There are many seasons of giving, and one of the most influential worldwide is during Ramadan. Along with fasting, prayer, and reflection, this is a time when Muslims give back to their communities.
Charitable giving is foundational to Ramadan and a sacred tradition as a pillar of Islam. The mandatory act of giving to share blessings and resources drives impact in local communities (and beyond), and technology creates new ways to give.
Improved accessibility now removes geographic barriers and brings people together with shared values. As the global Muslim population exceeds two billion, nonprofit organizations and charities must find meaningful ways to engage Muslim donors and empower generosity during Ramadan.
Tradition of giving during Ramadan
Like many religious traditions, Ramadan follows a lunar cycle and does not occur at a fixed time each year. It begins in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar when the crescent moon appears.
Until the next crescent moon, Muslims observe Ramadan through daily fasting, prayer, self-reflection, acts of kindness, and charity. Donations during Ramadan are a form of almsgiving, and donations are offered in two forms:
- Zakat embodies the idea that a person’s good fortune depends upon, and is owed to, the community around them. Donating to those in need is an act of faith and religious obligation for Muslims who meet a minimum wealth threshold. Keep in mind that Zakat donations have a strict purpose and are not intended to cover administrative or infrastructure expenses.
- Sadaqah is giving to others beyond obligation for a greater impact within the community. Voluntary giving through charitable acts and generosity is highly valued.
The significance of community during Ramadan cannot be overstated. Rituals such as sunset prayers and iftar meals to break fast are observed surrounded by friends and family to strengthen community ties.
Opportunities to multiply the rewards of giving
Bringing people together also facilitates opportunities to give directly to community members in need. For nonprofit organizations, empowering Ramadan generosity requires holistic fundraising efforts that incorporate social engagement and volunteer events.
These can take place at local mosques where the community gathers for daily prayers and iftar. As you bring your mission out into the physical world, technology can help ensure a streamlined donor experience and allow communities to share their generosity with ease.
The last 10 nights are the most anticipated time for donations during Ramadan. They commemorate the Night of Power, when spiritual rewards are multiplied for acts of charity and worship. Many will reserve their Zakat and Sadaqah for these nights to ensure their generosity makes a meaningful difference.
Considerations for nonprofit fundraising
There are many ways to improve donor engagement and increase conversions with the support of innovative technology. It’s easier than ever to give with one-click payments, personalized ask amounts, and recurring donations for sustainable support.
For donations during Ramadan, focus on ways to stretch donations, create localized impact, and increase relevance. If available with your nonprofit fundraising platform, utilize features such as:
- Donation matching to multiply the rewards for your organization and donors within your donation checkout.
- Impact descriptions to encourage greater generosity with a clear explanation of where and how funds will be spent.
- Campaign pages to focus fundraising efforts with a specific message or considerations such as localization in Arabic.
- Adaptive cost coverage to empower donors to cover their transaction costs and increase conversion revenue at checkout.
- Automated emails to schedule outreach at times when donors will be available to engage.
- Recurring donations to distribute Zakat and Sadaqah across the last 10 nights or more evenly across the year to support organizations beyond Ramadan.
- Tribute giving to enable donors to dedicate their donations in honor or in memory of a person, event such as Eid, or something else.
Enabling popular payment methods and using a conversion tracking dashboard can help streamline overhead during this time of high-volume giving.
Any way your nonprofit fundraising can demonstrate thoughtful consideration and respect will support meaningful engagement with Muslim donors. For example, a Zakat calculator embedded within your campaign page can help remove guesswork and empower generosity. A Zakat policy for how funds are processed and put to use will also offer valuable transparency.
Empower your nonprofit with Fundraise Up
This revered giving season holds significant potential for nonprofit fundraising. The focus on community, acts of kindness, and charitable giving align to bring organizations and individuals together at a remarkable scale.
Read the Ramadan Giving Guide to learn more about how Fundraise Up can help your organization prepare for a generous Ramadan.