Spirit of Ramadan: 10 Charities for Ramadan
Giving to those less fortunate and sharing wealth are important parts of the Islamic faith and a part of the five pillars of Islam. Zakat al-Fitr is the mandatory charitable donation that Muslims must make at the end of Ramadan. Here is a list of ten charities to donate to during Ramadan.
Islamic Aid
Islamic Aid is a charity organization based in the United Kingdom founded by Mahmood Hassan, who grew up in a poor area of Pakistan. Inspired by growing up witnessing the poverty around him and the terrors of the Bosnian War, he started Islamic Aid in 2000. The charity works to end poverty in over 12 countries by giving people in impoverished areas access to food, education, and more.
Muslims Around the World Project
Australian businessman Ali Banat founded the Muslims Around the World Project after he received a cancer diagnosis. His charity work began with him spending money to improve conditions in impoverished parts of Togo. This charitable work then became the Muslims Around the World Project in 2016, which has now helped build 10,111 mosques and educated 61,456 orphans in 25 different countries.
Muslim Aid USA
Muslim Aid USA is a faith-based charity in the United States that focuses on those suffering from conflicts and natural disasters in multiple countries. They provide emergency relief to disaster-stricken areas and aid in assisting underprivileged communities with rebuilding their economies and providing education to children. Muslim Aid USA does this work and more in over 25 countries worldwide.
Al-Khair
Al-Khair is a charity that started with a focus on providing education and building schools for impoverished communities in the United Kingdom. This work expanded beyond the UK to provide aid to worldwide communities in need of water, healthcare, and more and includes the building of 2,000 houses and distribution of 27,000 food packs. Al-Khair also provides services in the UK, such as domestic violence support and employability skills training.
Muslim Charity
Muslim Charity was founded in 1999 and aims to end poverty by providing communities with better livelihoods and education. In the past year, they have provided clean drinking water to 246,000 people and rescued 454 children off the street. Other work done by Muslim Charity includes building mosques and providing less fortunate individuals with supplies for winter months.
Muslim Global Relief
Muslim Global Relief has worked in over 40 countries worldwide for over 20 years. They work to eradicate poverty through sustainability and empowerment and have provided over 10 million meals to needy people. Their sustainable efforts include providing areas with solar energy and planting trees to provide small villages with food and agricultural work.
Islamic Relief Worldwide
Islamic Relief Worldwide has done work in over 45 countries to assist those in need since 1984. Their work helps over 10 million people a year in areas including hygiene and healthcare. Islamic Relief Worldwide is one of only five charities based in the United Kingdom that is certified against the Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability, which has a set of nine commitments that organizations must follow to provide the best quality of aid possible.
Muslim Food Bank
Muslim Food Bank is a Canadian charity that has provided food and other assistance to communities since 2010. They distribute food in 9 large Canadian cities, including Toronto and Edmonton. Other local programs include a youth tutoring program and a program providing the elderly with wheelchairs and walking sticks. Outside of Canada, they also collect funds to donate to the hungry internationally in countries such as Kenya and Fiji.
Helping Hand for Relief and Development
Helping Hand for Relief and Development has served 128 countries over the past 18 years. They provide various programs to assist those affected by emergencies and disasters worldwide. These programs include the In-kind Gifts Program, which donates packages to the less fortunate that include medicine, clothes, food, and other necessities. They also assist those needing rehabilitation services, hearing aids, artificial limbs, and other physical needs.
RAHMA Worldwide
RHAMA Worldwide has provided humanitarian assistance in over 20 countries since 2014. In 2023, they distributed over 1 million meals to those in need during Ramadan and sponsored 5,000 orphans, providing them with necessities like healthcare and education. RHAMA Worldwide aims to better the world by positively impacting smaller communities and emphasizing inclusivity.
Give to Those in Need
These are just a few of the many great charities you can donate to and ways to give back during Ramadan and throughout the rest of the year. In addition to donating to these charities, you can also look for local opportunities to donate and volunteer by contacting your local mosque or Muslim society.
Ramadan Kareem!
