Islamic Concept Of Charity And Social Security Religion Essay

Moslem Concept Of kind-heartedness And Social Security trust EssayThis paper deals with the Moslem conception of large(p)ity and the blueprintation of virtuous economy. Charity in Islam has different forms (zakat, sadqah and bribe). It forms the genial guarantor system for the assailable class. It purifies the sub judicely earned bills and determines the close connection of the religion of the God. The crux of the matter of the kind-heartedness is to form a incorrupt economy which regulates the behaviour of Moslems in economic and friendly affairs. The moral economy is ground on the fairness, scent out of responsibility and purity in worship welf be and social security of the the great unwashed.1. IntroductionThe contemporary debate of the unselfishness has been long in the lit datery works (Melvin 2009, Ferrari and Khan 2010, Shirazi 1996, Scott 1987 and Waldron 1986). Specifically, the religious zeal and zest revolves nigh the mental picture of brotherl y love (Iwobi 2009). Moslem concept of brotherly love is not exception for that debate of social welf argon and the security (Scott 1987). It emphasizes on the moral values and the contribution to the miss ingredient o f the club. However, Moslem concept of jack ladder and social security has never been debated in the light of the moral economy.This paper is intend to give a comparative view about the different touchs of the Muslim pilot ladder (zakat, sadqah and donation). The concept of munificence, in general, is not new because every pietism of the world preached that kindliness. However, the focus of this paper is to highlight the forms of benevolence in Islam, their differences and their concussion on the multiculturalism and the formation of the moral economy.The definition of benevolence in Moslem tradition differs and it is context specific. However, its aim and goals re of import the same. The script states And be resolute in your prayer and assume chari ty whatever easily you move forth for your future, you shall find it with Allah, for Allah is face-lifthead awargon of what you do (Al- record book Al-Baqara 2110).Similarly, seer Muhammad (PBUH) said No wealth (of a servant of Allah) is decreased because of charity (Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 2247).Charity is the fifth pillar of Islam and its reward ordain be abandoned in the after(prenominal)(prenominal) world. The charity is not reciprocity for this world, but the world after. The script decl ar the five basic concept of the zakat. These concepts included infaq ( authorizeing benevolently), ihsan (kindness), zakah (purification), sadqah ( kindly deed) and khayrat (good deeds). However, Islam does not force any(prenominal)one to give charity. It is obligatory in the form of zakat and voluntary in the shape of sadqah (charity) and donation.2. Basic concepts of charity in IslamIslamic charity has three basic concepts zakat, sadaqah and donation.2.1 Zakat (alms talent)The z akat () is extracted from the account book zaka to be pure that denotes purification. The Quran highlights to the purification of wealth and states Of their wealth take alms to purify and sanctify them (Al-Quran, Al-Tawbah 9103). The zakat is obligation on a Moslem. It is moral duty of a Muslim to pay zakat at the rate of 2.5% per year. A Muslim cannot deny the zakat. The Quran lists recipients of ZakatZakat is for the poor and the needy and those who are employed to administer and pull together it, and for those whose police van are to be won oer, and for the supernumerarying of human beings from bondage, and for those who are overburden with debts and for every struggle in Gods cause, and for the wayfarers this is a duty ordained by God, and God is the All-K straightwaying, the Wise. (Al-Quran 960).The zakat is disposed individually to the relatives, neighbors and vulnerable communities. It is withal administered together with Muslim charity organization, some of the Musli m states regulates the departments which are responsible of the charity (for instance Ministry of Religious Affairs, Zakat and Ushr in Pakistan) and Muslim associations. Nevertheless, zakat is mandatory to every Muslim (who can pay), but it is pull up stakesful to pay individually or collectively.2.2 Sadaqah (charity)The word sadaqah () is derived from the Arabic root sadaqah which means to be truthful and hence sadaqah implies agreeable in any virtuous and moral act in recount to earn happiness of God. The sadaqah has certain principals which a Muslim must follow. One, sadaqah is given in the name of God. Second, the money or the donation should be from the legal sources. Islam discourages the illegitimate (stolen or unethically gained) money or resources. Third, surplus money (beyond the need of a person) is the money of God and Muslims are custodian of it. Therefore, they should spend and return the money to the needy, poor and spend on the ways of God.The Quran outlines the c harity Those who (in charity) spend of their goods by night and by day, in inscrutable and in public, study their reward with their Lord on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. (Al-Quran, Al-Baqarah 2274). The Quran further highlightsAnd spend something (in charity) out of the substance which We have bestowed on you, before Death should come to any of you and he should say, O my Lord Why didst Thou not give me respite for a little while? I should then have given (largely) in charity, and I should have been one of the doers of good. But to no soul will Allah grant respite when the condemnation appointed (for it) has come and Allah is well present with (all) that ye do. (Al-Quran, Al-Munafiqun 63 10-11).Further, the Quran states And they feed, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive. We feed you for the sake of Allah alone no reward do we desire from you, nor