Prayer (Salah): One of the five pillars of Islam

“And I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed [to you]. Indeed, I am Allah . There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance.” [Qur’an 20:13-14]

Taking time out to pray five times a day is a duty upon all Muslims, and helps us to remember Allah (SWT) and our purpose in life – to worship Him. When we turn towards Makkah, we are united with all the Muslims around the world who face the same direction (Qibla), and when we raise our hands to begin Salah, we put aside the stresses and worries of life to remember our Lord.

When we pray, we communicate directly with Allah (SWT), and we are closest to Him in sujood, or prostration.

This is one of the best times to supplicate, or make du’a – so next time you are in sujoodtake a moment to ask Allah to relieve the poverty and suffering of all those we support around the world.


Since 1984 we have saved and transformed the lives of over 117 million people. By responding to disasters, rebuilding lives and preparing people in case disaster strikes – we save lives before they are lost.

In addition to providing disaster and emergency response, we also promote sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities – regardless of race, religion or gender.

The first Islamic Relief South Africa was registered as a Section 21 for non-profit company in 2004.


Our Mission

Together we will inspire and enable people to respond rapidly to disasters and fight poverty through our Islamic values, expertise and global reach.


Our Values

We remain guided by the timeless values and teachings of the Qur’an and the prophetic example (Sunnah), most specifically:

  • Sincerity (Ikhlas) – In responding to poverty and suffering, our efforts are driven by sincerity to God and the need to fulfil our obligations to humanity.
  • Excellence (Ihsan) – Our actions in tackling poverty are marked by excellence in our operations and the conduct through which we help the deserving people we serve.
  • Compassion (Rahma) – We believe the protection and well-being of every life is of paramount importance and we shall join with other humanitarian actors to act as one in responding to suffering brought on by disasters, poverty and injustice.
  • Social Justice (Adl) – Our work is founded on enabling people and institutions to fulfil the rights of the poor and vulnerable. We work to empower the dispossessed towards realising their God-given human potential and develop their capabilities and resources.
  • Custodianship (Amana) – We uphold our duty of custodianship over Earth and its resources, and the trust people place in us as a humanitarian and development practitioner to be transparent and accountable.

© Copyrights 2024 Islamic Relief SA. All rights reserved Charity Registration Number - 043-357-NPO

QUICK DONATE