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Islamic Philanthropy and Social Investment - Unlocking Sustainable Financing for Humanitarian and Development Action
Islamic philanthropy and Shariah‑compliant social investment, such as zakat, sadaqah, waqf and Islamic social finance instruments, represent a significant yet underutilised source of funding for humanitarian response and long‑term development and have emerged as a novel subset of the discourse on innovative finance. The World Bank (2016) estimated the global annual zakat pool alone to be between US$200 billion and US$1 trillion. At a time of growing funding gaps and protracted crises, these faith‑based financing mechanisms offer opportunities to complement traditional aid while promoting sustainability, inclusion, and localisation.
This session will explore how Islamic philanthropy and social investment can be operationalised beyond short‑term relief to support resilience, livelihoods, and systems‑level change, while maintaining strong accountability and compliance with Islamic principles which is critical for donor and beneficiary assurance. Drawing on practical examples and practitioner experience, the session will encourage dialogue between humanitarian actors, donors, financial institutions, and the private sector.
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