Save the Children sets up Islamic charity fund
A leading Islamic scholar has endorsed Save the Children’s plans to launch a Zakat charity fund.
Islamic scholar Shaykh Haytham Tamim issued a Fatwa in favour of Save the Children’s new fundraising policy, meaning Muslims from around the world will now be able to contribute to the charity as part of Zakat.
As the fifth pillar of Islam, Zakat calls on Muslims to contribute 2.5 per cent of their wealth to charity each year.
According to the World Bank, as much as $600bn (£457bn) is paid in the form of Zakat each year.
Save the Children’s new policy will see the London charity set up a specific Zakat Fund, which will be used to help children in Muslim majority countries.
Under Islamic law, all Zakat payments must be used for charitable causes within a single lunar year.
In the past, various Zakat funds have come under fire over claims mismanage funds.
Zakat payments are mandatory in various Muslim majority countries including Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.
In setting up the fund, Save the Children worked with global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright which offered its services on a pro-bono basis.