As the period of Ramadan comes to a close, we can take a look at how the period affects charitable giving. This year at JustGiving we have seen our highest levels of giving for charities related to Islam, a large portion of which was seen during the festival of Ramadan.

In the months leading up to the end of Ramadan, almost 6,000 donations on JustGiving have been for appeals or for charities related to Islam. That is an increase of nearly a quarter over the full-year total for 2015. Two-thirds of the donations we have seen have been made during the period of Ramadan, proving that it is indeed a peak time for charitable giving for followers of Islam.

Technology to make Zakat giving simple

One of the ways in which we tried to improve the experience of JustGiving for those looking to give to charity during Ramadan was the development of our Zakat calculator. Zakat, the third pillar of Islam, is the practice of charitable giving by Muslims and is obligatory for all who are able to do so. In addition to financially supporting communities in need, zakat is also about much more than the money and embodies the spirit of social responsibility. As it is common for Muslims to donate Zakat during the Holy Month we wanted to provide a quick and easy to use tool that could be used to calculate your Zakat value, and find a suitable cause to donate it to once you had your correct Zakat amount.

A Charity’s perspective

The Al-Khair Foundation is a leading Muslim charity based in the UK. Their focus is on providing humanitarian support, international development and emergency aid in some of the world’s most deprived areas. Amina Khalid, Acting Communications Manager at Al-Khair Foundation gives her thoughts as the holy festival of Ramadan draws to a close.

“This Ramadan as we strived and, at times, struggled with the long and slightly strenuous 18 hour fasts in an effort to embrace values synonymous with this blessed month — steadfastness, kindness and charitableness, we witnessed the overwhelming generosity and unity of the public and our donors like nothing we’ve seen before! In a bid to eradicate poverty and ease the suffering of those around us during this blessed month, we managed to raise half a million or even more in some nights through the generous donations and support from donors. At Al-Khair Foundation, we are committed to making the world a fairer place where everyone is taken care of and pledge to continue to uphold these charitable values of Ramadan throughout the rest of the year.”

A start of a year-long charity engagement

With charity at the heart of Islam, Ramadan offers a unique opportunity for charities to connect with an audience that really wants to help. This charity does not exist solely during the festive holy month,  and it is hoped that the connection a donor makes with a cause during Ramadan will continue long into the future.