The Humanitarian Sector and Muslim NGOs
Muslim charities and humanitarian organisations are among the world's most effective responders to crisis. Their story is little known outside Muslim communities.
When an earthquake struck Turkey and Syria in February 2023, Muslim Aid, Islamic Relief and a dozen other Muslim-run organisations were among the first on the ground. They knew the terrain — literally and culturally — in ways that some international agencies did not. They had local networks. They spoke the languages. They knew which communities were most isolated and most in need.
The growth of Muslim humanitarian organisations over the past four decades is one of the remarkable stories of global civil society. Starting from small collections in mosque car parks, organisations like Islamic Relief have grown into professional bodies with hundreds of millions of pounds in annual income, operations in dozens of countries, and seats at the table of international humanitarian coordination.