thanks. (Al-Quran, Al Insn 768-9).In another statement, the Quran states For those who gi ve in Charity, men and women, and loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan, it shall be increase manifold (to their credit), and they shall have (besides) a liberal reward (Al-Quran, Al Hadd 5718).Sadaqah is important for a matter of purposes. It reduces the sins and increases the virtue of a Muslim. It compensates for shortcoming in any negligence in the payment of zakat. For instance, if a person forgets to pay zakat in the past or was guilty to pay the zakat, the sadaqah reduces the burden of the past. Sadaqah give a sense of protection not scarcely the donor but also to the receiver of dropping victim of disaster. God pleasure is received through the sadaqah. It is pleasure of the giver of the charity. The person feels happiness and fulfills his/ her obligation to the betterment of the humankind.Model of Islamic CharitySadqah and donation Volunteer charityNo specification of rate or sentenceDepends upon the capability of an individual capacityZakat Obligatory charitywealth (income, earnings and savings) at the rate of 2.5% per anumAgriculture product Crops (around 10%).Islamic Tresury (Fund) Bait-ul-MalSpending Needy, poor (orphans, widows), employees to administer and collect zakat, for those whose hearts are to be won over, captive (prisoners), in debts and scholars, and for the wayfarers.Social Security Marginalized persons, communitiesnumber 1.1Fig 1.1 indicates that Islamic belief of charity is mainly based on the zakat, sadaqah and donation. These donations are peaceful at the Islamic funds. The fund is used to look after the marginalized residential district. This upbeat is a form of social security. Everything related to the Islamic charity is based on the moral economy. The judgment of moral economy is main crux of the charity.2.3 DonationThird term which is often used is the donation. The donation refers to give money, gift or compensate the person, organization who is in need. A donation is typical a charity and it acts the purpose of usefu lnessman. Different lecture are used for the donation khairat ( ) or attya (). These words denote the charity collectively and individually. Islam appreciates the donation to the cause of the humanity. It is normally given at the time of disaster, emergency, masses in need, to save a human being, construct an educational institution and to feed the hungry people.3. Difference between zakat, sadaqah and donationZakat, sadaqah and donations are different kinds of charities in Islamic ideology. Zakat is the obligatory annual alms- plentiful which is placed on the basis of the value of ones own wealth. It is calculated 2.5% as per Islamic traditions in an year. The zakat is calculated at the beginning of the Islamic month Ramadan. agree to the Islamic scholars, the zakat must be collected from the Muslims. This principal does not impose to the non- Muslims living in a Muslim state. It is mandatory and has strict finding of fact to pay the zakat, however, without any penalty for it. Zakat is responsibility of the only person who owns wealth. It is liable(p) on the individual and the family.However, the sadaqah is a charity that is given beside the zakat contribution over the surplus wealth. It is volunteer act and without any percentage. Sadaqah is not specified as only monetary terms (feeding the poor and the needy), but also given support to the orphans, widows in the form of advising or counseling. It also includes the volunteer activities for the jibe of the community at larger teaching to the poor, giving sense of good faith and advising them to excel on the right path, the path of God.Similarly, some of the Islamic scholars see that to form charity organization, construct educational institutions (mosque, school, college, universities) and construction of well (to clean water supply to the community) are the different forms of sadaqah. It can be given on the name of any relative (parents or children), if a person wishes to do so. Nevertheless, the sadaqah is volunteer act of the person and depend upon the capacity and surplus wealth of the person.On the other put across, the donation is neither time specific nor it is mandatory or obligatory. It is volunteer activity of a person. It importantly differs from the zakat, but close to the sadaqah. Nevertheless, these three types of the charity contribute to the wellbeing of the humanity altogether.4. Comparative view of charity Development of moral economyIslamic notion of charity (in its different forms) generates a moral economy. This is the economy which is based on the good faith and welfare of the humanity. In line with Bollig (1998) and Thompsons (1971, 1993) notion of moral economy. Islamic charity gives the following notion of charity.4.1 Islamic charity Moral blastoffBenthall (1999) highlights the Quranic injection of charity. check to Benthall the Islamic system of generosity (zakat) is more create than other societies. For him, the zakat is closely associated wi th the prayers and the worship of God, in that locationfore, the Muslim are morally obliged to pay the zakat to the poor, to the needy as per Islamic conception. He argued that Zakat can be distributed in poor, needy, orphans, widows, divorcees, prisoners and their families, unemployed and homeless people, students, those who cannot afford to marry. It is also for the disasters victims and those in need of free medicine or dignified funerals of a person who need it (Benthall 199931). Therefore, the Islamic charity is a moral injection to work for the betterment of the humanity.4.2 Zakat Powerful instrument to poverty eradicationZakat denotes growth, perpetuation and purification and it is a donation on wealth and agriculture product. The zakat is collected as per nature of the wealth. It is collected to fulfill the tire needs of the