Senior Scholar Fellow

This is a remote position.

• Assess trade-offs between competing priorities and make defensible decisions under uncertainty.
  

• Translate complex Shariah and economic considerations into concise, evidence-informed recommendations for philanthropic decision-makers.
  

• Take ownership of recommendations and their rationale, balancing intellectual rigor with the need to make timely, practical decisions.
  

Communication & Thought Leadership

• Produce clear, compelling research reports and recommendations that communicate complex concepts in accessible English.
  

• Present findings and explain the reasoning behind allocation decisions, including relevant uncertainties and trade-offs.
  

• Contribute to a broader effort to improve how Muslims understand and approach Zakat and Sadaqah allocation.
  

Requirements

Islamic Scholarship (Non-Negotiable)

• Classically trained Muslim scholar with deep mastery of Usul al-Fiqh.
  

• Strong expertise in contemporary Fiqh al-Zakat and its application to modern charitable giving.
  

• Ability to evaluate complex jurisprudential questions and translate scholarly principles into practical guidance.
  

Economics & Quantitative Research (Non-Negotiable)

• A Master's or Doctorate in Economics or a closely related quantitative social science field.
  

• Strong grounding in empirical research methods, development economics, public finance, or a related discipline.
  

• Ability to critically evaluate quantitative evidence and use it to inform real-world resource allocation decisions.
  

Decision-Making & Communication

• Strong analytical judgment and the ability to make clear recommendations when evidence is incomplete.
  

• Ability to compare competing options, articulate trade-offs, and explain why one approach is preferable to another.
  

• Excellent written English, with the ability to communicate complex Shariah and economic concepts clearly and concisely.
  

• A practical, outcome-oriented approach to research, with a focus on decisions and real-world impact rather than academic output alone.
  

Who Will Thrive in This Role?

• You respect both disciplines equally. You recognize that economic evidence cannot replace Shariah analysis, and that jurisprudential analysis must engage with the realities of resource allocation and social impact.
  

• You are a decisive thinker. You can assess complex questions, weigh competing arguments, and recommend a clear course of action.
  

• You are comfortable with uncertainty. You know how to work with imperfect data, acknowledge limitations, and make the best decision supported by the available evidence.
  

• You communicate with clarity. You can distill sophisticated economic and Islamic concepts into direct, accessible recommendations.
  

• You are mission-driven. You care about improving the effectiveness of Muslim charitable giving and translating rigorous research into meaningful real-world outcomes.
  

Who Is This Role Not For?

• The purely theoretical academic: This role is not primarily about debating jurisprudential nuances or producing research papers without actionable conclusions. Scholarly rigor matters, but so does the ability to make practical recommendations.
  

• The perfect-data seeker: You should be comfortable making informed judgments when evidence is incomplete. Waiting for an ideal dataset before reaching a conclusion will not work in this environment.
  

• The chronic hedger: When faced with competing allocation opportunities, you should be able to identify a preferred option, explain the trade-offs, and defend your recommendation rather than simply presenting an exhaustive list of possibilities.
  

What Success Looks Like

• Clear, well-reasoned recommendations on priority cause areas and charitable organizations.
  

• An integrated approach that gives appropriate weight to both Islamic jurisprudence and economic evidence.
  

• Timely, actionable research that supports real-world philanthropic allocation decisions.
  

• The ability to communicate complex issues in a way that enables decision-makers to act with confidence.
  

Why Join?

This is an opportunity to apply two demanding disciplines to a consequential challenge: improving how Zakat and Sadaqah are allocated across the Muslim world.

Your work will directly inform high-value philanthropic decisions, influence how charitable opportunities are assessed, and help build a more rigorous, practical approach to Muslim giving.

For someone motivated by both Islamic scholarship and measurable social impact, this role offers the opportunity to turn deep expertise into decisions that matter.

About Apricot

Apricot is a nonprofit sourcing firm connecting displaced and underserved professionals from Palestine and the wider MENA region with global employment opportunities. We combine a clear social-impact mission with fast, high-quality recruitment delivery for international clients. Depending on the engagement, Apricot may also support vetting, contracting, payroll, and global payments so clients and talent can focus on doing strong work together.