How your Zakat can help

The National Zakat Foundation aims to target all the poor and needy including widows, orphans, the aged, the homeless, refugees, asylum seekers, and all vulnerable people needing help.

According to government statistics in this country (case studies presented are UK based)  a single person needs £50 a week to provide themselves with adequate food and clothing. So for somebody like Ahmed, a donation of £50 would be a lifeline on which he would manage to take care of his food and basic requirements. 

Single mothers like Zahra are entitled to various state benefits such as

  • lone parent allowance: £65 / week
  • child benefit: £20 / week
  • Child tax credit: £12 / week

Zahra and baby Maryam could have been entitled to approximately £117 per week, which the government deems suitable for a lone parent to survive on.

  • As a lone parent Zahra would have been entitled to approximately £65 a week with a further £22 for a lone parent with child allowance.
  • Maryam the baby would have been entitled to £20 approximately weekly via child benefit and approximately £12 pounds via child tax credit per week.
  • In total Zahra and baby Maryam could have been entitled to receive approximately £117.
  • This is the amount that the government deems suitable for a lone parent to survive on weekly in the UK.
  • For Zahra and baby Maryam a donation amount of £100 would allow them to manage their basic requirements.

A single person aged 18 to 24 years is entitled to state benefits totalling £51.85 per week. So a £50 donation would help Reeta manage her basic living expenses.

As for over 25 year olds, they are entitled to financial support totalling approximately £65.45 per week. So for sisters like Habibah, a donation to cover these basic living expenses would ease her hardship.

NB: It is important to remember that these government figures do not include accommodation expenses, such as rent and any bills.

The National Association for Asylum Seekers has set a level of support regarding the financial aid and food parcels or vouchers that people like Ahmed could be entitled to.

  • The food parcels or vouchers can be given out when cash payments cannot be made, the value of which is determined by the individual’s circumstances.
  • A single person like Ahmed would be entitled to approximately £25 of food vouchers pr week, whereas a family such as Zahra’s might be entitled to at least £35 per week, depending on the number of people in the family.

Now what...

Collectively we are all responsible for the poor and the needy, and if everybody donated a small amount of money each day, there would be enough wealth to look after the Zahra's, Ahmed's, Habibah's and Reeta's of this country.

The National Zakat Foundation seeks to help those in greatest need, such as widows, orphans, the elderly, the homeless, refugees and asylum seekers.

None of us knows what Allah has ordained for our future. If we were to find ourselves in similar difficulties to any of the case studies, would we not expect our community to help us in our time of need?

The wisdom of helping other during our times of ease is that, during times of hardship, others will help us. As the ummah of Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa salam, we are obligated to look after each other.

Do not underestimate how much of an impact your donation can make, regardless of whether you donate a small amount or a larger lump sum; if you donate weekly, monthly or as a one-off payment.

You can make the intention for your donation to count as sadaqa, lillah, zakat or just as a general donation.

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