We, like many others in this country, thought there was nobody in the UK eligible for Zakat.  How  wrong we were... 

Brothers and sisters, the reality is that there are many Muslims who are being tried with poverty right here in the UK. A great number of them are new to Islam. They watch on as the Muslim community shows its generosity to causes across the world and yet forgets them, and leaves them in the most vulnerable state.

The National Zakat Foundation is an endeavour of an unprecedented scale to reach out to those Muslims in need right here in the UK. Our focus is to revive the Sunnah of the collection and distribution of Zakat within the national borders.

We were recently asked to meet with a group of sisters from Birmingham who were supporting Muslim women in the UK.  We did not have much background on the type of cases the sisters were dealing with on a day to day basis.  We were previously aware of a small number of cases mainly around domestic violence, but nothing that could have prepared us for the real life stories we were about to hear.

 

We were going to articulate each one here, but instead have decided to just share one with you, so you can watch it yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6Sa28winOU  

 

Between this one, and the final one of the day, in which one of our sisters articulated how she helped a sister who was losing her mind after starting working as a prostitute just to feed her family, (as they were not eligible for any benefits, and due to their immigration status not allowed to work) we decided to launch a facility to host sisters in such a circumstance.

 

We at the National Zakat Foundation are thus seeking to establish a fund to help the most vulnerable people with food and emergency accommodation. To make this happen, we need you.

Muhammad Ibn Abdillah, Upon Whom Be Peace, who said, ‘"A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He does not oppress him, nor does he leave him at the mercy of others." (Sahih Muslim).

 

And with that we say, join us. Lets make a difference and have mercy on our own sisters...