The Fiqh Majlis of Canada is an independent non-profit organization working with Muslim Scholars of Fiqh to act as a reference for all Halal issues (food & beyond) on behalf of the Halal consumers. The Majlis’ goal is to work with all Muslims who are concerned about Halal & Haram matters, with our areas of focus including: Accreditation, Research and Training. Their endorsements include the Canadian Council of Imams, Ontario Muslim Chamber of Commerce and the Muslim Council of Peel.

In November 2021, the Majlis issued a fatwa allowing UNHCR to use Zakat funds to pay tuition fees directly to educational institutions on behalf of eligible refugee beneficiaries. The fatwa does mention that in principle Zakat should be handed directly to the deserving party so they can benefit from it to address their immediate needs, which is what UNHCR has been doing since it started the Refugee Zakat Fund. However, because the fees are paid on behalf of the refugees, the Majlis considered it to be Zakat compliant under the following three conditions:

1. There should be a strict scrutiny for Zakat eligibility and only for serious, deserving and qualified refugee students
2. There should be a dedicated agent (wakeel) who is acting on behalf of UNHCR’s Islamic Philanthropy and following up with the progress of the refugee students until graduation
3. Tuition funds should be paid only on Education subjects of essential nature like engineering, trade, teaching or medical studies.