Support ALAVI FOUNDATION

Alavi Foundation, a New York based not-for-profit organization, is under investigation for allegedly engaging in financial transactions that  may have violated certain US laws which prohibit business with Iran. If these allegations are proven in the court of law, the Shia community of the United States unequivocally denounces any such acts of the Foundation. The Shia community strongly opposes any violations of the US laws, regardless of who is engaged in those violations.

While the Foundation is under investigation,  the Shia community feels that it is important to share with the authorities and the general public its experiences and opinions about the Alavi Foundation. The following describes our understanding of the organization:

a)      The Foundation earns its revenues from domestic US based sources and creates US jobs.
b)      The Foundation donated money to many religious, educational, and humanitarian causes. Many Shia Muslim centers received funding from the Foundation and the Foundation operates some schools and centers. Alavi Foundation supports Secular schools. These schools enrich the US communities immensely and are vital to the societies where they are located.
c)       The religious centers that received funds from the Foundation are being operated in various parts of the United States and in accordance with the constitutional freedoms granted to the citizens of the United States and in full compliance with the laws.
d)      These religious centers have no affiliation with any foreign government.
e)      As members of these religious centers, we declare that the Foundation never asked us to pursue any foreign interests in the United States of America or to compromise the security of our country.
f)       Our experience with the Foundation was excellent and if the allegations are found to be true, we had no knowledge of these actions.

g) Given our positive experience with the Foundation, it is our opinion that the alleged wrongdoings are misunderstandings and they will be clarified in the court of law and the Foundation will be found innocent of all charges.

Shia Muslims represent about 12% of the total Muslim population. They have been persecuted for centuries. Today, in most Islamic countries Shias are being targeted by religious extremists. Over a million Shias were killed in the past 20 years. Saddam Hussain alone was attributed with killing hundreds of thousands of Shias. Taliban and Al-Qaida are attacking and killing Shias on a daily basis. For example, in one attack, Taliban and Al-Qaeda stopped a bus full of Shia school children (aged 6 to 13), asked the children to line up, and then shot and killed them at a pointblank range.

Why is the funding important for the Shia Community?

1)      Fulfill its religious obligations
2)      To continue to promote our message of peace and anti-terrorism

3)    To continue to operate our centers and educational institutions

 Consequently, actions against the Foundation would prohibit our community to pursue our constitutionally guaranteed religious freedoms and rights.   

Petition:

As such, during the period in which the case is being litigated, we would petition the US government and the Federal authorities to consider and act upon the following:

1)      Not to rush to any conclusions and to provide utmost diligence in conducting the investigation
2)      Give the Foundation a fair chance to defend itself in the court of law and to remember our principle of %u201Cinnocent until proven guilty%u201D
3)      Not to implicate other Shia religious organizations unless a material proof exists of intentional involvement of such organizations in the wrongdoing
4)      To provide access to alternative funding to the American Shia Muslim community so that it can continue to engage in promoting anti-terror message and to practice its religion
5)      If the case is decided against the Foundation, then, to transfer the assets of the Foundation to the Shia community so that the community is not deprived of its capital and can pursue its religious activities
6)      Keep the mosques open and schools operating during the litigation period and after that
7)      Develop a broader and greater understanding of the Shia issues
8)      Continue to trust the US Shia community to fight terrorism and protect our borders and national security
9)      If wrongdoings are discovered, not to punish the entire community but only the individuals who may have been involved in such crimes
10)   As part of the public policy, pursue a path that protects US jobs and the wealth of our citizens    

The people writing this petition are writing in good faith and are doing so as responsible citizens of the United States of America. This petition has not been reviewed by an attorney and the people who are signing this petition may not have gotten it reviewed by their attorneys before signing this. The petition is written and signed in accordance with the constitutional freedoms granted to the United States citizens. People signing this petition do not approve or support terrorism. People singing this petition are not singing this petition in support of any foreign government or its policies and are not signing this petition to approve or support any illegal activities.