London mosque becomes first to accept crypto donations for Ramadan
A Bitcoin is pictured in Duesseldorf, Germany, 27 December 2017. (EPA Photo)


A mosque in the U.K. has announced that it will accept cryptocurrency donations throughout Ramadan, local British media reported this week.

The Shacklewell Lane Mosque, located in East London's Dalston, with local Blockchain startup Combo reportedly launched a 'Ramadan wallet' accepting Bitcoin and Ethereum for the Islamic annual almsgiving Zakat.

The mosque, which is also known as the "Masjid Ramadan," is Britain's only Turkish-owned one.

Combo CEO Gumit Singh told the Hackney Gazette: "If Muslims, who make up a quarter of the world's population, hold just 1 percent of bitcoins – or £1.04 billion ($1.39B) – then £26 million ($34.6M) in Zakat contributions is due."

Singh added that financially-able Muslim are obliged to donate 2.5 percent of their wealth during the holy month of Ramadan.

"We are trying to appeal to a wider audience with the new money," Erkin Güney, the chairman of the board of trustees, told The Hackney Gazette.

"It's big in the Islamic world, and we have set up a platform for wealthier Muslims outside our community to support and donate to our mosque," he added.

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, an exercise of self-restraint aimed at gaining an understanding of the suffering of those less fortunate.