The UN chief drew a parallel between the spirit of “understanding and compassion” which characterizes Ramadan, and the mission of the United Nations, “to foster communication, unity and peace.”
“In these challenging times, my thoughts are with those facing conflict, displacement and suffering. I join everyone observing Ramadan to call for peace, harmony and unity.”
Islamic philanthropy
Ramadan is also known as the “month of giving”, and a high point in charitable giving motivated by faith, to the displaced. Islamic charity plays a growing role in supporting refugees worldwide, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday.
In a new report, UNHCR shows that the Refugee Zakat wage is its pioneer supports six million displaced people in 26 countries since its launch in 2017.
‘New Kids on the Block’
“We are new to this sector as a UN organization,” Khaled Khalifa, Senior Adviser to the High Commissioner for Refugees and UNHCR Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries, told reporters in Geneva.
“We want to offers a new platform to enable giving in places where Muslim organizations do not work easily, due to financial constraintsbecause we need a big UN machine to do it, like in Afghanistan, in Somalia and for the Rohingya“he said, before adding: “The contribution of Islam has always been there – we are the new kids on the block.”
Central role of love
UNHCR’s Islamic Philanthropy Annual Report shows that some $38 million was collected by the fund in 2022. Mr. Khalifa emphasized how maintaining the central role of giving mercy in Islam is the key to the success of the initiative. He explained the principle of “Zakat”, or obligatory charity, whereby Muslims are required to give 2.5 percent of their unused savings to charity every year, adding that it is one of the five pillars of Islam.
Help the most vulnerable
Mr. Khalifa also pointed out that, while resources from the fund are not exclusively dedicated to supporting refugees in Muslim countries, more than 50 percent of those displaced under the international supervision of the UNHCR are in the Muslim world.
The agency lists the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh, the internal displacement situation in Yemen and the Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon as first “receiver services” of profits from money since 2017. Contributions are distributed through financial assistance and direct supply of products.
‘New Budget’
While the fund represents a “small contribution” to the agency’s budget, its positive impact is clear.
To continue to use the power that is Islamic charity, last year UNHCR launched a new initiative in partnership with the Development Bank, called the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees.
Mr. Khalifa said the agency is looking forward to “innovative financing” to generate new income streams for refugees around the world.
UNHCR notes that its Refugee Zakat Fund has been “endorsed by many Islamic legal scholars and institutions” to collect and distribute donations to deserving refugees and internally displaced persons.
