The act of charity is very noble and highly admired by Allah (SWT). It doesn’t matter which charity you choose to hand your donations to as long as your Niyah (intention) is pure. If you make efforts to give charity in order to help Syria or other countries that are in extreme need, Allah (SWT) will Insha’Allah reward you equally. However, it is still your responsibility to choose a charity that will do justice to your donations and not one that uses your aid for purposes other than helping the poor and needy. In order to ensure that your donation goes into the right hands, you have to follow a number of pointers like those mentioned below.
Anyone who is poor or needy should be able to receive charity. It is our duty as Muslims to donate to those in need, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or other characteristics, to ensure that we use the wealth Allah (SWT) has blessed us with in a way that pleases Him (SWT).
Do you know that there is a Donor Bill of Rights formed to protect all those people who donate money and other resources to the poor and needy? Well, the Donor Bill of Rights does exist, and it is a bill that ensures all donors are made aware of where their donation goes. Every donor is entitled to know certain information about what the charity did using their donation. So, whether it is the Syria relief campaign or a child sponsorship programme in another country, you should have the right to know about your charity. Make sure you only donate to an organisation that gives you rights and respects them.
Whenever you make a donation to an organisation you don’t know much about, be sure to ask questions and conduct research to learn as much as you can about the legitimacy of the organisation or group. It is extremely important to ensure that whatever you donate goes to a legitimate non-profit organisation that works for the well-being of helpless humans and not for its own benefit.
Whenever you are choosing a new charity to process your donations, ask for its official name, address, phone number and whether or not it is registered. This type of information is basic but highly important as it helps you determine the legitimacy of an organisation so you can decide whether or not you are donating to the right charity.
It doesn’t matter what charity you choose to donate to, and it doesn’t matter whether you donate money or other resources such as clothes, mineral water, blankets, shoes, etc. You should ask for a copy of their yearly report, available online from certain organisations. Once you have acquired it, read over the non-profit’s financial information and remember, if more than 10 per cent of non-profit earnings are going towards expenses, then it might not be an organisation you want to donate to. If 10 per cent or more is being consumed in different expenses, then the charity itself may not be of any benefit to those it claims to help.
Lastly, you should ensure your chosen charitable organisation’s website uses encryption technology to process sensitive information. Making a payment is the last step in the donation process, so you need to ensure that your personal details, credit card and bank account information won’t be compromised in any way. May Allah (SWT) enable us to give charity through the most appropriate sources (Amen).
You can support people in need by donating to Muslim Aid. You can feed a fasting person, which holds a lot of rewards.
You can also donate to the Need is Greatest appeal, which uses your donation to provide food, shelter, medicine and water to those in need.
“Allah, the Exalted, says, ‘Spend, O son of Adam, and I shall spend on you.’” – Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
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