How we score Muslim charities
Our goal is simple: help you decide where to give your Zakat with confidence. Every charity in our directory gets a transparent 0–3 trust score built from independent, verifiable signals — never from who pays us.
The three trust signals
Each signal a charity meets adds one point. A 3/3 charity is maximally transparent; a 0/3 charity simply hasn't met these public-data bars yet — it isn't necessarily untrustworthy.
- 1
Public Sharia/Zakat policy
The organization publicly states how it handles Zakat and the eight categories of eligible recipients.
- 2
HalalWallet verified
We confirmed the EIN, 501(c)(3) status, active website, and a working donation page.
- 3
Independent third-party rating
An external evaluator (e.g. Charity Navigator, ECOSOC status, or major-foundation grantee) provides outside accountability.
Our independence
- Trust scores and directory rankings are editorial. They are calculated only from the three signals above.
- Partner charities are clearly labeled 'Partner' but receive no scoring or ranking advantage.
- Partner fees are paid from a charity's own unrestricted marketing budget — never from donor Zakat or Sadaqah.
- We surface known concerns (e.g. legal-name mismatches or public scrutiny) transparently instead of hiding them.
Zakat integrity
Zakat must reach eligible recipients (the eight asnaf) in full. HalalWallet never receives, holds, or deducts a percentage of your Zakat. When you click “Donate,” you go straight to the charity's own donation page and give them 100% of your gift. We earn nothing from your donation itself.
Where our data comes from
- • IRS records and each organization's Form 990 filings.
- • ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer for revenue, assets, and filing history.
- • The charity's own published Zakat policy and program disclosures.
- • Independent evaluators and recognitions (e.g. Charity Navigator, UN ECOSOC status, major-foundation grants).
How we handle concerns
We would rather show you a caveat than pretend it doesn't exist. When an organization has an unresolved issue, we display a verification note on its profile and in the directory so you can make an informed decision. We update profiles as organizations file new returns or resolve outstanding questions.