5 ways Zakat can help

post-lockdown

Since the coronavirus crisis began, the power of Zakat has been clear. With your Zakat, thousands of Muslims across the country have been provided with financial help to get them through the immediate difficulty caused by the pandemic.

As restrictions start to lift, many people are really concerned about the economic fallout, which is likely to be felt for years to come. Progressive think tank, the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) estimates that over a million more British people could be thrown into poverty by the end of the year, as a result of the virus. The Muslim community is already more affected by poverty than the wider population, so this is likely to have a huge impact on Muslims around the UK.

Here are 5 ways Zakat can play a role in helping those affected in the Muslim community get back on their feet and overcome the upcoming challenges.

✅  Zakat is a safety net – It buys people in desperate situations time to get the support they need. NZF offers financial help through the Hardship Relief Fund to take immediate pressure off people in need. It helps them get by until they can access other support or get back into work and stops them spiralling further into debt or losing their home. This has obvious short-term benefits but is also crucial to ensuring that people in need can get their lives back on track once the immediate crisis has passed, possibly making their recovery process easier.

✅  Zakat is meant to have long term benefits  – A big effort will be needed to help our community not only survive the situation, but to thrive. Your Zakat which is given to help educate and upskill community champions and provide people with the means to get into work and affordable housing will become increasingly important in helping the community move forward.

✅  Zakat can help the economy recover  – As the lockdown has shown, everyone is better off when people can go out, spend money and contribute to the economy. Whether it’s because of the restrictions of lockdown or people being held back by their financial circumstances, the economy will inevitably suffer if this is not possible. Islam discourages the hoarding of wealth, encouraging people to spend and invest, helping the flow of money into the economy. At the same time, helping Muslims in need to overcome their financial difficulties through Zakat can only be a good thing.

✅  Zakat can help people get back into work  – The Bank of England estimates that UK unemployment reach nearly 10% before the end of this year. Muslims in the UK are already more affected by issues such as unemployment and unstable work. Zakat given through the NZF Work Fund can play a vital role in helping Muslims in need gain skills to improve their chances of navigating a challenging job market.

✅  Zakat can tackle underlying inequalities  – The Muslim community in the UK is affected by a variety of socio-economic inequalities. Now, more than ever, this issue has been exposed, with a report released recently confirming Muslims are more at risk from coronavirus than the wider population. Zakat is a key component of the Muslim social welfare system and is designed to tackle these inequalities within our community.

For more on how your Zakat is helping Muslims in the UK affected by coronavirus, right here, right now, go to https://nzf.org.uk/your-impact/