The UN chief drew a parallel between the spirit of “understanding and compassion” which characterizes Ramadan, and the mission of the United Nations, “to foster dialogue, unity and peace.”

“In these difficult occasions, my ideas are with these going through battle, displacement and struggling. I be a part of everybody observing Ramadan to name for peace, mutual respect and solidarity.”

Islamic philanthropy

Ramadan is also referred to as a “month of giving”, and a excessive level in charitable giving motivated by religion, in the direction of the displaced. Islamic philanthropy performs a rising function in supporting refugees worldwide, the UN refugee company (UNHCR) mentioned on Friday.

In a new report, UNHCR reveals that its pioneering Refugee Zakat Fund has supported six million forcibly displaced folks in 26 nations since its launch in 2017.

‘New youngsters on the block’

“We’re new to this sector as a UN group,” Khaled Khalifa, Senior Advisor to the Excessive Commissioner for Refugees and UNHCR Consultant to Gulf Cooperation Council International locations, advised reporters in Geneva.

“We needed to provide a brand new platform to allow giving in locations the place Muslim organizations don’t function relaxed, due to monetary restrictions, as a result of we want the massive equipment of the UN to implement, like in Afghanistan, in Somalia and for the Rohingya,” he mentioned, earlier than including: “Islamic giving has at all times been there – we’re the brand new youngsters on the block.”

Central function of charity

UNHCR’s Islamic Philanthropy Annual Report reveals that some $38 million have been raised by means of the fund in 2022. Mr. Khalifa highlighted how harnessing the central function of charitable giving in Islam has been key to the initiative’s success. He defined the precept of “Zakat”, or compulsory almsgiving, whereby Muslims have to contribute 2.5 per cent of their unused financial savings to charity yearly, including that it was one of many 5 pillars of Islam.

Helping essentially the most susceptible

Mr. Khalifa additionally identified that, whereas assets from the fund should not completely devoted to supporting refugees in Muslim nations, greater than 50 per cent of the forcibly displaced underneath UNHCR’s international purview are within the Muslim world.

The company lists the Rohingya disaster in Bangladesh, the interior displacement state of affairs in Yemen and the Syrian refugee disaster in Lebanon because the fundamental “recipient operations” of proceeds from the fund since 2017. The contributions have been distributed by means of money help and direct provision of products.

‘Progressive finance’

Whereas the fund represents a “small contribution” to the price range of the company, its constructive affect is more and more obvious.

To proceed leveraging the potential of Islamic philanthropy, final yr UNHCR launched a brand new initiative in partnership with the Islamic Growth Financial institution, referred to as the World Islamic Fund for Refugees.

Mr. Khalifa mentioned that the company was more and more seeking to “progressive finance” to generate new income streams for refugees worldwide.

UNHCR notes that its Refugee Zakat Fund has been “endorsed by a number of authorized Islamic students and establishments” to obtain and distribute donations to eligible refugees and internally displaced folks.