Sacred Money

For centuries, Muslims around the world have 'purified' their wealth through Zakat. But can this spiritual practice potentially help solve the cost-of-living crisis in the UK? Taqwa is on a journey to find out. Join her to hear how Zakat can totally change the way all of us think about money, and how we belong to our communities.

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Episodes

5. Imagining Utopia

Sometimes it’s hard to even imagine what utopia could look like. Is it possible to have a Britain without poverty? Lots of people think it is possible, but not everyone has the same idea of how to get to utopia… There’s Helen Rowe, an ex-government official and mum, who has a plan to eliminate poverty in Britain and believes the answer lies in changing the priorities of central government. Then there’s Nabil al-Kinani who has a completely different approach. His project, ‘Privatise the Mandem’ i...

Feb 15, 2024•33 min

4. The Person You’re Calling Can’t be Reached

From a farmer in Sindh, Pakistan to a mysterious stone in Istanbul, how does Zakat connect strangers around the world? What are we giving up if British Muslims only give Zakat locally to their communities in the UK? To find out Taqwa speaks to Nizam ud-Din Brohi, a survivor of the 2022 floods in Pakistan who received Zakat collected by UK Muslim charity Islamic Relief. Journalist Jennifer Hattam explains a long tradition of no-strings attached anonymous giving in Turkey and has a surprising reve...

Feb 15, 2024•23 min

3. But Where Are You Really From?

For diaspora Muslims, where you and your Zakat belong can be tricky questions. Comedian and content creator Ali Official discusses growing up as the only Muslim kid in Devon, exploring your identity in online communities and awkward RE lessons at school. Hijabi model and humanitarian activist Mariah Idrissi talks about giving away her Barbie, colonialism and Zakat, and poverty ‘back home’. Mariah has a bit of an epiphany and Taqwa worries she’s only heard one side of the Zakat story… Sacred Mone...

Feb 15, 2024•26 min

2. Hey Mr Ramadan, Where’s My Biryani?

A vague memory from a childhood holiday in Istanbul leads Taqwa to Hounslow, a London suburb. There she meets Mr Ramadan who runs a place where anyone and everyone can come get hot food, groceries and supplies completely for free. This is all paid for with Zakat donations. It’s a very different way of understanding Zakat to what we’re used to… Featuring interviews with Ehsan Shahid Choudhry (Open Kitchen), Shazia Manaan, Yasrab Shah (Muslim Hands), Sharon and James. Sacred Money is a series that...

Feb 15, 2024•28 min

1. Purple Elephants

This five-part narrative series might just change how you think about money, how you spend it, and how money connects us to people we know and people we don’t. Taqwa Sadiq isn’t an economist or a social sciences expert, she’s just a curious twenty-something with a microphone trying to understand – can Zakat help us solve the cost-of-living crisis? As a Muslim herself, Zakat is something Taqwa has known about forever. Every year, Muslims all around the world ‘purify’ their wealth by giving away 2...

Feb 15, 2024•29 min

Introducing... Sacred Money

This series might just change how you think about money, how you spend it, and how money connects us to people we know and people we don’t. In this five-part narrative series, Taqwa Sadiq explores whether Zakat, an Islamic tradition, can help solve the UK cost-of-living crisis. Every year, Muslims all around the world ‘purify’ their wealth by giving away 2.5% of it. This is called Zakat, and it’s been happening for over a thousand years. We don’t know the exact amount but estimates for how much ...

Feb 09, 2024•3 min

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