism measures to make it easier to clear zakat hurdles.

Websites such as Global Giving, which was created in 2003 to support projects around the world, will highlight Islamic charities to make it easier for Muslims to give to reputable groups within legal guidelines, says program officer Saima Zaman, who created a Ramadan portal at the site in 2006.

It directs a small but growing number of Muslim donors to 40 suggested charities, such as organizations that offer clean drinking water in Morocco, meals for girls in Burkina Faso, and education and health services for girls in Afghanistan, she says.