Navigating Dual Commitments: Adherence of Muslim NGOs to Islamic Principles While Integrating Humanitarian Principles - A Case Study on Islamic Relief Worldwide

Muslim NGOs occupy a distinctive and pivotal role within the global humanitarian framework, increasingly serving as key partners in international aid initiatives and relief efforts. This requires an alignment of Islamic principles with international humanitarian principles. However, such alignment has profound implications and challenges. This thesis is concentrated around Muslim NGOs’ adherence to the Islamic principles while integrating humanitarian principles. The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to improving the performance of Muslim humanitarian organizations by examining the extent of their commitment to Islamic principles theoretically and on the ground. For this purpose, a literature review on various aspects of humanitarianism, humanitarian and Islamic principles, their interconnections, and their evolution over time was conducted. The challenges of the adherence to Islamic principles while integrating humanitarian principles were further developed by looking at the case study of Islamic Relief Worldwide. The results indicate that there remains substantial inconsistency in the practical application and operational adherence to Islamic values. This mismatch is notable when compared to the consistent reflection of humanitarian principles across their various reports, highlighting a significant challenge in aligning theoretical commitments with on-the-ground realities.