Check if the charity has a proven track record in seeing through its projects. Did they really do what they claimed they would?

Ask other Muslims what they know of the charity in question. Word of mouth is a very powerful medium.

Check if the charity is on the charity commission website. See if they are registered, and check if they have provided their accounts for public viewing. Charities which have failed to provide up to date details should be able to explain in a satisfactory manner the reasons for not providing these details.

Those charities which have been clear in their finances and have built up a sound reputation for doing good work should receive generous donations. They should be encouraged to continue their excellent work, and perhaps we should donate even more to them than what we usually would.If we collectively take such an approach to our sadaqah, it will encourage better standards amongst Muslim charities. Such a simple act of ‘self-regulation’ will make the collective body of Muslim charities much stronger, which will ultimately have benefits to the worthy causes in which they operate.