Practically 70% of Muslim Individuals say they at all times give zakat, a yearly donation of two.5% of 1’s wealth that Islam encourages, throughout Ramadan in accordance with a brand new research I labored on.
Ramadan is a month-long interval of fasting and religious progress throughout which Muslims chorus from all meals, drinks and sexual exercise from daybreak to nightfall.
Our Muslim Philanthropy Initiative analysis staff at Indiana College surveyed 1,136 Muslims throughout the nation in 2023 to evaluate the connection between Ramadan and zakat. We additionally seemed into demographic variations in Muslim giving tied to Ramadan.
We discovered that girls, married {couples}, those that think about themselves to be very non secular, folks with incomes within the $50,000-$75,000 USD vary, folks of their 30s, and those that are registered to vote are more than likely to present the majority of their zakat throughout Ramadan.
Why it issues
Billions of Muslims the world over observe Ramadan.
Zakat, one of many 5 pillars of Islam, is geared toward redistributing wealth and assuaging poverty inside the Muslim neighborhood. Muslims may give to the poor, individuals who owe huge money owed, stranded vacationers and people looking for to free folks from slavery or captivity to fulfill the necessities of zakat.
Muslims typically supply zakat throughout Ramadan by way of fundraising at iftars, that are gatherings held at sundown the place folks break their quick collectively.
Nonprofits that aren’t led by Muslims are inclined to focus their fundraising efforts on giving in December and vital secular days for campaigns, akin to Giving Tuesday. But when these organizations don’t do outreach to Muslims throughout Ramadan they’re much less prone to increase cash successfully from a small however beneficiant inhabitants.
Muslim-led U.S. nonprofits do spend a major quantity of money and time on fundraising throughout Ramadan. However they might not notice the significance of stepping up their efforts to hunt zakat from Muslims of their 30s, girls, married {couples}, energetic voters and those that commonly pray at a mosque.
In earlier analysis tasks, we’ve discovered that U.S. Muslims assist each Muslim and non-Muslim nonprofits, donating a minimum of $4.3 billion in 2021, together with about $1.8 billion in zakat.
What’s subsequent
We’re partnering with Islamic Reduction USA, the biggest Muslim-led humanitarian charity in the US which serves folks in the US and internationally, and our colleagues at Indiana College’s Lake Institute on Religion and Giving to conduct annual surveys of Muslims in the US to higher perceive Muslim giving beginning in 2024.
We’re additionally conducting surveys and focus teams the world over to have a worldwide understanding of Muslim giving. We purpose to launch information from Pakistan, Kuwait, Jordan, Turkey, Qatar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Bahrain, Kyrgyzstan, Italy, Bangladesh and India, along with the US by the top of 2025.
What nonetheless isn’t identified
Further analysis is required to higher perceive what motivates these donors to present throughout Ramadan, how a lot cash U.S. Muslims give to charity throughout Ramadan and one of the best methods for nonprofits led by Muslims and non-Muslims to interact donors who’re moved to assist charitable causes throughout Ramadan.
The Analysis Transient is a brief take about attention-grabbing educational work.
This text was written by Shariq Siddiqui of Indiana College, and initially printed on The Dialog.