marginalized divide of the ordination. The zakat is fundamental creed of Islam It obligatory act of worship (Mohammad 1991). According to Mohammad ( 1996), the zakat is a system that has authorisation to eradicate poverty and inequalities (19911119). The zakat system is well organized system for the development of a country but it can be more organized for poverty eradication and for the maintenance of a society like Pakistan (Mohammad 1991).Similarly, a survey was conducted in 1990/91 of the household unified Economic Survey in Pakistan and findings revealed that the zakat and usher were the significant to contribute the lives of the people (Shirazi 1996). According to the survey, 39000 zakat committees were working with 250 thousand volunteers (Shirazi 1996166). The zakat contribution on 1981/1982 from 845.85 million Pakistani rupees to 4655.9 million in 1993/94 (Shirazi 1996170). The money was spending to substance honorarium for poor (708.622 million), rehabilitation (245.669 million Pakistani rupees) and 1738234 people pull aheaded from the zakat contribution (Shirazi 1996185). However, the current figures on the issue are not available.The development of the Islamic charity and its faire distribution could lead to alleviate and then eradicate poverty in the Muslim countries. However, the institution either do not exist or unable to deliver the services effectively. At some places, this institution was suppress due to the fear of the dominance and power politics. Nevertheless, the Islamic charity has potential to contribute to the welfare of the humanity.4.3 Charity Road towards the social justiceAccording to Bremer (20041) the development of any society local resources are necessary. Islamic societies highly-developed over a range of charity organizations to in fiat to ring the needs of the needy and poor. These organizations are zakat boards, wakf (endowment) and diverse local structures reflecting the richness of Islamic culture from Dakar to Davao (Ibid). For her, a real civilised society is now widely recognized as an important pillar supporting parliamentary institutions in the West ( Bremer 20042). The strength of the civil society leads towards the development of the parliamentary institutions. According to her, hostile aid and a government is not tolerable for development in Muslim societies. Bremer outlines that in recent years USAID has funded the existence of an NGO service center that provides technical assistance and training to civil society organizations, and has granted financial support directly to NGOs ranging from business associations to community development groups (Bremer 20043). For her, this development contribution can be significantly increased with the assistance of Islamic charity in Muslim societies. Ultimately, this charity leads towards the presidential term of the social justice system (Bremer 2004).The whole notion of charity revolves around the notion of social justice in the Muslim world. The charity is the strong instrument to bring in the social justice. It helps the marginalized population within the society and tries to brid ge the gap between the poor and the rich.4.4 Charity Funding for free educationAccording to Blanchard (2007) religious school work as a charity organization in Muslim countries. They are source of providing education to the vulnerable groups, especially to the madrasas (religious schools).Madrasas offer a free education, room, and board to their students, and thitherof they appeal to impoverished families and individuals. On the whole these religious schools are back up by private donations from Muslim believers through a process of alms-giving known in Arabic as zakat. The radiation diagram of zakatone of the five pillars of the Islamic faithprescribed that a fixed proportion of ones income be given to specified charitable causes, and traditionally a portion of zakat has endowed religious education (20074).Blanchard (2007) provides training that in Pakistan Madrasas are being observed by the government regarding their pay sources after 9/11 attack in the United States. He revea ls that the madrasas are contributing to provide the education to the poorest. He found that madrasas are registered in Pakistan and their financial assistance is observed by the Government of Pakistan since portentous 2006 (Blanchard 20075). Nonetheless, the charity could fill the gap of the education.4.5 Charity Belief and health desire behaviourA study highlights the importance of the sadaqah in health quest behaviour in Pakistan (see Midway, Tabasco, Hani, and Khan 2010). This study revealed those patients who strongly belief and practice sadaqah (charity) feel better and believe that they can recover their health after giving charity to the poor. According to this research, almost 85% of the respondent plan and gave charity. The study reveals that the sadaqah is usually giving in the form of money (85.2%) tog (49.2%) and sacrificing an animal (65.5%). Almost 92% of the respondents relate the belief and practice of sadaqah giving in the hope of recovery from illness. Nevert heless, charity gives internal strength to the patients and they believe that they can have better health recovery after giving the charity.4.6 Islamic charity is cosmopolitan or specific notion of welfareThere are both views about the Islamic charity. One, it is localized notion of welfare and limited to the only Muslims and the Muslim societies. The Muslims are contributors as well as consumer of the charity. This perspective is downstairs lit crit among a large segment of the Muslim scholars (see Benthall 1999).However, the second point of view is that Islamic charity is universal and every human being without border, creed and dogma can benefit from the charity. However, the charity contribution is applied only on Muslims. The Muslim contributes to the charity and gives equal importance to