From (left) Houssam Chahin, UNHCR’s Head of Private Sector Partnerships in MENA, Sheikh Dr. Ali Al-Qara Daghi, Secretary General of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, Dr. Ayedh Al Qahtani, CEO, Thani Bin Abdullah Foundation for Humanity and UNHCR’s Patron, Khaled Khalifa, Senior Advisor and UNHCR’s Representative to the GCC Countries, Ali Al-Qahtani, Executive Director of Eid Charity, and Dr. Khalil Osman, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, DI.
Doha: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) yesterday launched the fifth Islamic Philanthropy Annual Report at the Doha Institute. The event, held in partnership with H E Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah bin Thani Al Thani disclosed that 1.5 million people benefited from the Refugee Zakat Fund last year, while over six million people from 26 countries have benefitted from the programme since 2017.
According to UNHCR officials, Sheikh Thani has contributed significantly to the fund, with donations covering half the total beneficiaries. His commitment to helping those in need earned him the UNHCR’s Eminent Advocate in 2019. The report also revealed that UNHCR has distributed 100% of the received zakat contributions to the most vulnerable refugees and displaced families without any deduction, in the form of cash or in-kind assistance such as shelter support materials, medicines and personal hygiene supplies, in addition to providing resources to establish small businesses.
In a statement, Dr. Ayedh Dabsan Al Qahtani, CEO of Thani bin Abdullah Foundation for Humanity and UNHCR’s Patron, said: “Assisting people most in need is one of the priorities of H E Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah bin Thani Al Thani. Refugees and internally displaced persons have long been the focus of his attention, and he generously supported the most disadvantaged refugees and internally displaced persons worldwide through UNHCR.”
He added: “As the holy month of Ramadan approaches, we stress the need to continue supporting those who were forced to flee, and we call on philanthropists around the globe to support them. In conclusion, we hope this report will inspire others and make a difference in the lives of those forced to flee their homes.”
Speaking to The Peninsula, Houssam Chahin, UNHCR’s Head of Private Sector Partnerships in MENA, said the humanitarian needs are huge, reaching around $50 billion, with refugees and displaced people needing over $10bn per year. Chahin said the UNHCR is counting on big partners like Sheikh Thani and people who donate online via the Zakat Refugee Fund for both zakat and sadaqah to help refugees.
“We look forward to continuing this work with our partners, including our partners in Qatar. We also celebrate a strategic partnership with Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah Al Thani.
“We hope to grow this support and, at a certain point, reach a minimum of $100 million. For that, of course, we are working on making sure our partners are with us with more trust towards this fund,” he said.
According to the report, Zakat and Sadaqah funds reached just over $38m in 2022. Zakat contributions totalling $21.4m received through the Refugee Zakat Fund helped more than 727,000 beneficiaries in 17 countries, including refugees in Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritania, Pakistan, Somalia, and Tunisia.
In the same year, Sadaqah funds around $16.7m helped more than 839,000 beneficiaries in 15 countries, including refugees in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Greece, India, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malaysia, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Tunisia. IDPs in Afghanistan, Nigeria, Ukraine, and Yemen also benefited.
Also speaking at the launch, Sheikh Dr. Ali Al-Qara Daghi, Secretary General of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, stressed that the Refugee Zakat Fund complies with Islamic principles. He said scholars agreed to endorse the programme issuing fatwas to support it. Sheikh Dr. Daghi highlighted the tenets of Islam, which mandate Muslims to help people in need, either Muslims or non-Muslims.
