The Muslim Charities Forum has said its member organisations have raised between £50m and £60m during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
A spokesman for the umbrella organisation, which consists of aid agencies, said that the figure represented only MCF members. He expected the amount raised in the sector wide to be more than £100m.
During the holy month of Ramadan, most Muslims meet a religious obligation to give to charity or the poor, known as zakat, worth 2.5 per cent of an individual's wealth.
A spokesman for Islamic Relief, a member of the MCF, said the overall figure raised for Islamic Relief alone would be approximately £8m.
Figures for Muslim aid have not yet been confirmed, but Muslim Aid raised £5m during Ramadan last year. Dr Manazir Ahsan, chair of Muslim Aid, said that amount was enough to “reach nearly 200,000 individuals in 40 countries across the globe. Muslim Aid also reached those affected by conflicts in Syria and Palestine with food packs containing one month’s supply of staple items”.
The Muslim Charities Forum’s other members are Muslim Hands, Human Appeal International, Human Relief Foundation, Islamic Help, Muslim Charity, Read Foundation, Al-Imdaad Foundation and Orphans in Need.
