Charities appeal for Zakat to help UK’s vulnerable Muslims

Zakat is a collective solution to collective problems and… [n]ow, more than ever, is the time for local Zakat. – Iqbal Nasim, National Zakat Foundation

Two leading Islamic charities have launched a Zakat appeal to provide struggling Muslims across the UK with “critical support” during the ongoing lockdown.

Islamic Relief and National Zakat Foundation (NZF) have warned that “demand for local Zakat has soared since the Covid-19 outbreak with Muslims struggling to pay for food, medicine and groceries”.

In response Islamic Relief has directed £150,000 to the NZF’s Hardship Relief Fund to “help nearly 600 people” requiring “urgent items such as food, toiletries and nappies”.

Islamic Relief said that “as with any crisis, those who are already vulnerable are at higher risk, not just in terms of health but finances too”, requesting those most at risk to apply to the NZF Hardship Relief Fund.

Director of Islamic Relief UK, Tufail Hussain, said: “This outbreak is already causing an economic fallout that this country hasn’t seen in decades, and it is the poorest and most vulnerable in our communities who are suffering the brunt of it. As humanitarians inspired by our faith, we are determined to help out where we can.”

With almost a decade of experience in distributing Zakat across the country, NZF says that “today more people are reaching out to NZF for help than ever before”.

Chief Executive of NZF, Iqbal Nasim, said: “Right here, right now, we’re seeing the immediate poverty which is being created and worsened by this pandemic. Muslims who were already struggling to get by from month to month are particularly vulnerable. Demand has already risen sharply and sadly we expect this might get worse before it gets better.

“Zakat is a collective solution to collective problems and therefore I very much welcome working together with other organisations and individuals within the community to reach and help more people in need. … Now, more than ever, is the time for local Zakat.”

Muslims requiring urgent help have been asked to apply for Zakat via NZF’s Hardship Relief Fund at https://nzf.org.uk/apply-for-zakat/.