Get InvolvedStand up for justice this Ramadan
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “When any one of you sees anything that is disapproved (of by Allah), let him change it with his hand. If he is not able to do so, then let him change it with his tongue. And if he is not able to do so, then let him change it with his heart, though that is the least of faith” (reported by Muslim)
Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection about the blessings that each of us have been given by Allah so that we are thankful to Him and think about how we can benefit other people. The long days of fasting this summer will mean that we all feel especially grateful for the blessings of food and water that we normally take for granted and reflect on the hardship faced by the millions of people around the world who cannot quench their thirst or hunger at the end of the day. The majority of us will also look at our financial resources and give generously throughout the month of Ramadan to share our wealth with those who are less fortunate. But is that enough? Have we fully used our hands, our tongues and our hearts to bring about change?
As young Muslims living in the UK we have a wealth of opportunities and resources at our disposal and with this comes the responsibility to do as much as we can to create the society based on justice and equality that the Prophet (pbuh) and the Qur’an envision. In this struggle to eliminate poverty, discrimination and the exploitation of our natural environment, each of us must make use of the unique set of skills we have been given, the rights we have in this country to speak freely and lobby policy-makers and the networks and contacts we have to influence those around us.
This Ramadan please continue to give generously to the worthy causes that are appealing for your support. However we are asking you to go beyond this and to think about what you can contribute to the fight against global poverty. Here are 5 things that you can do to make a difference to the lives of people around the globe...
1. Climate Change
Do your bit for the environment and sign up to the 10:10 pledge to reduce your carbon emissions by 10% in 2010 and get one other person to do the same. You can get started this Ramadan by not cooking too much food for iftar (fast breaking meal) to reduce your food waste.
To sign up to 10:10 and find out more click here
For more information about MADE in Europe's work on climate change click here
2. Fair Trade
Enjoy a cup of tea before starting your fast? Make sure that farmers get a fair price for their produce by purchasing fairly traded tea and other products such as dates, fruit and chocolate. Why not also support your mosque, school or university to become Fairtrade certified?
See the list of Fairtrade products here and find out about the certification process here
For more information about MADE in Europe's work on fair trade click here
3. Water & Sanitation
Having experienced the thirst of a summer day’s fast, why not get your friends and family together for an iftar gathering to raise awareness about the situation for the 1 in 8 people who do not have access to safe water.
For ideas and resources for planning an event click here
For more information about MADE in Europe's work on water click here
4. Tax dodging
During Ramadan many of us pay tax on our wealth (as zakat) which is used to benefit the poor. But multinational corporations operating in poor countries are dodging their tax responsibilities and countries are losing out big time. It is estimated that the amount of tax these businesses owe could save the lives of 350,000 children under 5 every year. Email Secretary of State for Business Vince Cable to get him to make reporting on tax a priority.
For a template email click here
For more information about MADE in Europe's work on tax click here
5. Maternal health
There's nothing like mum's cooking to break your fast with, right? Maybe we appreciate our mums that little bit more during Ramadan! But who is caring for our mothers around the world? Every year 500,000 women and girls die due to complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. Lobby the UK Government to make sure maternal health is at the top of the agenda at this Summit by attending a protest with us on 18th September as part of the 3 days of public campaigning for Stand Up 2010: Stand Against Poverty.
For more info about the event email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it