Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD) is a Muslim run charity, focused on assisting the world’s poorest and least fortunate populations. HHRD seeks to provide immediate relief to crisis situations, and also provide sustainable solutions to the issues that plague these communities. HHRD was founded upon the Islamic principle illustrated in the Quran: “They feed with food–despite their own desire for it– the indigent, and the orphan and the captive (saying): ‘We feed you purely for the sake of God. We desire no reward from you, nor thankfulness.” – Chapter Al-Insan verses 8-9. This quote encapsulates HHRD’s mission to provide selfless assistance to the less fortunate.
Zakat, then, also encapsulates the mission and idealism of HHRD’s relief efforts. Zakat is the third Pillar of Islam and is the duty of those who are fortunate enough to meet certain wealth thresholds, to give back to the poor. Zakat does not refer to any charitable giving, but specific and systematic giving of 2.5% of one’s wealth to causes that benefit the poor directly. Through this donation, it is believed that paying Zakat purifies and cleanses their overall wealth. If God has chosen them to be successful, it is their duty and obligation to help the less fortunate.
In order to be eligible to pay Zakat, one’s earnings must be in excess of the Nisab. The Nisab is a threshold of wealth that once met, generally means you are financially secure and in a position to help others. In certain countries such as Libya, Pakistan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Sudan, Zakat is a requirement by law. This is not the case in other Muslim-majority countries where it is deemed optional. The contributions from Zakat total a jaw-dropping $200 billion to $1 trillion dollars each year and have accomplished amazing feats for the poorer populations of the world.
If you are curious whether you meet this threshold, Muslim or not, HHRD’s Zakat calculator can be found here. This calculator allows you to determine your overall financial wealth through several main categories and will calculate your yearly Zakat for you assuming you have passed the Nisab. While Zakat and Nisab are terms specific to the religion of Islam, you do not have to believe in a specific religion to determine the worth of their actions.
Selfless giving to the less fortunate is a practice that, unfortunately, not many are able to say they’ve taken part in. It is also a practice that, if done pervasively throughout society, would solve many of the issues HHRD has committed its time and resources to. The world can always use more people who are willing to sacrifice a small portion of their success, in order to create a better tomorrow for those around them.
HHRD is proud to have received recognition as a top-rated Zakat eligible charity and holds an overall score of 98.23 out of 100 which reflects the trust it has earned with its US-based donors. Less than 5% of donations are used for administrative fees, and 95% of the donations are used to directly help the poorer and less fortunate people of the world. When you donate to one of the many HHRD relief efforts currently ongoing, you can be sure your money is being put to good use ineffective programs.
Whether you practice Zakat or not, any donation made to HHRD will go directly to helping the less fortunate and will make our world a better place to live for all. Any donation, from $1 to 2.5% of your personal wealth, will go a long way to helping those in need.
