44 Facts About Islamic Relief

Islamic Relief Worldwide is a faith-inspired humanitarian and development agency which is working to support and empower the world's most vulnerable people.

Islamic Relief has been registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales since 1989 and is an independent, non-political non-governmental organisation.

Islamic Relief was founded in 1984 by Dr Hany El-Banna and fellow students from the University of Birmingham.

Since then, Islamic Relief has grown into an international humanitarian organisation with an annual income of tens of millions and a presence in more than 40 countries across Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and North America.

In 1993, Islamic Relief worked with UK-based newspaper The Independent on an appeal to raise funds for relief efforts during the Bosnian War.

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The appeal raised £37,000 for Islamic Relief and supported aid delivery throughout the conflict, including during the Siege of Sarajevo.

In 1994, Islamic Relief became the first Muslim NGO to receive UK government funding when it was awarded £180,000 to support a training centre in North Kordofan, Sudan.

Islamic Relief supplied food, blankets, clothes and medicine to those affected by the fighting.

In 2002, Islamic Relief signed a Framework Partnership with the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid department, recognising the charity's capacity to deliver aid to a high standard.

In 2005, Islamic Relief launched its biggest-ever operation in the United States, supporting those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

In 2010, Islamic Relief launched a major relief and reconstruction operation in Pakistan after the country was hit by the worst floods in living memory at the time.

In 2020 the international federation of Islamic Relief entities launched a new global governance framework, establishing an International General Assembly from which representatives from around the world elect Islamic Relief Worldwide's Board of Trustees.

Islamic Relief is one of only five UK-based charities to hold the full independent certification, which will last until May 2025.

In 2022, Islamic Relief marked World Refugee Day with a joint conference with the LWF, and another of its close faith-based partners HIAS, on 'Welcoming the Stranger'.

Islamic Relief's work is guided by the values and teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah, the prophetic example.

Islamic Relief serves communities in need regardless of race, political affiliation, gender or belief, working to provide lasting routes out of poverty and to empower individuals to transform their lives.

Islamic Relief responds to humanitarian crises around the world, aiming to reduce the impact of conflicts and natural disasters.

Some major emergency interventions launched by Islamic Relief have included providing life-saving aid during the Bosnian War in the 1990s, providing medical assistance during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and managing refugee camps in Darfur, Sudan.

In 2021, Islamic Relief reported that it had delivered 427 major humanitarian projects that year.

In 2011, Islamic Relief began a Programme Partnership Agreement with the UK government's Department for International Development, now the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, recognising the charity's capacity to contribute to the Millennium Development Goals.

In 2021, Islamic Relief reported that it carried out 237 development projects that year.

In 2021, Islamic Relief ran projects aimed at tackling climate change in 11 countries.

In 2018, Islamic Relief announced a forthcoming Declaration of Gender Justice in Islam.

In 2021, Islamic Relief reported that it had run 107 projects that tackled gender-based violence.

In 2013, Islamic Relief was one of several faith-inspired organisations to work with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees[CM9] on an inter-faith affirmation.

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Islamic Relief raises funds through various channels including online donations, charity shops, and corporate giving.

Islamic Relief is the founder of Charity Week – a student volunteer-led campaign to raise funds.

In 2021, Islamic Relief reported that 394 educational institutions around the world signed up to take part in that year's event, raising a record £1.

Islamic Relief federation is made up of member offices, which carry out fundraising on a national level, and country offices, which coordinate and implement projects to serve communities in need.

Islamic Relief Worldwide, based in the UK, is the international office of the Islamic Relief federation.

In 2021, Islamic Relief said the International Waqf endowments fund was £692,000.

Islamic Relief is a member of the United Nations' Economic and Social Council and is a signatory to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement's Code of Conduct.

Islamic Relief is the co-owner of the International Civil Society Centre, a global action platform, and an affiliate member of the INGO Accountability Charter Company.

Islamic Relief makes up part of the Beyond 2015 coalition, which aims to influence the development framework that will replace the Millennium Development Goals.

Islamic Relief has received various awards from governments and institutions in recognition of its humanitarian work over the decades.

Islamic Relief denied the allegations and, in late 2014, said that an audit carried out by an unnamed “leading global audit firm” found no evidence of any link to terrorism.

The Israeli government responded by stating its decision to declare Islamic Relief illegal was “based on information that has been accumulated over years” and claimed that Islamic Relief was “a central player in the financing of Hamas.

Islamic Relief denies this allegation and continues to challenge the decision in Israeli courts.

In 2019, the German government alleged Islamic Relief had “significant personal ties” with the Muslim Brotherhood.

Islamic Relief denies any links to the Muslim brotherhood, stating that the charity is a “purely humanitarian aid organisation”.

In January 2021, the Charity Commission of England and Wales completed a compliance case into Islamic Relief, stating that it was “satisfied that it [Islamic Relief] is making the necessary improvements in terms of the vetting of trustees, and ongoing oversight over their social media activities.

Islamic Relief said it was told that HSBC needed to “manage the challenge” posed by customers operating in “high-risk jurisdictions”.

In 2017, the government of Bangladesh was reported to have barred Islamic Relief from aiding the Rohingya people in Cox's Bazar, with an allegation that funds were being used to preach Islam, construct mosques, encourage radicalism, and fund militants.

Islamic Relief refuted these allegations during the application process to operate in Cox's Bazar and was approved to operate there.