FAQ's

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Founded in 2011, National Zakat Foundation is the UK’s only Zakat institution.
The big picture
Our vision is for Islam to flourish in society as a source of prosperity and harmony for all. Muslims are people who choose to devote themselves to God completely. We believe the strongest foundation for happiness in this life and the next lies in this relationship of devotion (Islam) between the human and Divine. There are five core obligations or pillars: bearing witness that there is no god but God and that Muhammad was final messenger of God, prayer, Zakat, fasting and pilgrimage. The overarching purpose of all the core obligations is to enable devotion to God (Islam) to flourish, individually and collectively.
National Zakat Foundation (NZF) seeks to revive and uphold the third pillar of Zakat. NZF’s mission is to distribute Zakat transformatively within the United Kingdom.
What is Zakat and who is it for?
In the Arabic language, Zakat means growth, blessings, purification and development. Zakat requires Muslims to pay 2.5% of their qualifying wealth on an annual basis. It provides an opportunity for the payer to fulfil their duty to God by making a financial commitment. It also provides an opportunity to help the poor. But it is more than this.
In the Qur’an, God says there are eight recipients of Zakat: “Indeed, Zakat expenditures are only for [1] the poor and [2] the needy, and [3] those who work on [administering] it and [4] for bringing hearts together and [5] to [free] those in bondage and [6] for those in debt and [7] for the cause of God and [8] for the stranded traveller. [This is] an obligation from God. God is All-knowing, All-Wise.” (Qur’an Ch. 9 V 60)
How can we distribute Zakat effectively?
We understand that the overarching purpose of Zakat can only be fully achieved when we distribute Zakat in an effective way. Based on insights from the Qur’an, the Prophetic example and the writings of both classical and contemporary scholars and jurists, that means we need to:
What does NZF do?
National Zakat Foundation (NZF) awards Zakat grants in the UK. We support and empower individuals in poverty and we invest in leadership. NZF does this to enable devotion to God to flourish in society.
1. Economic Empowerment Programme
We support and empower individuals in poverty
NZF helps eligible individuals who fall within the first, second, fifth, sixth and eighth Zakat recipient categories.
Just over 80% of our Zakat distribution in 2019 is for those in poverty. NZF receives direct applications and referrals from UK Mosques, hospitals, the police and charities. We have a skilled team of caseworkers who assess each case with due diligence.
A snapshot of the problem:
Once we receive an application, our first aim is to help with essential costs of day-to-day living, such as food, shelter, clothing and basic household furniture. Once immediate requirements have been met, the Zakat recipient receives funding to help them permanently increase their income or reduce their spend. For example, this includes training likely to result in employment and support with legal fees for asylum.
2. Leadership Investment Programme
We support the development of emerging leaders and the building of lasting institutions
NZF supports and funds individuals, projects and organisations which fall within the fourth and seventh Zakat recipient categories. We envisage three key outcomes: better public perception of Islam and Muslims, a greater quality of religious education and literacy, as well as effective representation for Muslims in the public square. For 2019, this portion of our work is budgeted at just under 20% of Zakat distribution.
A snapshot of the problem:
The two areas of support are:
3. Calculation services
NZF provides Zakat payers with many ways to help ensure they pay the right amount of Zakat. NZF offers online content, an online Zakat calculator, online/telephone support, and online/hard copy Zakat guides – including guides for missed Zakat, paying Zakat on pensions, and paying Zakat for a business.
4. Collection services
NZF provides Zakat payers with many avenues to ensure safe and secure collection. Payers can pay online, by bank transfer, by post, through Al Rayan bank branches, through mosque collections or in person at the Zakat Centre in London.
Ensuring trust
NZF is audited by a leading auditor in the non-for-profit sector and has consistently had full, clean audits. In addition, we invest in research and consult a wide range of expert advisers – scholars, researchers and practitioners – who are committed to ensuring our Zakat distribution in the UK is legally sound, purposeful and effective.
History and track record
In 2011, heart-breaking stories of Muslim women facing the effects of poverty came to our attention. That was the start of National Zakat foundation, and the beginning of an operation to give Zakat out locally.
By December 2018, NZF had:
And in 2018 alone, NZF:
Introducing the people behind the National Zakat Foundation
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