Brothers and Sisters, Please Be Careful with Zakat Donations

Assalamu Alaikum. I want to share something from my own experience. My family and I used to give regularly to some zakat organisations until 2024. This year things changed. We faced a serious crisis over the past few months and were desperately trying to save our home. When you’re truly in need and asking for help, those same “zakat foundations” and “charitable trusts” suddenly become unreachable. Phone numbers don’t work, contact forms never get answered. But come Ramadan, their sites are full of “Donate Now” buttons and endless fundraising appeals. If you try to call, many listed numbers are invalid or ignored. Where is that money going? It certainly doesn’t seem to be reaching the people who need it. Do they pick and choose causes like a buffet, or are they taking funds meant for the needy and using them elsewhere? I spent weeks contacting these organisations and most either ignored me or had bad contact info. It feels like they exist to collect, not to assist. It’s heartbreaking how easy it is for them to run donation drives, yet so hard for someone in real distress to get even a rupee. They are quick to talk about charity but disappear when someone actually seeks help. With several months before Ramadan, please, for Allah’s sake, be cautious about giving your zakat or sadaqah to fancy websites with glossy “success stories” that may not be genuine. Try to help a real family or person nearby who is in need so your charity will have real impact. Don’t let zakat be treated as a business. JazakAllahu khair.