There are almost three million Muslims in the UK. From 23rd April this year, most of them will be celebrating Ramadan, a time of immense charitable giving. The Muslim Charity Forum estimates that Muslims donate over £100million to good causes during Ramadan – that’s over £38 per second.

But how can you start to engage with the Muslim community in a meaningful and authentic way? We have asked Na’eem Raza, who is a Trainer at Muslim Training to share his top tips to help your charity start to become Ramadan-ready, as well as share suggestions on how you can begin building long-term relationships with the Muslim community. You can also join us on Thursday 12 March at 2.00pm, where we will be hosting a webinar which will look at providing charities with insights, tips and actions for Ramadan Campaigns this year.

Top tips to help your charity prepare for Ramadan

TIP ONE: Acquire an understanding of Islam and Muslims

Na’eem says, “My number one tip for being Ramadan ready is having a good grasp of the faith, its foundations and the followers. Spend some time getting to know and understand Islam, there are plenty of resources online to help with this. The BBC has a beginners guide to Islam piece, which is a great starting point.

TIP TWO: Look to others for inspiration

“If you are in need of fundraising inspiration, spend some time looking into previous campaigns and appeals that other charities have run during last year’s Ramadan. Here are a couple of great examples from Green Lane Masjid and Community Centre and Orphans in Need who had successful Ramadan Campaigns in 2019. And Adrian Johson, Fundraising Manager at Medical Aid for Palestinians, has some great tips to make it easy for Muslims to make a Zakat donation to your cause during Ramadan.

TIP THREE: Learn the different types of charitable giving

“Charity in Islam has different facets including compulsorily almsgiving (Zakat), general charity (Sadaqah), ongoing charity (Sadaqah Jaariyah), endowments (Waqf), wills and legacy. Review and match your cause and projects with the different types of charitable giving so you understand your target ask.

TIP FOUR: Be clear on your expectations in a crowded marketplace

“Ramadan is an incredible month for raising a great amount of money for charities but think about how you can connect with your local Muslim community for the rest of the year. Develop an integrated strategy within your overall year and activity plan. Think about how your organisation can start to build a relationship with the local Muslim community, what you can do to get involved over the Ramadan period.

TIP FIVE: Finally, get to know the key words

“It is important to know the keywords of any culture or faith you are hoping to approach to support your cause. Make sure you have a general understanding of our key words, taking the time to understand important aspect of the Islamic faith will really help your charity stand out from the crowd. I thought I would share a few to help you on your way:

• Allah – the Arabic word for God, meaning “the one”
• Islam – the faith established by the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him). Basically Islam means peace
• Muslims – the followers of Islam and the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him)
• Quran – the Book of Islam, the Word of God, read and followed by Muslims
• Zakat – almsgiving on assets and wealth to support those in need and worthy causes
• Sadaqah – general charity
• Masjid (mosque) – place of community and worship in the Muslim community
• Eid ul fitr – celebration held at the end of Ramadan
• Eid ul adha – Celebrating the Hajj (annual pilgrimage to Makkah), two months or so after Ramada”

For more information and training on how to engage with the Muslim community, visit Muslim Training.