Islamic Relief vs Muslim Aid — charity comparison
In short: Islamic Relief Worldwide and Muslim Aid are both UK-registered humanitarian charities working overseas — closer like-for-like than a faith charity vs a secular agency, so filings and Clarity Score beacons matter more than brand preference alone.
Data from Charity Commission register, last updated .
Donors comparing Islamic Relief and Muslim Aid usually want a trusted Islamic humanitarian organisation. That makes this a fairer head-to-head than mixing faith-based and secular agencies. Still read each charity’s stated activities, then use the filings snapshot. Verify the number on any Ramadan or emergency appeal — familiar names are impersonated. Information only.
Key differences
| What to compare | ISLAMIC RELIEF WORLDWIDE | MUSLIM AID |
|---|---|---|
| Primary model | International humanitarian relief and development | International humanitarian relief and development |
| Faith context | Islamic humanitarian agency (UK-registered) | Islamic humanitarian agency (UK-registered) |
| Comparison type | Humanitarian peer | Humanitarian peer |
| Best if you want | A major UK-registered Islamic relief charity you already recognise as Islamic Relief | A major UK-registered Islamic relief charity you already recognise as Muslim Aid |
What the latest filings show
Figures from the most recent annual accounts on the Charity Commission register. Clarity scores use our methodology.
| Metric | ISLAMIC RELIEF WORLDWIDE | MUSLIM AID |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 93/100 (5★) | 87/100 (4★) |
| Accountability & Finance | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Spend on charitable activities | 91% of expenditure | 88% of expenditure |
| Fundraising efficiency | £14.9 raised per £1 fundraising (3-yr avg) | £9.0 raised per £1 fundraising (3-yr avg) |
| Latest income | £276m | £24m |
| Fundraising spend | 7% of expenditure | 12% of expenditure |
| Reserves | 2 months | 4 months |
| Accounts filing | On time | On time |
| Data confidence | high | high |
| Charity number | 328158 | 1176462 |
ISLAMIC RELIEF WORLDWIDE on the register · MUSLIM AID on the register
ISLAMIC RELIEF WORLDWIDE may suit you if…
- You specifically want to support Islamic Relief’s programmes
- You already give through Islamic Relief in Ramadan or emergencies
MUSLIM AID may suit you if…
- You specifically want to support Muslim Aid’s programmes
- You are choosing between the two household names after reading both profiles
Common questions
Islamic Relief vs Muslim Aid — which is better to donate to?
There is no universal winner. Compare Clarity Scores, cause spend and filing record, read what each does, and give to the organisation whose work you want to fund. Always check the charity number on an appeal.
Should I compare them to Oxfam or Save the Children too?
Only if you also want a secular international agency — that is a different model choice. See Oxfam vs Save the Children and the international cause review.
How we score charities +
The Clarity Score is a 100-point rating from UK regulator filings (Charity Commission for England and Wales, OSCR and CCNI). Four pillars — Accountability & Transparency (40), Financial Health (30), Financial Efficiency (20), and Community Support (10) — each scored on a continuous scale, not pass/fail cutoffs. A statutory inquiry sets the score to 0 automatically.
Accountability & Transparency
Scored from filings
40 points — filing history (15), trustee oversight (15, scaling up to a board of three or more), declared policies (10).
Financial Health
Scored from filings
30 points — reserves (15, full marks 3–24 months, tapering on both sides), income stability (10), liabilities to assets (5, scaling down as debt rises).
Financial Efficiency
Scored from filings
20 points — program expense ratio and fundraising cost, each on a graduated scale (not a single cutoff). Kept at 20% of the total: financial-ratio scoring alone is not a reliable effectiveness signal (see "why not just an overhead ratio?" below).
Community Support
Scored from filings
10 points — volunteer-to-staff ratio from Charity Commission workforce data, scaling continuously up to a 2:1 ratio.
Overall score
Sum of all pillar points. Display stars use the same bands as the labels: 90–100 → 5★ Exceptional; 75–89 → 4★ Good; 60–74 → 3★ Needs improvement; 1–59 → 2★ Poor; 0 → not rated.