Do’s and Don’ts of Charity in UAE During Ramadan: Permissible And Prohibited Practices Explained

Ramadan is expected to begin on March 11 or 12 this year. The official date will probably be determined by the country’s moon-sighting committee on Sunday night. Muslims abstain from food or drink all day to focus on faith, as well as to empathize with the less fortunate. As people in the UAE get ready to give donations during Ramadan, authorities have reminded them to know what’s allowed and what’s not. Besides fasting and praying, being generous is a big part of Ramadan for Muslims.

Some of these practices have been explained below:

• There is a federal law on fundraising in the UAE. This law is designed to ensure that charitable donations reach those who truly need them. According to the law, residents must channel their donations through licensed charitable organizations to comply with regulations.
• Residents are permitted to support and assist their family members and friends in need, according to the Ministry of Community Development.
• Additionally, residents can extend help to those in need within their neighborhoods. The ministry stated that there are no restrictions on collecting donations if they are within permissible limits. However, they must not reach the level of work done by licensed charities.
• Distributing iftar meals in mosques and neighborhoods is permitted.
• Restaurants are allowed to accept donations to prepare meals, but they are not permitted to distribute them independently. Instead, they must coordinate with charitable associations for such activities.
• Individuals are cautioned against engaging in unlicensed or unreliable donation campaigns on social media. They should refrain from collecting funds from relatives and friends to deliver to charitable organizations, both domestically and internationally. Additionally, they should avoid financial speculations or distributing revenues to members and employees of licensed entities.
• You can donate clothes and money to licensed charitable organizations, and deposit donations in boxes available in public places. Cash, in-kind, and digital donations can be made to authorized entities through various channels such as funds, paid vouchers, SMS, exhibitions, auctions, charity events, and monthly deductions from personal accounts.

You can also transfer donations to bank accounts dedicated to donation collection, use ATMs of licensed banks in the UAE, or donate through digital platforms.

Suspected Violations

Suspected violations can be reported to the ministry’s call center at 800623 for legal action. The penalties for defying the law include fines ranging from Dh200,000 to Dh500,000 and/or imprisonment.