Islamic Relief UK calls on people this Ramadan to feel the struggle of others and come together as one

This Ramadan, Islamic Relief UK is calling on people to have empathy with those struggling around the world through its “We Are One” campaign. The charity have been on the ground delivering food, water and emergency relief since 1984, and this year implore UK residents to empathise with vulnerable people through an evocative Ramadan campaign.

Funds from the Ramadan 2021 appeal could provide a food parcel to a family in Syria, safe water to communities in Pakistan and essential healthcare to those suffering from disease, ill-health or conflict in countries around the world.

Zakat donations (obligatory religious levy) this year can also provide vulnerable families with hardship grants in the UK. With the pandemic still affecting millions around the UK, those who are more vulnerable will be feeling the socioeconomic effects of lockdown more than most.

In 2020, Islamic Relief were able to help 13.8 million people in 38 countries; in Ramadan 2020 alone, over 900,000 people in 31 countries benefited from Islamic Relief’s Ramadan food packs and 72,000 orphans were supported worldwide by an expanded Ramadan sponsorship scheme.

Islamic Relief UK interim director, Zia Salik, said about this year’s campaign:

“Over the last year, the pandemic has forced us to adjust our way of living and, for many, those changes have brought with them new hardships. This Ramadan, we implore our supporters to feel for others through our “We Are One” campaign. In Islam, we say that when any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever, meaning that if one person suffers, we all suffer; this is a hadith we must not overlook, particularly this year. “With COVID-19 still a huge part of our lives, it’s important to take a moment this Ramadan to pray for those more vulnerable than us – and to empathise with those who have experienced poverty, conflict and natural disasters whilst also battling this deadly virus.”

As Muslims around the world prepare for a second Ramadan in a pandemic, the charity Islamic Relief UK announces plans for Ramadan 2021 (13 April – 12 May), including several new and returning virtual initiatives for the entire family.

After a year’s hiatus, the award-winning cake campaign (#Cakes4Syria) returns for Ramadan 2021. Volunteers across the UK will raise money for the Syrian crisis by delivering cakes every weekend during Ramadan.

As well as bringing back the nations much loved 14 slices of the famous chocolate fudge cake, for the first time, a luxury 24 piece brownie box in six assorted flavours will also be available for delivery.

People can order from The Cake Campaign website and the money raised will be allocated to Islamic Relief’s humanitarian work around the Syrian crisis.

In previous years, the majority of customers have been families in the UK, but cakes have also been delivered to Members of Parliament, churches, celebrities such as stand-up comedian Tez Illyas and cricketer Mooeen Ali, as well as Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

As of last Ramadan, The Cake Campaign has sold over 158,000 cakes and raised over £1.5million.

For the second year running, Islamic Relief UK’s website will host a Virtual Mosque, helping Muslims maximise on Ramadan with access to talks on Islamic history, Qu’ran recitations and nasheed nights.

Every Friday throughout Ramadan, Islamic Relief UK will also host Live Jummah reminders by various scholars on Facebook Live and Instagram Live at noon. The recordings will be available online after the event.

The Virtual Mosque will have downloadable resources such as a Dua book, prayer timetables and resources for children.

To find out more visit the Islamic Relief UK website.

Virtual Open Iftar – hosted by Ramadan Tent Project – is one of the UK’s largest community and cultural events. For Ramadan 2021, the initiative goes virtual with an aim to connect more communities than ever before.

Teaming up with Islamic Relief UK as its charity partner, the Virtual Open Iftar is an opportunity for millions of people to share the Ramadan spirit with communities across the world, whilst observing from their homes. This year’s Virtual Ramadan events include:

For more information visit the Ramadan Tent Project website.

Increased food intake during Ramadan is harming the climate, particularly as people consume more meat. This year, Eco-Ramadan returns to Islamic Relief UK’s website to keep people aware of our duties to this planet.

