As one of the most awaited months of the year for many, Ramadan offers a unique opportunity to extend a helping hand to thousands of refugees and internally displaced people in need. These individuals – affected by tragedies such as wars, earthquakes, and droughts – look to Ramadan with gratitude, resilience, and a sense of faith in humanity that is truly inspiring. This Holy Month, UNHCR invites you to take a closer look at refugees themselves – their stories, their …

As an Islamic Philanthropy officer at UNHCR, I recently had the opportunity to visit the Kutupalong refugee camp in Bangladesh, the largest in the world, to ensure the compliance of UNHCR’s Zakat distribution activities. It was a humbling and emotional experience, one that left a deep impression on me. The Rohingya refugees I met had endured so much, and it was hard hearing the terrible stories of their displacement journeys. Despite all of this suffering, they still managed to smile …

As the month of Sha’ban reaches its midway point, Muslims around the world are preparing themselves for the holy month of Ramadan. One important aspect of this preparation is the observance of the 15th of Sha’ban, a night of great significance in Islam. Situated between Rajab and Ramadan in the Hijri calendar, this night is believed to hold special blessings for those who engage in prayer and charitable giving. Conversely, for refugees and internally displaced people – who fit four of …

As millions of people around the world celebrated over the weekend, greeting the New Year with excitement and hope, refugee families across the MENA region remained paralyzed by fear. For them, there is little to celebrate – especially those living in temporary shelters – amid a brutal winter season that has tested their limits through lack of warm clothing, inadequate meals, and  rising fuel costs. This is particularly the case for refugee parents, who are facing another 365 days where …

We know exactly where every penny of Zakat is being spent, how, and on whom, and we make sure they are eligible in the first place. This is because Zakat donors are choosing who to help and where based on the Zakat-eligible options that are provided by UNHCR. In the case where Zakat donors choose the ‘where it’s most needed’ option, our internal Islamic Philanthropy team assesses where (and to whom) these funds are best channeled. This assessment is based …

We take this matter extremely seriously, as we have been honored to receive some 15 fatwas that form our approach to both governance and compliance. Piloting UNHCR’s Refugee Zakat Fund in 2018 and 2019, then establishing the fund in 2019, came as a result of issuing several fatwas that endorse UNHCR to receive and distribute Zakat funds under certain conditions which UNHCR is always respecting: Condition 1: Zakat funds must be given to the categories mentioned in Quran 9:60. Condition …

Through UNHCR’s Refugee Zakat Fund, your Zakat, in full, is directly distributed to eligible refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) who need it the most. We always prefer to distribute your Zakat in the form of cash assistance that gives beneficiaries the freedom to act upon their priorities and decide how to best make use of this invaluable assistance. Most beneficiaries around the world constantly report back on cash enabling them to secure, in order of priority: shelter/ rent, food, …

There are currently more than 100 million forcibly displaced persons around the world, mostly refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), more than 50% of them are originating from member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). In all countries where UNHCR operates, we follow vulnerability assessment frameworks that allow us to identify the most vulnerable beneficiaries that cannot survive without our humanitarian assistance. UNHCR defines vulnerability as the risk of household exposure to harm, primarily in relation to protection …