Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam and is considered an
act of worship. The word in Arabic means alms, and literally "
that which purifies" or multiplies / grows. The idea behind zakat is essentially redistribution of wealth, or what could be considered as one of the world's oldest social welfare systems. Every year Muslims give Zakat (a percentage of their salary) to help improve the lives of the most needy, and the
month of Ramadan is a special time of year for acts of selflessness and giving to the poor.
Cairo 360 has a nice listing of valuable charities in Egypt for donating to in 2011, and you can also check out
The Charity Hub and
Kherna.
Cilantro Central also features great information on active NGOs in Egypt and places to donate.
