Do non-christian religions have missionaries?

[Sunspace]

This being the winter holiday season in Canada, Christian Canadians are celebrating their great festival alongside the other peoples of Canada. The Salvation Army is soliciting donations at the mall, and this got me thinking…

Many Christian organizations send people to “non-Christian” countries, both to help people in their troubles, and to spread their teachings. IMHO, this service to the poor is one of the best things about many Christian organizations.

Do other religions have missionaries or overseas aid organizations?

Are Muslims sent to the wilds of America to help the unfortunate? Do Buddhists go to darkest England to enlighten the locals? Are there television commercials by Shinto charitable organizations, soliciting funds to house and feed poor people in Brazil?

Hmmm. I can think of one possible group, the Hare Krishnas, but I don’t know whether there is a Hare Krishna relief organization…

[MEBuckner]

Hare Krishna Food for Life – “The world’s largest vegan/vegetarian food relief–Serving karma-free meals to the world!”

From this page on a website of Shia Ithnaasheri Muslims in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania:

Bilal Muslim Mission establishes Trinidad connection
The Bilal Muslim Mission of Americas (BMMA) has embarked on an ambitious project in Trinidad to establish the First Shia Centre there. The property is located in Port of Spain, Trinidad, West Indies. It is a reinforced concrete and steel structure having three floors with a total area of over 12000 sq.ft.

The top floor at present is occupied as Prayer Hall and Teaching Area by our Shia brothers and sisters under the organization called Imam-e-Zamana Mission. The first and ground floors are vacant awaiting renovation. It is planned to run a day care Centre and a vocational traning Centre on the first floor with shops on the ground floor. A walk-in library will also be established on the ground floor.

This will be the first Shia Centre of its kind which will be self sufficient once the shops bring in revenue to offset the expenses to run the property. It will also create employment for our brother and sisters, majority of whom are unemployed at present in Trinidad. The vocational training Centre will prepare our brothers and sisters to enter the blue collar jobs.

This project when completed will cost US$ 300,000. BMMA has been fortunate enough to receive donations to cover the initial payment to acquire the property, as is. A balance amount of US$ 150,000.00 is needed to complete the project. Local contractors are being solicited by BMMA to carry out the necessary works to fulfil the planned optimum utilization of the property.

The BMMA will establish a local training Centre to train local interested brothers and sisters and the promising students among them will be sent overseas to complete their religious studies. This programme will prepare local muballighs to return and teach within a few years. Presently BMMA sends Zakirs during Muharram to preach, teach and reach the local converts. The response has been tremendous and Alhamdulillah every week Shahada is given to at least one convert. If the convert is a male and not circumcised, BMMA also arranges with a local doctor for the same.

The BMMA has been holding Imam Husayn day Seminars to commemorate the Martyrdom of Imam Husayn (a.s.) for the last two years. In 1996, the Chief Guest speaker was the President of World Federation, Mulla Asghar M.M. Jaffer. This year Sheikh Abdullahi Nassir from Kenya was the Chief Guest.

The BMMA needs help and support to realise this project. Mulla Asghar has agreed to allow BMMA to collect Sehme Imam Khums for this project. BMMA will receive the Khums, deposit it in the account of World Federation so that the receipt from Agha can be obtained. Subsequently the full amount will be given to BMMA to utilize for this project.

Inshallah the message of “Man Kuntu Mawla Fahaza Alliyun Mawla” will reach all the corners of the Carribean and Central and South America and the saying of our 6th Imam(a.s.) “Every Day is Ashura, Every Land is Kerbala” will reverberate in the region.

Donations may be mailed to:
Bilal Muslim Mission of America
230 Duffy Ave.
Hicksville, NY 11801. USA
Email; kabana@juno.com
or
Bilal Muslim Mission of America
101 Cairns Drive,
Markham, ON L3P5T6. Canada.
Email:kermalli@yesic.com

[Sunspace]

I rather suspected that this occurs; I just didn’t have any examples. Thanks!

IIRC, relatively recently there has been a great debate in the US Pagan magazine Green Egg about Pagan aid and relief organizations: namely, why aren’t there any?

I suspect that part of the reason is that Pagans in English-speaking North America are still finding their own footing and creating their own societal structure. There probably needs to be a certain level of resources available in a community before such activities can begin.

[smugg]

Not all religions are evangelical - that is, they aren’t actively seeking converts. Of the worlds major religion, only three really care if you convert of not: Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam.