Ramadan 2025 is fast approaching, and this Holy month holds great significance for Muslims all over the world. It is a time for reflection, prayer and seeking forgiveness for past sins, purifying one’s heart and soul. It is also a time for giving to those less fortunate as charity in Islam has huge significance. During this Holy month, helping poor people in Ramadan is a commendable act of worship. This month brings immense blessings for Muslims with a promise of divine forgiveness and redemption. Therefore, donations to charity during Ramadan hold greater virtue than at other times of the year.
Discover how to help the poor in Ramadan this year to receive great rewards and blessings, as well as understand why charity is significant. Donate to UK Islamic Mission to ensure it reaches those who need it most. We focus on feeding the poor through our Feed the Fasting campaign and even help to build homes and schools. This means your money will be used to change lives and leave a lasting impact around the globe!
Charity in Islam is hugely important for many reasons. The main reason is that it forms the third pillar of the obligatory Five Pillars of Islam, known as Zakat. There is also a primary form of charity, Sadaqah, that is a voluntary act of giving while Zakat is mandatory.
As well as charity being a significant value of Islam and being the third pillar, charity in Islam is essential as it is part of the test that Allah (SWT) gives to those who are comfortable or financially stable. Inequality and poverty cause many hardships in communities and Muslims are tested to ensure they share their temporary wealth with others and show compassion to those in desperate need. This is because their wealth is given by Allah (SWT) and it can also be taken away by Him. This means generosity by giving to others is not only a natural act of humanity, but it’s greatly rewarded in Islam.
Ramadan 2025 is expected to begin on the evening 28th of February depending on the sighting of the moon and will be a month of fasting, reflection and prayer. It is expected to end at sundown on 30th of March or the 31st of March. The Fourth Pillar of Islam, Sawm (fasting), occurs during this Holy month and Ramadan also includes the most blessed night known as Laylatul Qadr. This takes place within the last 10 days of Ramadan and is the night when the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was visited by the angel Jibril and parts of the Qur’an were revealed.
Healthy Muslim adults will fast from dawn to dusk abstaining from drinking, eating, immoral acts and anger. After this month-long devotion to Allah (SWT), Eid ul-Fitr will begin to mark the end of the Holy month. This is expected to be celebrated on the 31st of March.
Giving charity during Ramadan is ideal as there is a great significance to giving in the Holy month. It is essential for Muslims to perform charitable acts all year round, but Ramadan holds immense power for giving. Fasting is the main priority in this blessed month but not everyone can fulfil this duty. For example, those with long-term illness, the elderly, and pregnant, breastfeeding and menstruating women. In place of the duty of fasting, these individuals are expected to make a monetary donation called Fidya. The price of Fidya comes from the amount it takes to feed one person for one day, which equals around £5 per day. So, if someone can’t fast throughout the whole month, they must make a donation of £150.
Acts of kindness in Ramadan are hugely important as one of Islam’s core values is kindness. Muslims must emphasise compassion, empathy and generosity toward others as the Qur’an instructs believers to treat others with respect, mercy and fairness. This promotes a sense of community and helping those in need, spreading goodness throughout society. Kindness is also seen through the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as he showed humility, generosity and kindness in his teaching. The Prophet (PBUH) showcased the significance of helping the less fortunate, caring for each other and spreading love.
Acts of kindness during Ramadan can include:
There are multiple ways to help the poor in Ramadan to practice kindness, fulfil obligations and receive immense rewards.
Zakat is the Third Pillar of Islam and is a mandatory form of charity for all Muslim adults who meet the nisab threshold. It involves purifying the wealth of those who have it by giving a portion of their wealth to those in need. This act is prescribed by Islamic law and promotes economic balance and social welfare in the community.
The Zakat percentage of a person’s accumulated wealth is typically 2.5%, as long as that wealth exceeds the nisab threshold and has done for a full lunar year. This payment is due annually and can be given to a charitable organisation. However, paying Zakat in Ramadan can give you added blessings, especially in the last 10 days.
Those of Muslim faith, sound mind, beyond the age of puberty, free and not enslaved, hold a positive cash flow or sufficient assets, and possess wealth above the nisab threshold are eligible to pay Zakat. While the hungry, poor, travellers facing hardships, those in captivity or slavery, those in debt, administrators of Zakat, new Muslims and friends of the Muslim community, and those fighting in the past of Allah (SWT) are eligible to receive it.
Zakat ul-Fitr, also known as Zakat al-Fitr, is a donation that is made before the Eid prayer at the end of Ramadan. This is a great act of charity to complete in the Holy month before Eid as it allows those less fortunate to celebrate Eid properly.
The price of this donation is one ‘saa’ (3kg) of a common staple food in your country. This can be paid in the monetary equivalent in your local currency. In the UK, this equates to about £6 of staple food supplies per person. The payment includes any children in your family, meaning a family of four will need to pay around £24.
Sadaqah is another way to help the poor in Ramadan and is a voluntary act of giving in Islam. This is one of the most common types of charity Muslims give and can include anything from an act of kindness to a monetary charity donation.
Types of Sadaqah can be as simple as a smile and removing a harmful object from a path to donating to a charitable organisation to help vulnerable people in need. This voluntary act of charity is one of three worldly acts of worship that brings many benefits to believers. These include:
Giving Sadaqah in Ramadan brings these benefits to Muslims, but they’re seen as having more immense power and reward.
Sadaqah Jariyah is also an excellent way to help the poor in Ramadan. This type of Sadaqah is different, but it’s also voluntary. However, the rewards given for this act are even greater as they have ongoing and ever-lasting benefits to others. An example of Sadaqah Jariyah is teaching someone the Qur’an or knowledge of Islam. This gives you rewards, and it also gives rewards when passed on to others. Another example is building schools for children to gain a good education and learn daily. Every time the building is used; you will receive rewards.
Sadaqah Jariyah are often simple acts of kindness that hold plenty of value. Doing this type of Sadaqah in Ramadan multiplies the rewards further while helping those in need through thoughtful acts.
Helping poor people in Ramadan is essential to transform the lives of those in need and fulfil the obligation of charity in Islam. Plus, you can receive immense blessings and rewards for supporting those less fortunate.
Donate to UKIM to ensure your act of giving in Ramadan reaches those most in need. We help to feed the poor and can build homes and schools to help the less fortunate find a better future path, escaping poverty and building a bright future. Your money will change lives and leave a lasting impact around the globe as we strive to get your donations to the poor as quickly as possible.
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