the whole human being in order to disburse the charity (Benthall 1999). However, they do not impose on the non- Muslims. Nevertheless, only Muslims are contributor of the Islamic charity. However, it is evenly important to give the charity to the non-Muslims. There is no specification of creed or dogma in the Islamic charity (except zakat). The zakat is limited to the Muslim societies. The donation are without any religious affiliation or association.5. DiscussionThere is wide administer opportunity to get resources in order to feed the marginalized segment of the society, as per the notion of Islamic charity, then why the Muslim countries are subject upon foreign aid is a question which is often raised. In fact, there are two major reasons of the dependency of the Muslim societies on the foreign aid and go on in the vicious cycle of poverty and infra development.5.1 Collapse of the charity institution Change in the charity institutionsMuslim countries depend upon the foreign aid because they were unable to maintain their institutions. Such institutions were collapsed during the closure or soon after (Bremer 2004). In the eyes of the compound get the hang, the Muslim charity institutions were the image of Muslim legacy and they were a source of the rise of the Muslim power. Therefore, it was necessary to abolish such institution from the Muslims societies (Bremer 2004). Especially, the zakat institution was under strong scrutiny during the colonial era because it was believed that this institution supports the freedom struggle. The colonial powers developed the institution of welfare instead of the zakat institution.However, this welfare institution, developed by the colonial powers, was perceived as not ones own. It was considered as a symbol to get money, but without any legacy (Bremer 2004). It was just perceived as the symbol of the colony and soon after become the source to collect the money by hook or by crook. People treasured to get benefited from the social welfare but not were ready to pay it back. Therefore, it was not much institutionalized as the zakat was spread during the Muslim era in the Middle East and in the Muslim c ountries before the nineteenth century.However, the Islamic charity institutions are believed as part of the worship of the God. Therefore, there were rare cases of the unfairness or corruption. They have strong check and repose to maintain the charity among the Muslim charity organizations. Nonetheless, the change in the charity institution brought mistrust and unfairness in the charity. Many of the Muslims societies became the prey of it and remain in the vicious cycle of poverty and under development.5.2 Collapse of morality Change to develop a new morality based on materialismIslam appreciates the giving hands (charity giver) and discourages the charity recipient. According to Islam, giving hand is better than the receiving hand. However, current scenario does not reflect the basic ideology of the charity of Islam.Despite of the fact that the zakat remain as an institution among the Muslim societies at individual level. However, it was not developed at the state level after th e colonial era. It was perceived that state is in the hands of someone else (colonial masters or their local representatives) and there was not any institutionalized rule of the zakat collection and its distribution. This mistrust or non-confidence led to collapse the real notion of the moral economy among the Muslims.In Islamic morality, there are two sets of rights and obligation for a Muslim the rights to worship God and the right to serve the humanity. In Islam, the right of God may be put deflection by the God, if He wants to do so. However, the right to serve the humanity cannot be neglected until unless the lumberman human beings do not forgive it. It is goop related with the people and their rights. They (people, especially poor and the needy) have to forgive their rights to the fellow Muslims. So the Islamic moral values exclusive emphasize on the welfare and social security of the humanity and the marginalized group of the society.However, the collapse of the Islamic m orality of charity is dominated phenomenon in the current era. It does contradict on the basic philosophy of the Islam that spends everything to the humanity which is surplus. However, the materialism and greed for wealth is predominant in the current culture of the Muslim societies. It is depicted in the behavior style and in the emerging value system. Consequently, it is affecting the basic notion of the Islamic charity and changing the moral economy of the Muslim in the contemporary era.7. ConclusionIslamic concept of charity is much associated with the Muslim societies. It forms a moral economy and moral value systems (give charity and worship to the God). It also strengthens the notion of close social networking of the Muslims. However, it does not neglect the humanity at large. It gives a due share to provide the help to the people of the world. The charity is given to the needy, poor, scholars, charity organizations and welfare of the society at large. However, criticism to retain the Muslim charity among Muslim is not exclusive from the backchat of the charity. Dominant point of view, however, is in favour of the humanity rather than the welfare of the any specific community.Islamic charity begins from the individual level. It creates the space for the state. However, it does not exclusive involve the state to regulate the charity. The charity in Islam is equally important to the worship of God. Islam emphasize the worship of God (right to obey the God) and the service for the humanity (the rights of the poor and the needy). The charity is the right of the fellow human beings who are in need and it cannot be neglected as per Islamic moral economy. The Islamic charity is grounded in the concept of the moral economy.