On 8 April 2021, the UNHCR Refugee and IDP Zakat Fund was officially launched at a press briefing held in Abuja, Nigeria which brought together government officials, Muslim community, business leaders and UNHCR. At the launch, Alhaji Muhammad Lawal Maidoki, the Executive Chairman Sokoto State Zakat and Endowment Commission (SOZECOM) shared his commitment to alleviate the suffering of Nigeria’s most vulnerable internally displaced families and pledged NGN 1,000,000 from SOZECOM to the Refugee and IDP Zakat Fund. “We Muslims have …
Author: Nathalie
place Dubai, United Arab Emirates …
Interview with Dominik Bartsch UNHCR representative in Jordan. No country can tackle the COVID19 pandemic alone, and no part of our societies can be disregarded if we are to effectively rise to this global challenge. Jordan hosts over 750,000 registered refugees, out of which 20% of them are living in camps. An interview with UNHCR representative in Jordan, Dominik Bartsch explains the role of UNHCR Jordan in preventing the COVID19 outbreak and protecting refugee families to contain this health crisis. …
3.88 million refugees and internally displaced people in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt need timely and substantial assistance to shield their families from the cold weather Recent displacement from north-east Syria has increased the number of those in need of winter assistance Celebrities and influencers are supporting UNHCR’s campaign and have called upon their followers to contribute as well UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, launched its “Warm Their Hearts” campaign to close funding gaps for its US$222 million Winterization …
DUBAI – UNHCR’s pioneering Refugee Zakat Fund has been recognized as the ‘Best Global Zakat Distribution Platform 2019’ at the Global Islamic Finance Awards (GIFA), held in Cape Town, South Africa last Sep. 16. With Islamic finance becoming a more prominent and sophisticated part of the global economy, UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency, evolved its existing Zakat program to a new structure, the Refugee Zakat Fund, in April this year. The Fund allows Muslims, wherever they live, to fulfil their …
The word “ghareem” comes from the word “ghurm”, which means debt. The gharem is a person in debt, which is clearly stated in the Quran as an eligible category to receive Zakat. Therefore if a person has a debt, and cannot pay it back, he/ she can receive the amount needed to pay back the debt. All scholars agree that the person that has the means to repay his debt is not eligible to receive Zakat. If the person can …
The Quran [9:60] makes it clear that the “fuqaraa” (the poor) and “masakeen” (the needy) are eligible to receive Zakat. Therefore there is no difference of opinions between Islamic scholars on the legitimacy of these two categories to receive Zakat. However scholars have differed on the meaning of “fuqara” and “masakeen”. What these terms mean precisely? Which one of the two is the most in need? And what is the difference between both? We have received these questions from a …
The last category mentioned in the Quran on Zakat is “ibn sabeel” or wayfarer (“abna’ sabeel” being the plural form). Ibn sabeel refers to a traveler that does not have enough money during his journey. This person is eligible to receive Zakat in order to finish his journey, even if the person is rich in his or her country. If he or she cannot access the money during this journey, then Zakat can be given to him or her. So …
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