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Charities warn half of British Muslims will struggle to feed their families during Ramadan

The Arab News reported, that a charity has warned that as many as half of Muslims living in the UK will struggle to feed their families during Ramadan.
Islamic Relief said it and other groups had seen an uptick in food bank use since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had been exacerbated by the subsequent increase in the cost of living.
The additional cost of living to the average family in the UK is expected to reach around £1,000 ($1,311) in 2022, according to research from the Resolution Foundation.
On Friday, UK Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “While no government can control the global factors pushing up the cost of everyday essentials, we will absolutely act wherever we can to mitigate rising costs.”
It estimated, meanwhile, that around 1.6 million Muslims live in poverty in the world’s fifth-largest economy, compared to 18 percent of the general population.

Tufail Hussain, director of Islamic Relief UK, said: “Families across the UK will be suffering as a result of record rates of inflation as well as increasing energy prices due to the war in Ukraine."
“We urgently call on the UK government to … take the bold actions necessary to avoid pushing families into destitution. This is especially important as Muslim families begin to observe the holy month of Ramadan.
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He added: “Many will be fasting from sunrise to sunset and there is a real risk that families will not have enough food or will go without to feed their children."
UK broadcaster Sky News interviewed mother-of-three Bushra Begum, from east London, who said her home, which shares a kitchen and bathroom with other families, was infested with rats and didn’t have working heating.
She said: “They (the rats) come in during the night. Not just one, two or three. I have no choice but to stay here, rent is so high."
“Sometimes my children want to use the bathroom but they have to keep waiting because other people are using it.
“Even here, we give my husband’s entire salary to cover the rent for just this single room, and now they are increasing the bills for electricity. It has become so difficult.”
Fahim Dahya, logistics manager at Sufra NW10 food bank in London, told Sky News: “The bills are not going to hit until the end of this month, so we are bracing ourselves for a big explosion.
He added: “After the pandemic hit, within a couple of months, we had a 400 percent increase (in users). It used to be a calming experience — people would come, get some food, have a chat. We’d talk to them and find out about their situation, try to offer help. Now, they’re just feeling anxiety and uncertainty."
One expert has asked British Muslims to give their zakat payments to the needy within their own communities this Ramadan.
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Sohail Hanif, chief executive of the UK’s National Zakat Foundation, said: “One of the key things is that zakat should be spent within the area where you live.
“Within the UK there are a lot of families struggling. We’re really seeing it now.”
Source: arabnews
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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