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Most British Muslims pay zakat once a year and quietly wing it. We don't think you should have to. The articles here cover the working — what counts toward nisab, why your pension is in scope, why Qurbani happens on specific days and not others — alongside the bits most charities won't put on the homepage: how '100% donation policy' marketing actually adds up, what scholar review looks like in practice, and which UK charities publish the receipts. AmalQ runs a zakat calculator, a campaign platform and a Qurbani delivery service, so the blog is where we explain how each of those works and where the numbers come from. If we haven't covered your question, tell us. We'd rather write it up than have you give without knowing what you're paying for.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Zakat in Islam?

Zakat is the third pillar of Islam: 2.5% of your savings, gold, silver, business stock and most investments, paid once a year if you've held wealth above the nisab for a full lunar year. The Qur'an names eight groups of people zakat can go to (Surah At-Tawbah 9:60) — the poor, the destitute, debtors, stranded travellers, those whose hearts are being reconciled to faith, those administering zakat, captives seeking freedom, and those striving in Allah's way. Most British Muslims pay theirs in Ramadan because the reward is multiplied — not because it's required to be paid then.

What's the difference between Zakat and Sadaqah?

Zakat is fixed and obligatory; sadaqah is open. Zakat is 2.5%, paid annually, only to eight specific groups of people. Sadaqah can be any amount, given to anyone — Muslim or not — at any time. Sadaqah on behalf of someone who's passed away is allowed; zakat on their behalf isn't. People often mix them up because both translate roughly to 'charity' in English. A simple test if you're unsure: if a charity tells you a water well counts as zakat, ask them how. The well qualifies as sadaqah jariyah, but it only counts as zakat if the people drinking from it fall inside one of those eight groups.

What is Sadaqah Jariyah?

Sadaqah jariyah is charity that keeps earning spiritual reward as long as someone, somewhere, is still benefiting from it. The classic example is a well — long after the donor passes away, every person drinking from it counts. So does a Qur'an you donate to a mosque, a tree you plant that bears fruit for fifty years, or a tuition fee that lets a child grow up to support their own family. The hadith on it (Sahih Muslim 1631) names three things that don't stop earning reward after death: ongoing charity, knowledge people benefit from, and a righteous child who prays for the parent. Sadaqah jariyah is the first of those.

Who is eligible to receive Zakat?

The Qur'an gives a closed list of eight in Surah At-Tawbah (9:60): the poor (fuqara — people who don't have enough to live on); the destitute (masakeen — even worse off than the poor); zakat administrators paid from the fund itself; those whose hearts are being reconciled to Islam; people working out from under captivity; those drowning in debt; people striving in Allah's path; and travellers stranded without resources. The exact ordering matters less than the boundary — zakat cannot go outside these eight. That's why AmalQ marks campaigns 'zakat-eligible' only after our scholar review confirms which category the beneficiaries fall under.

What is Qurbani and when is it given?

Qurbani — also called udhiyah — is the slaughter of a livestock animal performed during the four days of Eid al-Adha (10th to 13th of Dhul-Hijjah on the Islamic calendar). One sheep or goat covers one household; one cow or camel can be shared by up to seven families. The meat is split three ways: a third for your family, a third for friends and neighbours, a third for someone who can't afford meat at all. Most UK Muslims arrange Qurbani abroad through a charity, because the cost-per-share is far lower in countries where the meat is most needed. AmalQ Qurbani 2026 sends video proof of the specific animal sacrificed in your name — not a stock clip — so you can see what your share actually went toward.

How can I trust an Islamic charity online in the UK?

Three things any UK donor should check before giving. One: a Charity Commission number that's actually registered (search it at gov.uk/charity-commission). Two: a paper trail showing where the last donation actually ended up. Three: a named scholar or board signing off on the Sharia review — not a vague reference to 'our team of scholars'. If a charity tells you they have a 100% donation policy, ask who pays the staff and the card processing fees. If a charity tells you they're scholar-approved, ask which scholars and what they reviewed. AmalQ publishes per-campaign financials, processes payments through UK-regulated rails, and lists the scholar who reviewed each campaign by name.