Muslim charity // Current

Muslim-run organisation throws "Pizza for the hungry" parties!

The pizza parties -with live music- saw people of all faiths caming together across U.S. states which saw 15,000 pizza slices... more

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Muslim community raises $125,000 for Hospital

A fundraiser hosted by the Muslim community has raised $125 G for the York Central Hospital, well-above the goal to raise $150G... more

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Muslims raise cash for Palestinians

The Muslim community has raised £15,000 through two dinner-fundraisers & collecting money at Bolton's Mosques for... more

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Muslim doctors to open free clinic in Brooksville

Dr Husam Zarad & 40 other Muslim doctors in Hernando County will begin working on Saturdays in their new space in the Brook... more

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Mosque steps in to help raided church

A theif who strolled into St Alban's church (ilford) and stole charity money raised for Christian Aid has been replaced this... more

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Islamic body offers assistance for bright but poor students

A Islamic charity -The National Zakat Management Body (Baznas)- on Saturday launched a program to pay for bright but poor youths... more

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Saudi Arabia gives $50 million aid for China quake victims!

Saudi Arabia has given $50 million and delivered 260 tonnes of relief aid to help China deal with the aftermath of the devastating... more

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The Kingdom pledges $500M to WFP

Saudi Arabia responds to a UN World Food Program appeal, providing $500 million in aid to cover a shortfall offset by the food... more

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Iran's aid destined for quake-hit China

The Iranian Red Crescent Society has prepared its initial cargo of humanitarian aid for shipment to the quake-hit regions of... more

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Turkey donates $2 mln to heal wounds after China earthquake

Turkey has donated $2 million of aid to help relief efforts in earth-quake hit China. The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a... more

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Pakistan sends second batch of relief goods to earth-quake hit China

Two planes loaded with hundreds of tents left for China today (Wednesday) from Islamabad. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan... more

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Indonesia to send medical team, material aids to China

Indonesia is going to send a medical team and some material aid to China later this week according to the Director of the Crisis... more

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Faith In international relief work

Haroon Kash from Islamic Relief tells how his faith has influenced the development and relief work he has done in some of the worlds poorest countries.

It is difficult to say why I first became involved in aid work. It is something that I rarely think about unless someone asks me about it. I think that part of the reason may be because my origins are in the ‘less developed’ world. I have seen the other side of life, the life without glamour or any of the things we take for granted here in the UK. As a Muslim I also bring a faith perspective to my work, and I continually reflect on the privileges that this life has given me.

Most people are never exposed to the sufferings of the rest of the world. But I believe that once people experience it and relate to it, they always want to do more. This is what happened to me.

My first overseas assignment with Islamic Relief was in Kosovo, six months after the end of the conflict. It was in the middle of an extremely harsh winter and my role was to assess the needs of the community. This meant I had the opportunity to speak with all sections of the local population – victims, fighters, leaders and children. Each person had experienced suffering in a different way, and each was touched by the destruction that had torn whole communities apart.

This was also the first time that I had seen how religion can be used as a tool to divide people, turning people who had once been friends into enemies of each other. But despite this, on the ground various aid agencies of different faiths were working together. They were demonstrating the positive side of all faiths – the humanitarian side.

While religion may not consciously drive my every day work, after nine years with Islamic Relief it would be foolish to say it has no influence over why I continue to do what I do. For me the bottom line is that Islamic principles and humanitarian principles are one and the same. The added value is that Islamic Relief adopts Islamic values in its approach to delivering humanitarian principles. But the most important thing is that the beneficiaries receive the assistance that they need and that we make an impact, however small, on their lives.

I worked in Banda Aceh after the tsunami and was in Pakistan after the earthquake. These emergency situations are the times when my faith becomes really important. The total devastation and the mass loss of life is always going to affect even the most seasoned aid worker, and can strain your ability to do your job to the best of your ability. I find that in these situations being strong in my faith allows me to overcome these emotions and to focus on my work. I have never questioned why this is so, but take comfort and strength from it nonetheless.
Haroon Kash from Islamic Relief tells how his faith has influenced the development and relief work he has done in some of the... more