Islam & Poverty (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note

Work of Muslim Aid and the Red Crescent

The work of Muslim Aid

• Muslim Aid is a UK-based international Muslim charity that works in over 70 countries to:

  • Reduce poverty

  • Respond to disasters

  • Promote long-term development

• Founded in 1985, Muslim Aid follows Islamic teachings on compassion, justice and care for those in need

• The charity’s work includes:

  • Emergency relief

    • Responding rapidly to disasters by providing clean water, food, medical care and shelter in areas affected by war, famine and natural disasters (e.g. Gaza, Yemen or floods in Pakistan)

  • Long-term development

    • Supporting sustainable projects that improve health, education, income and infrastructure in vulnerable communities

    • This includes building schools, running maternal and child health clinics and offering vocational training

  • Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)

    • Ensuring access to safe drinking water, building sanitation facilities and promoting hygiene practices to prevent disease

  • Economic empowerment

    • Especially for women, through small-business grants, job training and access to education and healthcare

• Muslim Aid’s work has faith-based values, inspired by Islamic teachings such as:

• Muslim Aid avoids wasting donor funds and works with trusted local partners and international organisations, including the United Nations (UN), to ensure effective aid delivery

• An example of Muslim Aid’s impact is its tree-planting campaign in the UK, which improves the environment and reflects Islamic teachings about stewardship of the earth

• Muslims see all of Muslim Aid’s work as an expression of zakah and sadaqah in action

  • It combines short-term emergency help with long-term support for lasting change

Image Required

Muslim Aid logo

The work of the Red Crescent

• The Red Crescent is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, a global humanitarian network operating in almost every country in the world

• The organisation provides vital support to people affected by war, natural disasters, poverty and health crises

• The Red Crescent partners with local volunteers and national societies across 191 countries, working through over 16m volunteers worldwide

• The Red Crescent's work is based around Islamic values of compassion, mercy and service

• The Red Crescent's work is also guided by seven humanitarian principles:

  • Humanity

    • To prevent and relieve human suffering wherever it is found

  • Impartiality

    • Aid is given based on need only, regardless of race, religion or politics

  • Neutrality

    • It does not take sides in conflicts

  • Independence

    • It works independently from any political, military or government power

  • Voluntary service

    • It carries out non-profit, voluntary humanitarian work

  • Unity

    • There is only one Red Crescent or Red Cross society per country, which is open to all

  • Universality 

    • All of the societies are equal and support each other

• The Red Crescent provides a wide range of humanitarian support, including:

  • Emergency relief 

    • In response to disasters such as earthquakes, floods, conflict and famine

    • The Red Crescent delivers food, clean water, emergency shelter, sanitation and medical aid

    • For example, in Gaza, the Palestine Red Crescent Society treated over 18,000 injured people and provided support to over 160,000 civilians during the recent conflict

  • Long-term health and community development

    • Operates mobile health clinics, hospitals and maternity services to provide physical and mental health support, including vaccination programmes

    • The Red Crescent trains local people in first aid, disaster preparedness and community safety

  • Support in conflict zones

    • Provides neutral humanitarian aid and medical care in areas of war and crisis that other organisations may be unable to access

  • Disaster prevention and resilience

    • Helps communities prepare for disasters through education, planning and infrastructure support

    • Supports recovery and rebuilding projects to help communities recover from disasters

• The Red Crescent’s work reflects the Islamic belief in caring for others and showing mercy, especially to the vulnerable

• The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:

IMAGE REQUIRED

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) logo

Other Muslim charity organisations

The work of Islamic Relief

• Founded in 1984, Islamic Relief is a UK-based international humanitarian organisation 

• It provides both emergency relief and long-term aid to support people affected by poverty, disaster and injustice around the world

• Islamic Relief operates in over 45 countries, including Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, Sudan and Bangladesh

• It works in partnership with local organisations, the UN and other international bodies to maximise impact

• Emergency relief

  • Islamic Relief responds quickly to natural disasters, wars and crises by providing food, water, shelter and medical aid

  • Recent examples include support for people affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, the floods in Pakistan and the conflict in Gaza

  • This work helps to save lives and protect vulnerable people in urgent need

• Long-term development

  • Islamic Relief works with local communities to build sustainable resources and facilities, including clean water, healthcare, education and employment opportunities

  • It supports people and enables them to develop the skills and resources they need to become self-sufficient, thus breaking the cycle of poverty

    • In East Africa, Islamic Relief is supporting farmers with tools, seeds and training to help build climate resilience and food security

• Support for the most vulnerable is an area of continual focus for Islamic Relief. The organisation supports those most at risk in the world, especially women, orphans and those with health challenges and disabilities

• Islamic Relief helps people regardless of race, religion or background

• Its values are inspired by Islamic teachings of compassion, justice (‘adl) and care for others (zakah and sadaqah)

IMAGE REQUIRED

Islamic Relief logo

Islam and the spiritual needs of those in poverty

• Islam teaches that true care involves meeting both the physical and spiritual needs of those in poverty, reflecting the unity of faith and action

• The Quran (9:34–35) warns believers against hoarding wealth without generosity, reminding Muslims that spiritual poverty is worse than material poverty

• Responding to natural disasters and famine includes providing spiritual counselling and support

  • This involves prayers for healing and mosque-based outreach to offer spiritual uplift alongside aid

  • Muslim charities, such as Muslim Aid, the Red Crescent and Islamic Relief, all combine material assistance with spiritual care

    • They help with establishing educational projects and building schools and mosques

    • They ensure that all assistance is given with the holistic, long-term welfare and encouragement of the recipient in mind

• For those who give zakah and sadaqah, Islam teaches that charity purifies the giver’s wealth and soul

  • They are seen as acts of love and compassion, showing the person’s Islamic principles in practice

  • Muslims are encouraged to give discreetly and with humility, maintaining the dignity of recipients

Muslim teachings and charity work

• For Muslims, charity is not simply seen as optional generosity, but as an essential part of faith and worship, especially when done with pure intentions (niyyah)

• Muslims believe that wealth is a loan from Allah and that they will be judged on how they use it

• Islam teaches that followers have a responsibility to help the needy, wherever they are

• Muslims believe that those who help others will gain favour with Allah

  • They believe that Allah sees all that they do and that they will be rewarded for sharing with others in the Akhirah

• The Hadith teaches that such people will be “dearer to God”, even if they are not practising the religion, than people who worship God but do not show generosity

• The Qur’an also calls care for the poor and needy “true righteousness”

• Muslims are called to support the work of Islamic projects and organisations that aim to reduce poverty, such as Muslim Aid, the Red Crescent and Islamic Relief, because the Qur’an teaches:

• The third pillar of Islam, zakah, calls on all Muslims to give 2.5% of their annual earnings to help those in poverty

• Shi’a Muslims give a 20% tax known as khums, which is split between charity and Shi’a religious leaders

• Many Muslims give additional sadaqah (voluntary donations of money, food or clothes) to those who need it

• Giving to others is a way to:

  • Obey Allah

  • Follow the Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) example

  • Promote social justice

• Promoting justice and seeking equality are important values for Muslims, since Islamic teaching opposes greed, exploitation and injustice

• Charity benefits both the recipient and the giver. It purifies wealth, strengthens communities and brings spiritual rewards for the giver