On the Eco-Ramadan section of the website, there are resources available to help people reduce their impact on the planet, including articles on how to have an environmentally conscious Ramadan.

This year, fundraisers can also take place in a Meat-Free Challenge.

As part of Eco-Ramadan, Islamic Relief UK will host a Meat-Free Fortnight challenge. For millions of Muslims across the world, Ramadan is an important time for self-reflection, when people try to restore their connection with Allah (SWT) and put a stop to harmful habits; this also applies to their relationship with the Earth.

Find out more about how to take part in the Meat-Free Fortnight Challenge.

Following on from the success of last year’s Ramadan quiz, Islamic Relief UK returns with four live quiz nights, hosted by Islam Channel.

The National Ramadan Quiz is a chance for Islamic Relief UK to give back to the community, with four nights of quizzes across four weekends:

You can register for the quiz here for your chance to win sponsored prizes worth over £5000.

This Ramadan, Islamic Relief UK prepare to launch their upcoming podcast, a fortnightly offering with internal and external guest speakers. Topics will include important issues such as:

Do It For The Cause returns in 2021, and will take place online through a new digital platform with leaderboards, avatars, virtual badges and a toolkit section available to fundraisers. The initiative hopes to create a unique and personable way of raising money for causes that matter most to donors.

There are 10 causes that fundraisers can support, including the emergency Yemen Appeal, the ongoing Syrian Crisis, the UK COVID-19 response for vulnerable families and building long term shelters in Myanmar.

Do It For The Cause will run until the end of Ramadan. Volunteers, supporters, institutions and donors can take part by visiting the microsite.

During the last ten days of Ramadan, many Muslims will dedicate more time to Dhikr (remembrance), Salah (prayer) and offering Sadaqah (voluntary charity).

Islamic Relief UK’s My Ten Nights will allow people to automate their charitable donations during the last ten nights of the Holy Month, allowing them to focus on their fast and time with family instead of worrying about when to donate.

With the Holy month in mind, Islamic Relief will re-share guidance from 2020 on adapting Islamic religious practices to the coronavirus crisis, in a bid to stop the spread of the virus in Muslim communities around the world.

Developed in partnership with the British Board of Scholars and Imams (BBSI), the guidance provides faith-sensitive advice for communities including faith leaders, mosques, funeral workers, health professionals and chaplains as well as aid workers across the Muslim world.

The guidelines include information such as:

Find out more about this guidance on the Islamic Relief Worldwide website.

For Muslims across the globe, the holy month of Ramadan is a sacred time for worshipping Allah, (God). This period offers an opportunity for devotion, reflection and celebration of the mercy and love of Allah.

During this period, healthy adult Muslims will show this devotion through fasting from dawn until dusk. Other acts of worship such as prayer, reading the Qur’an and charity are also encouraged during the holy month.

You can find out more about Ramadan on the Islamic Relief UK website.

When is Ramadan this year?

As the Islamic calendar is based around the lunar cycle, the Holy month of Ramadan rotates by approximately ten days each year.

The beginning of the month of Ramadan will be confirmed upon the sighting of the new moon. However, Islamic Relief UK and the East London Mosque expect this to be on Tuesday 13 April.  You can find prayer timetables for the Ramadan period, for London and other major cities across the UK, on the Islamic Relief UK website.

Islamic Relief is a faith-inspired, development and humanitarian agency working to transform and save the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in over 40 countries. Islamic Relief assists people according to need and does not discriminate in any way.

Set up in Birmingham in 1984 by a group of volunteers, we have assisted over 117 million people all over the world. We’re saving lives and empowering people to lift themselves out of poverty in over 37 countries – from Bangladesh to Bosnia, Pakistan to Palestine, Kenya to Kosovo. Islamic Relief is on the ground in some of the world’s most dangerous and difficult places – including Syria and Yemen – strengthening the most marginalised communities to withstand conflict and natural disasters and to build a brighter future. We also support vulnerable people in the UK in partnership with local charities and organisations.