E-Library

  This paper analyses the experience of an international non-governmental organisation (INGO), Islamic Relief, in working with and for refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). Although much relief work is carried out by faith-based organisations worldwide, and although religious identity is often an important factor in understanding communities, little work has been done to examine the work of faith-based organisations in the field of development in general (see Tomalin 2006; Thomas 2005), much less in terms of refugee assistance in particular. This paper attempts to fill part of that gap by examining the work of Islamic Relief as a faith-based organisation [...]

The ongoing crisis threatening lives and livelihoods in Pakistan Last summer I saw for myself the devastating impact of the worst floods ever experienced in Pakistan. Over 18 million people were affected, 11 million of whom were forced from their homes. Houses were destroyed, livelihoods lost, hopes for the future shattered. Islamic Relief first provided tents, food and other emergency aid, then moved into a major programme of reconstruction. Our work has so far reached 585 villages, benefiting 428,000 people. Our involvement is an expression of the sense of justice and compassion that our faith inspires in us. “If anyone saved [...]

Mannar District is located in Northern part of Sri Lanka consisted of 05 DS divisions with a population of 107,876. The district represents different ethnic communities and cultures. The district was one of the heavily suffered war torn district as well affected by Tsunami and recently affected by floods. Now after the end of war the displaced communities are returning to their places of Origin. Ahathimurippu is one of the resettling village with the present population of 300 families struggling to sustain its returning community owing to lack of basic facilities specially with drinking water. Office http://www.islamic-relief.me/ Citation Islamic Relief Worldwide [...]

Inspired by his Islamic faith, Dr Hany El Banna, an Egyptian immigrant, founded Islamic Relief (IR) in the UK in 1984. IR is a faith-based organisation (FBO) and the largest Muslim humanitarian aid organisation in the West. Faith is a major factor in shaping its identity as well as its values and choices. Islam indicates that each individual has a duty to care for the poor and is accountable for his or her deeds on earth. Therefore, it is important that the organisation abides by Islamic principles and values while contributing to fighting poverty. Faith defines the organisation’s identity; it influences [...]

In Islam, the basic goal of development is to create an environment that enables people to enjoy spiritual, moral and socio-economic well-being in this world and success in the Hereafter (falah). Such an environment can only be created in societies that work to remove sources of human deprivation in multiple dimensions. This paper agrees with the view of some scholars of the objectives of Islamic law (Maqasid al-Shari’ah); that there are five crucial dimensions of human development namely; spiritual (faith), human (life), educational (intellect), social (posterity) and economic (wealth). It therefore adopts the Maqasid as an Islamic framework for development. This [...]

According to the 2008 UNESCO Education for All Global Monitoring Report, at the end of 1999 less than one-third of the 800 million children under the age of six benefited from early childhood education. Of the 113 million children without access to primary education schooling, 60 percent of these were girls. Furthermore, some 880 million adults, the majority being women, were illiterate. Additionally, excluding the United States and Europe, approximately one in three countries in 2005 did not “constitutionally guarantee” a right for “free and compulsory primary education”. Countries have achieved progress since 2000, but much work remains to meet the [...]

10 ways the international community must address Somalia’s humanitarian crisis In Korsan camp near Mogadishu’s international airport, there is no getting away from the human cost of the worst food crisis of the 21st century. A large cluster of tiny graves on the northern side of the camp paints a tragic picture. Today Korsan is a place of refuge and relative safety for some of the tens of thousands of Somalis drawn to the country’s capital at a time when their crops and livestock have been wiped out by East Africa’s worst drought for 60 years. But in the early months [...]

As well as providing a theoretical framework outlining the tenets upon which Islamic financing is based, this document provides practical advice on how such a programme may be structured; guidelines that can be followed when implementing a microfinance programme; as well as advice upon programme monitoring and evaluation. The target audience is organisations that wish to provide microfinance services that conform to Islamic financing principles. This document is, primarily, a practical manual written from a practitioner’s perspective. Office http://policy.islamic-relief.com Citation Khan,A (2008). Islamic Microfinance - Theory, Policy and Practice. [Online] Available: http://policy.islamic-relief.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Islamic-Microfinance.pdf

Islamic Relief commenced operations in Pakistan in 1992. Since inception in Pakistan, including AJ&K, Islamic Relief has successfully implemented many relief and development projects in the sectors of Water & Sanitation, Health & Nutrition, Education, Income Generation, Islamic Microfinance, Renewable Energy, Orphans Support and Disaster Preparedness & Response Office http://policy.islamic-relief.com Citation Islamic Relief Worldwide (2012). The UK Programme of Development Assistance to Pakistan. Islamic Relief Worldwide, Birmingham, [Online] Available http://policy.islamic-relief.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/UK-Programme-of-Development-Assistance-to-Pakistan.pdf

Mali: An Ongoing Crisis says that the 18-month-old conflict – which began with attacks by separatist insurgents, followed by a military coup and subsequently intervention by foreign troops – has exacerbated the impact of drought, closed off the main aid and trade route from the south, shut down week Office http://policy.islamic-relief.com/ Citation Chekhar, L & Patel, R . (2013). Mali: An Ongoing Crisis. Islamic Relief Worldwide, Birmingham, [Online] Available: http://policy.islamic-relief.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Mali-an-Ongoing-Crisis.pdf