BURNLEY – UK’s Muslim Global Relief (MGR) charity organization has presented an early Christmas gift to Pendleside Hospice in the form of a cheque for £300, Burnley Express reported on December 20.

“As a charity, we’ve always supported local causes that make a difference in our community and in people’s lives,” said Asma Siddique, MGR charity manager.

MGR’s community and fund-raising manager Abdul Shakoor presented the cheque to the hospice on Wednesday during a pre-Christmas festivity organized by the group.

A hospice spokesman said: “Thank you to MGR for its generous donation of £300. Its support of Pendleside Hospice is greatly appreciated. Pendleside Hospice costs more than £4m. to run each year, of which the hospice gets 22% of its funding from the NHS. This means that the hospice needs to raise more than £3m. from charitable donations.”

The international Muslim relief organization started in 2000 to tackle and solve humanitarian issues. The principal aims and objectives of MGR are the relief of poverty and sickness anywhere in the world.

Siddique clarified that “the great accomplishments of MGR are due to many individuals that have a tremendous impact on our charity. I’d like to thank our wonderful group of supporters and donors whose generosity makes our life-saving and life-transforming work possible, without whom, it wouldn’t be possible to help and support vulnerable people around the world.”

As one of the Five Pillars of Islam, zakat or donating and charity is a religious obligation for all Muslims who meet the necessary criteria of wealth. It’s a mandatory charitable contribution, the right of the poor to find relief from the rich, and is considered to be tax or obligatory alms.

Islamic Shari’ah also has another type of optional donation called Sadaqah. This term was used in the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah for both zakat and charity.