© UNHCR/Markus Korenjak
Dedicate your Zakat
It takes seconds to give families shelter, water and medicine.
It takes seconds to give families shelter, water and medicine.
Zakat is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, requiring adult Muslims to give a portion of their wealth each year to support those most vulnerable.
This charitable practice is obligatory for Muslims whose wealth exceeds a minimum amount, known as the nisab threshold. The minimum contribution to donate is 2.5 per cent of their savings and assets. Through this act of generosity, Zakat purifies the soul while providing relief to people facing extreme hardship.
Refugees and displaced people are among the eligible Zakat recipients, falling under at least four of the eight Zakat categories defined in the Quran: the poor, the needy, the debtors and the wayfarers.
Around the world, millions of people are forced to flee their homes each year due to war, persecution and violence. Many refugees and displaced families struggle to access safe shelter, sustainable livelihoods and healthcare. Zakat helps meet these essential needs.
By giving your Zakat to Australia for UNHCR, you can support families who have fled some of the world’s most devastating crises. UNHCR teams carefully assess each household to ensure assistance reaches the most vulnerable people. You can be confident that 100 per cent of your Zakat is provided directly to people in need, primarily as life-saving cash to help cover daily expenses such as shelter, food and clothing.
UNHCR is trusted, compliant and effective
UNHCR’s Refugee Zakat Fund is subject to rigorous governance and oversight, ensuring transparency at every stage of collecting and distributing Zakat. Before establishing the Refugee Zakat Fund, UNHCR consulted leading Islamic scholars and respected fatwa institutions across the Muslim world. To date, UNHCR has received 16 fatwas and endorsements from more than 10 Islamic institutions globally, affirming the validity of the Refugee Zakat Fund.
UNHCR follows a 100 per cent Zakat distribution policy. This means that every dollar of Zakat donated is distributed to eligible refugee and displaced families, including those in hard-to-reach areas.
These charitable donations are not used to cover administrative costs such as salaries.
Zakat is primarily distributed as cash assistance, which ensures families can prioritise and meet their immediate needs, whether that is food, rent, medicine or school supplies. This also means that thousands of refugees who are restricted from working in host countries avoid facing severe hardship, while being empowered to manage their own finances.
“Every day, I speak to displaced families who depend on UNHCR’s cash assistance to get through the month,” says Asma, a UNHCR staff member in Amman, Jordan.
“Without this financial support, many would face eviction or be unable to afford even a basic iftar. I hear the relief in their voices when they receive the assistance – it is truly precious.”
Vulnerable families are often headed by women, who face cultural, legal and childcare obstacles when looking for work. Providing refugee families with cash assistance prevents those most in need from having to resort to desperate survival strategies such as pulling children out of school or child labour.
Finally, cash assistance benefits the local economy, as refugees become customers at local shops and markets. This also helps build social connections between refugees and host communities.
Hakima, 50, is a widow and mother of six living in Bamyan – one of the highest and coldest parts of the country. Living with ongoing illness, Hakima is unable to work. Her eldest son works at a local market to support the family, earning just $1 a day, sometimes less.
“It’s been six years since my husband passed away,” says Hakima. “We’ve faced many difficulties. My eldest child can’t go to school, as he is the breadwinner of our family.”
Hakima and her family live in an old, deteriorating home that offers little protection from the harsh weather elements.
“Our main problem is this house,” says Hakima. “The walls are collapsing. When it rains or snows, we leave the house, so it doesn’t collapse on us.”
Hakima’s other main concerns are feeding her family and keeping everyone healthy.
“We eat whatever we find, like potatoes or porridge,” she says. Sometimes we have food, and sometimes we don’t. Some days, the children go to school hungry. Sometimes they stay home because they are sick.”
Your Zakat is helping mothers like Hakima afford food, medicine and charcoal to keep their families safe, healthy and warm during Bamyan’s harsh winters.
“I used the cash assistance from UNHCR to pay for my mother-in-law's medical treatment when she was sick,” says Hakima. “We had no food at home, so I also bought cooking oil and flour. The money helped a lot. We are very grateful.”
After bravely fleeing war in Syria, Khaled and his wife now find themselves sharing a tent in Jordan with their six daughters. Three of their daughters have disabilities and are often unwell. Khaled is driven to find work but, even on a good day, may only earn $12.
When money is scarce, he skips meals so he can afford food and medicine for his children.
“Providing for my daughters is a huge responsibility,” he says. “I force myself to be strong – go hungry, eat whatever is available. We adults can bear it, but the girls can’t.”
With help from compassionate supporters, UNHCR provides Khaled and his family with regular cash assistance to pay for essentials.
“Without that support, we wouldn’t survive,” says Khaled. “It helps us get through the month. We thank God and those who give. May they be rewarded for their kindness.”
After nearly a decade of conflict, 20 million people in Yemen are rely on humanitarian assistance to survive. Balqees and her family are among those in urgent need.
Displaced by the conflict and caring for a sick husband, Balqees is now the sole provider for her family. Despite her efforts, each day is a struggle to meet her children’s most basic needs.
“We are constantly suffering from hunger, grief and illness,” says Balqees.
“Sometimes I earn enough money to feed my children. Other times I end up crying because I have nothing to feed them,” she says.
On days when food is scarce, Balqees says the family often has little more than tea and dry fish. When they cannot afford food, they stay at home and do their best to get through the day.
Your Zakat can help families like Balqees’s afford essential items including warm meals, clothing and medicine, during the most challenging times.
“If we stop receiving the Zakat, we will not be able to feed ourselves during these hard times,” she says.
100% of Zakat donations are distributed to refugees and displaced people, in accordance with the Islamic principle of Zakat. Your Zakat contributions will not be used to cover administrative costs. Read more about the impact of Zakat in UNHCR’s Islamic Philanthropy Annual Report 2023.