Demand Equality through Zakat
To end poverty, we must tackle inequality. This Ramadan, we’re campaigning for the right of the poor through Zakat. Will you join us?
In Pakistan, people are suffering the brunt of a global crisis they did not create. Since COVID, the poor have gotten poorer, and now millions have been affected by last year’s super floods – just one more symptom of global warming. In this climate, a needy man can rarely access basic healthcare, let alone afford the high cost of cancer treatment.
Imran Khan: "[at Shaukat Khanum Hospital] Your Zakat is used strictly to help people get free cancer treatment, which is the costliest and most difficult illness to treat.”
Zakat: Duty not Charity
Zakat is one of our fundamental duties as Muslims. After testifying faith and dispensing the daily prayers, the third responsibility of a Muslim is to uphold socio-economic justice by contributing Zakat.
Imran Khan: "What is the reason for people coming into this world? If Allah (SWT) gives you a lot, He puts a responsibility on you – what are you doing for those to who Allah (SWT) has not given a lot? This is your life’s test.”
This is an act of worship which comes even before fasting. We are told that it is a way to purify our hearts and our wealth. All of this highlights a reality many people forget: Zakat is not a handout; it is the right of the poor.
Demand Justice through Zakat
There are 1.97 billion Muslims in the world. But did you know that 6.5% of the world’s millionaires identified themselves as Muslim? Imagine the dent we could put into world poverty if every Muslim eligible to give Zakat donated 2.5% of their surplus wealth! And yet, in the last two years alone, we’ve seen how the gap between the world’s richest and poorest is widening.
Imran Khan: "A country is not recognised by the lifestyle of the rich, but by the lifestyle of the poor. No country that has an island of rich people and a sea of poor people can prosper.”
It’s time to change how we do things. As Muslims, we need to advocate for justice: giving the poor their rights and demanding others do the same. This Ramadan, we’re campaigning to fight poverty through Zakat. Will you join us?
Imran Khan: "Like so many other people, my Zakat also goes to Shaukat Khanum Hospital every year. It is amazing how ordinary people donate to keep Shaukat Khanum Hospital expanding yearly."
Zakat Enables Equal Rights to Healthcare
When Imran Khan envisioned a free cancer hospital for the poor, over two decades ago, everyone told him it wasn’t possible. But he trusted the wisdom of Allah (SWT) and believed in the power of Zakat. Today, across two cancer hospitals, we are able to provide free treatment to 75% of our patients every year. If this doesn’t prove the power of Zakat, then we don’t know what does.
Imran Khan: "When a nation decides to help its poor, God finds ways for it to succeed. The real thing is to have honest intentions. It is my belief that God willing, one day you will see that we will be successful in eradicating poverty."
At Imran Khan Cancer Appeal, we believe that world poverty and many socio-economic injustices can be solved through the administration of Zakat on a global scale. In this effort, we’re doing what we do best: tackling the care gap in Pakistan, by providing the poor with equal rights to healthcare.
Imran Khan: "This path that you embark on to help other people, this is the path of Allah (SWT). This is the path that Muslims ask Allah (SWT) for five times a day when we pray: ‘Allah guide me on the path of those you have blessed.’ All we have to do is ask for this path. Whether we succeed or not, that is in Allah’s (SWT) hands. Only the effort is in our hands."
Today more than ever, poor people in Pakistan are in desperate need of medical aid. We continue to rely on your Zakat as they continue to rely on us.
Thank you for entrusting us with your Zakat for over 28 years. To easily work out how much Zakat to pay this year, use our Zakat Calculator by clicking below. You can also download our free Zakat Guide to find out the Nisab value and get answers to your frequently asked questions about Zakat.