LONDON – Kicked off in London 15 years ago, Islamic Relief has announced its annual Charity Week slated for  October 22-28, under the theme “ONE WEEK, ONE CAUSE, ALL THE DIFFERENCE!”

“Over the last two years, Charity Week has raised over £1 million ($1.3 million) in a single week each year. That’s more than £140,000 per day, and almost £6,000 an hour – you get the picture!” Dr. Muhammad Wajid Akhter, who founded the Charity Week for Orphans project in 2003, wrote on Ilmfeed.

Charity Week is organized by Islamic Relief, an international humanitarian organization that provides aid, food security, and orphan support to people after natural disasters.

Expecting thousands of volunteers, Akhter said that several organizations have announced their participation in the week-long events.

“During Charity Week, Islamic societies, Muslim student associations, community groups, local businesses, and mosques go out of their way to organize fun, engaging and uplifting events across their towns and cities,” he added.

Throughout these 15 years, thousands of Muslims came together to raise funds for the needy, going as far afield as Cape Town and California.

“Since 2003, the money raised by Charity Week has enabled humanitarian responses to multiple crises in Gaza, Syria, Myanmar, Yemen, the 2004 Tsunami, Central African Republic, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq,” Akhter wrote.

“It has also funded sustainable development projects in Chad, Niger, and Mali, orphan sponsorship in Bangladesh, rebuilt schools in Pakistan, Gaza, Malawi, Kenya, and Mali… and the list goes on.”

Charity or Zakat in Islamic Shari’ah is a form of alms-giving which by Qur’anic ranking, is next after prayer in importance.

As one of the Five Pillars of Islam, zakat is a religious obligation for all Muslims who meet the necessary criteria of wealth.