Exploiting faith: The hidden financing of terror groups

Analysts say that in recent years, al-Qaeda has increasingly exploited charities and humanitarian organizations as a hidden but effective source of financing.

By manipulating religious beliefs, moral duty, and cultures of generosity in societies such as Afghanistan, the group seeks to legitimize its violent activities.

This practice not only threatens national and regional security but also erodes public trust in legitimate humanitarian efforts.

Financing is the most critical factor in the survival of terrorist organizations, said Muhammad Fawad Sediqi, an Austria-based counter-terrorism analyst.

"Using charities as a cover makes the nature of assistance difficult to identify," he told Salaam Times. "The lack of oversight and financial accountability creates a serious security gap that al-Qaeda exploits."

Sediqi said that funds collected in the name of humanitarian aid can ultimately be diverted to purchase weapons or finance violent operations.

This, he said, represents a direct threat to both domestic and regional security and cannot be countered by security institutions alone without public cooperation.

He emphasized that strict auditing, transparency, and oversight are essential to cutting off these funding streams.

"One of the most important signs of suspicious charities is a lack of transparency in their funding sources and expenditures," he said.

Identifying suspicious charities

Civil society activists say ordinary citizens can play a key role in preventing this abuse by paying closer attention to how charities operate.

Mahbubullah Sirat, a Germany-based Afghan civil society activist, said that Afghan society’s strong culture of compassion has repeatedly been exploited by questionable organizations.

"Terrorist groups, especially al-Qaeda, exploit this environment to conceal their financial resources," he said.

"When charities do not know how and where their aid is spent, the risk of misuse increases significantly, and blind trust can end up strengthening violence," he added.

Sirat said that the absence of legal registration, unclear leadership structures, vague project descriptions, and a lack of financial reporting are major warning signs for donors.

He added that civil society must promote a culture of accountability and questioning, noting that good intentions alone are not enough.

Misusing faith

Religious scholars warn that al-Qaeda deliberately abuses religious trust by exploiting sacred Islamic concepts such as zakat and charity.

Rohullah Haqnazar, an Islamic studies researcher based in Ankara, said that Islam places strong emphasis on honesty, transparency, and helping the needy, values that al-Qaeda systematically distorts.

"This group targets the trust of believers through religious posturing and exploits their sincere intentions. Such behavior has no religious legitimacy and is a clear betrayal of Islamic values," he said.

Mawlawi Muhammad Tareq Khadem, a Shia religious scholar based in Tehran, also rejected al-Qaeda’s claims of religious legitimacy.

"By hypocritically exploiting Muslim beliefs, the group turns religion into a shield and a tool of power," Khadem said.