Our mission

The SZF aims to make a positive impact in Switzerland. Our foundation strives to be a movement that inspires, motivates and connects people from all walks of life.

MAKE AN IMPACT!

Let’s bring Zakat to life in Switzerland

Vision

As a foundation our aim is not only to act as a bridge between the donor and the
final recipients, but above all to create an ecosystem that contributes to the
redistribution of wealth. We believe that this will lead to a healthier and more
prosperous Swiss economy. By ensuring professional management of the zakat
we aim to have a positive impact on all aspects of our lives: be it financial,
educational, social, religious, or related to mental and physical health.

Added value through trust

Our goal is to generate trust as a local Swiss Zakat institution, working for the benefit of Swiss Muslims and the society as a whole. By empowering the muslim community through Zakat we want to strengthen their contribution to the Swiss society.

What makes the SZF stand out

To this day, Zakat remains a barely documented subject for the Swiss. There are shortcomings not only in the calculation of zakat within the current context (accounting of pension funds, invested assets, deduction of debts, etc.), but also with regard to the use of Zakat and the transparency of funds. This is why, the SZF focuses on the following main areas: accuracy of Zakat calculation, payment security, innovation and digitalization, local reinvestment and transparency.

Our Trustees

Our team is made up of people who believe in bringing Zakat to life in
Switzerland as a way to help individuals while building a thriving, closer
community, right where we live. Our approach is single-minded: to make sure
every aspect of the Zakat process is monitored and constantly improved.

Saâd Dhif, Chairman

Born and raised in Fribourg, Switzerland, Saâd has been active in the muslim community in Switzerland for several years. Having obtained his master’s degree in political economy from the University of Fribourg and the University of Ottawa in Canada, he currently works in investment banking in Zurich. Saâd is also an officer in the Swiss Army where he is currently a captain and company commander.

Fitime Ismailji-Gjukaj

Fitime was born and raised in the canton of Vaud and currently lives in German-speaking Switzerland. She completed her bachelor’s degree in social work at the Haute Ecole de Travail Social de Lausanne (HETSL) and currently works in Winterthur in the field of socio-educational support for families in their living environment. Fitime co-founded and led a project in Zurich providing educational support and coaching for children and adolescents experiencing difficulties at school. She also voluntarily supported multiple cultural associations in various projects.

Muhammed Yesilhark

Muhammed is an investor and philanthropist. He is currently the Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Q2Q Capital, a Dubai-based investment firm. Muhammed was Head of European Equities at Carmignac, one of Europe’s leading asset managers, and before that was an analyst, trained in corporate finance and equity capital markets. He studied Finance and Management at the European School of Business and attained a first-class honours degree jointly from Reutlingen University of Applied Science and Lancaster University.

Näder El Khabiri

Näder is a Swiss and Egyptian bi-national. Born and raised in Bern, he has been able to expand his local network both privately and professionally. He has been working as an insurance and financial advisor since 2007, founded a brokerage firm in 2017 and teaches, among other things, courses for apprentices in the field of private and social insurance. Within the Muslim community, he is involved in the committee of the Sri Lankan Cultural Association of Bern as secretary and has often participated in interfaith activities for various organisations.

Azim Kidwai

Azim Kidwai is the Director of National Zakat Foundation Worldwide. He also oversaw the launch of the National Zakat Foundation UK, Charity Right, and currently heads the Muslim Foster Project. He is also a board member of several registered charities in the UK and is a special adviser on Islamic philanthropy to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

Impact Report 2020

The SZF is continuously working on expanding its activities and making smart use of Zakat where it is most needed. In our latest Impact Report, you can read what the SZF started with in 2020 and the added value of Zakat in Switzerland.

Download

Our Experts

In its various fields of activity, the SZF relies on local experts in the field

Dr. Mostafa Brahami

A physicist by training, Dr Mostafa Brahami taught physics at the University in Algeria until 1993. He then completed a doctorate in economics in Lausanne, which he obtained in 2003. He has taught and lived in Lausanne for more than twenty years. Dr. Mostafa Brahami has written numerous works on Zakat, Islamic jurisprudence and funeral rites. Dr. Mostafa Brahami is also an imam and chaplain in hospitals (CHUV). (Image: Copyright Protestinfo)

Dr. Baptiste Brodard

Dr. Baptiste Brodard, a native of Fribourg and Gruyere, completed his Bachelor’s degree in political science at the University of Paris VIII (France) and his Master’s degree in social science (social work and social policy) at the University of Fribourg in 2011. He obtained his PhD in 2020 at the University of Fribourg in the framework of the doctoral programme “Islam and Society: Islamic-theological studies” of the Swiss Centre for Islam and Society. Dr. Baptiste Brodard began his career as a social worker in prisons and in Parisian housing estates before continuing it in the Canton of Geneva. (Image: Copyright UNIFR)