Muslim Aid and NZF join forces to tackle growing Muslim hardship across the UK.

Thursday 21st April, 2022

There are more Muslims struggling with the basic cost-of-living across the UK than ever before, with applications to National Zakat Foundation’s Hardship Relief Fund up 90% in the last year.

To help ease the suffering felt by so many, Muslim Aid is making a £100,000 contribution to this fund to help Muslims pay for basics like food, clothing and heating bills.   

This latest partnership is an example of leading Islamic organisations coming together to respond to the urgent needs of Muslims in our communities. 

Muslim Aid’s £100,000 grant will distribute Zakat to those in genuine need right here in the UK, through NZF’s direct distribution service that spans Muslim communities in towns and cities right across the UK. 

A record number of Muslims in the UK are seeking financial support due to the rising cost of living, with many in our communities struggling to pay for food and heating. Over half of applicants are refugees or asylum seekers who have recently arrived in the UK, and so NZF’s local distribution of Zakat aligns with Muslim Aid’s international work. 

Sohail Hanif, Chief Executive of NZF, said:

“I‘m delighted that NZF is working with Muslim Aid as part of growing collaborative efforts to support Muslims affected by the rising cost of living in the UK. Muslim Aid is one of the oldest UK Muslim charities, and a leader in international relief and development. We are proud to partner with them to address the unprecedented needs of Muslims facing hardship here in the UK.”

Kashif Shabir, Chief Executive of Muslim Aid, said:

“Muslim Aid has been serving humanity across the globe for over 37 years with the support of the very same communities that are struggling to make ends meet themselves. Many of the people that this fund will help are from countries where Muslim Aid deliver its humanitarian programmes and we are committed to helping them, here and abroad. 

Muslim Aid’s grant to NZF’s Hardship Relief Fund is our growing commitment to respond to the increasing challenges faced by our communities here in the UK and we are proud to partner with NZF to ensure the help gets to those individuals and families that need it most.”