Faith As the Fourth Emergency Service British Muslim Charitable Contributions to the UK

All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims Faith as the Fourth Emergency Service British Muslim charitable contributions to the UK Faith as the Fourth Emergency Service British Muslim charitable contributions to the UK Faith as the Fourth Emergency Service British Muslim charitable contributions to the UK 3 The All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims was launched in 2017. The cross party group of parliamentarians is co-chaired by Anna Soubry MP and Wes Streeting MP. The Group was established to highlight the aspirations and challenges facing British Muslims; to celebrate the contributions of Muslim communities to Britain and to investigate prejudice, discrimination and hatred against Muslims in the UK. appgbritishmuslims.org facebook.com/APPGBritMuslims @APPGBritMuslims Faith as the Fourth Emergency Service British Muslim charitable contributions to the UK Contents Foreword 6 Executive summary 7 SECTION 1: Introduction 9 SECTION 2: Assessing the Impact of British Muslim Charities 12 SECTION 3: Social and Political Integration 25 SECTION 4: Obstacles and Barriers to British Muslim Charities 32 SECTION 5: Looking Towards the Future 35 SECTION 6: Conclusions and Recommendations 36 Acknowledgements 39 Appendix 1 40 Appendix 2 41 5 Foreword It is a mark of their growing internationally, and indeed they start thinking more about the importance that the All-Party represent a significant slice of the opportunities for collaboration Parliamentary Group on British UK charity sector’s overseas aid with Muslim organisations. Muslims has taken the time to provision. But as this report makes Working together not only produce such a thoughtful and clear, it’s time for us to think about increases the impact we have but comprehensive overview of the the way Muslim charities punch enriches our organisations, our work of Muslim charities. above their weight domestically lives and our society. too. Britain’s Muslim charities are a The dedication of Muslim charities tremendous force for good and Another highlight to my mind was and volunteers is an example to this report helps us understand the evidence that Muslim charities the whole charity sector, and I the many ways in which they are increasingly working alongside am confident they will continue contribute to our national life. other, non-Muslim charities. I to thrive and further grow their hope that all charities, both faith contribution to society in years to We have long associated Muslim based and otherwise, will now come. charities with their work Sir Stuart Etherington Chief Executive National Council for Voluntary Organisations Faith as the Fourth Emergency Service British Muslim charitable contributions to the UK Executive summary he APPG on British the deep concern evinced for also major players in community Muslims launched this supporting the homeless. British cohesion, building interfaith report to highlight the Muslim charities go beyond just relationships with Churches contributions British giving money for food, offering and Synagogues throughout the Muslim charitable support services to get people out UK. They also act as an effective Torganisations make to the UK. of the vulnerable positions they bridge between social groups We issued a call for submissions may find themselves in. Charity is and governing bodies, local and held evidence hearings in also not simply monetary, but can and national, providing vital Parliament in November 2017. be performed in the giving of time information to statutory agencies British Muslim charities, large or professional skills. Muslims about communities in need of and small, from grassroots donate their medical expertise support. organisations to national to those needing assistance and institutions, responded providing volunteer time to talk to those in SOCIAL AND POLITICAL oral and written evidence of their destitution and treat them like INTEGRATION work and programmes in the another human being, giving The work of British Muslim UK. Through the submissions, form to Islamic teaching which charities is a strong antidote to the APPG sought to assess the commends a smile as an act of false assumptions about British demonstrable impact British charity. Muslim communities perpetuated Muslim charities are making to British Muslim charities seek in sections of our media. Though communities throughout the to help other sections of society Islam is the second largest religion UK. These charities have seen that can find themselves in in Britain, Muslim constitute less exponential growth in budget desperation or crisis. This is seen than five per cent of the British and programmes in recent years. population, Though small, the Their work in an British Muslim population is a array of fields, from very active one in terms of charity. poverty relief and British Muslim charities play an Muslims in Britain believe they homelessness to essential role in contributing to can be equally British and Muslim prisoner rehabilitation the social welfare of the UK. without any contradictions or or women’s refuges conflict in their dual identity. shows evidence of This is best exemplified in the a sector that is valuable as it is in the health based charitable Muslim charity sector with the vibrant. Case studies presented organisations that offer relief to commitment, by donors and throughout the report give the heavy stresses of the NHS. It is charitable institutions alike, specific showcase to initiatives further exemplified in the Grenfell to address social ills on their and causes taken on by British Muslim Response Unit’s deploying doorstep. Muslim charities. to assist victims, residents and In light of this, British Muslims families following the devastating IMPACT take on the social and political fire which engulfed Grenfell issues of the UK as their own British Muslim charities play an Tower fire in June 2017. The aid and seek to resolve them. essential role in contributing to was immediate relief and longer Homelessness and its causes the social welfare of the UK. In term support for the victims and are a large concern that British Islam, charity, Zakat, is the third families affected assisting with Muslim charities are taking on. of the five pillars of faith obliging shelter, food, money, clothing and The goal is to end homelessness, all followers to give. But Zakat is legal and bereavement services but this being a complex problem, only one, albeit mandatory, of a to assist the community in their requires a complex solution. plethora of ways by which Muslims recovery. are encouraged by faith to give British Muslim charities’ British Muslim charities impact support to those less fortunate. dedication to ending social ills on British society also looks to the While Zakat is to be kept local, at the root position drives them future. They are actively engaging charity refers to all neighbours to consider more long-term younger generations and seek out of the community, Muslim or not approaches to their initiatives. innovation through technology and though many of the donors to The provision of essential services, and new apps. This insures the Muslim charities are themselves like food and shelter, and a strong continuation of a giving spirit Muslim, a growing proportion of commitment to education that is within the community which their beneficiaries are not. seen in many of these charities evolves to keep with the times. demonstrates a pledge to the This bears out particularly in British Muslim charities’ are 7 whole of British society where A major barrier faced by British charities and its former chair beneficiaries are supported Muslim charities is found in has made comments that has, whatever their background. negative narratives that are at times, caused considerable conveyed and amplified in the damage to the reputation of Lastly, British Muslim charities media and political discourse. British Muslim charities, even act as diplomats, purveyors of ‘soft False beliefs that Muslims though independent reports have power’ for the Muslim community are trying to ‘ban’ Christmas, to date found scant evidence for and wider British society, more ‘Islamise’ Britain or have ties to claims of abuse. generally. They are emblematic of terrorist organisations has made British Muslim aspirations to ‘give Much work is needed in repairing the environment increasingly local and live global’, connecting the relationship between British antagonistic towards British charity giving in the UK to a Muslim charities and the Charity Muslim charities. Strides have concern with human welfare Commission. There is a wider been made to combat this through everywhere, both at home and need to correct false narratives wider exposure of interfaith work abroad. that exist in greater society that and through media coverage is beyond the scope of this report of local events, but the larger OBSTACLES AND BARRIERS but which necessarily affects the negative assumptions still loom Muslim charitable sector. British Muslim charities face large. many of the same issues that This report gives the spotlight to Added to public opinion, recent other organisations within the British Muslim charities and seeks counterterrorism legislation has sector experience. This ranges to highlight the work they do for placed Muslim organisations from the challenge of growth and the UK and the essential role they operating in the charitable maintaining charity giving to the play in British society. Bringing to sector under unduly high levels tension of maintaining a focus on light the work of

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