Islamic welfare society
By Dr Abdul Karim
There is growing concern over the rapidly increasing incidence owing to distributive injustice. Hence, the need for poverty alleviation measures. Many international financial institutions ((IFIs) have introduced specific programmes to support this effort.
The Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) of the IMF is a case in point. Pakistan has also adopted poverty alleviation as a priority objective primarily to avail itself of the low-cost financial facility.
With the emergence of religious parties as a new political force, there is now a talk of Islamic welfare state in Pakistan. This will address the same problem as poverty alleviation.
The term welfare state has quite a history in developed countries, even though it is a waning concept. It essentially means a state catering to the basic needs of the citizens.
According to the concept, only the state is held responsible. The common man makes a contribution through taxes and levies for this purpose. This is generally known as social security. What is the Islamic view of it?
First, the Holy Quran describes an ideal society in these words:. "It is provided for thee that thou wilt not hunger, nor wilt thou be naked, and that thou wilt not thirst therein, nor wilt thou be exposed to the sun." (20: 119-20) This means food, clothing, shelter and water.
The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, "A son of Adam is entitled to three things; a dwelling to live in, a garment to cover his nakedness, a piece of bread and water." (Tirmidhi) To this may be added education as this is to be acquired by every Muslim, male or female, as a duty.
The Holy Prophet introduced free education in his own lifetime. The enemy soldiers captured during the battle of Badr were allowed to win freedom either by paying ransom in cash or by educating a given number of Muslims. Many of them, who were literate, opted for the latter. (Bukhari)
He used to dispatch learned Muslims to other tribes to teach them the Holy Quran and other aspects of faith. They were not allowed to charge anything for that, not even to accept a small gift.
They would devote the day to collecting wood from the forest for their sustenance, prepare their meals and look after other personal needs. The spare time, mostly in the evening, was for teaching the Book and other things about Islam. Without health, a person cannot discharge his obligations whether in religion or worldly affairs. This is the essence of the basic needs approach.
Islam, in contrast to the modern concept of the welfare state, holds the individual as much as the state responsible for the welfare of all members of society, particularly those close as relatives or in physical proximity as neighbours.
It would thus be more appropriate to use the word society instead of the state. The joint responsibility of the state and the individual makes the system more effective and comprehensive.
The latter is needed not just in terms of providing physical needs but also emotional requirements that are quite pronounced in case of sick and lonely senior citizens.
Allah has specified, in the Holy Quran, the target groups that are deprived or underprivileged, along with the means to provide for them. The latter is in the nature of compulsory levy as the zakat.
In addition, followers have been strongly urged to undertake welfare activity on a purely voluntary basis. For this, only the sky is the limit. It is in the Holy Quran, "Never shall you attain to righteousness unless you spend out what you love; and whatever you spend Allah surely knows it well." (3:93) "And spend out of that with which We have provided you before death comes upon one of you and he says, 'My Lord! If Thou wouldst grant me respite for a little while then I would give alms and be among the righteous." (63:11)
Divine reward for charity is promised in the Holy Quran, "Surely, Allah rewards the charitable." (12:89). "As to the men that give alms, and the women that give alms and those who lend to Allah a goodly loan-it will be increased manifold for them and theirs will also be an honourable reward." (57:19) "But the righteous one shall be kept away from it (flaming fire), Who gives his wealth to become purified.
And he owes no favour to any one, which is to be repaid, Except that he gives his wealth to seek the pleasure of his Lord, the Most High. And soon will He be well pleased with him." (92:19-22) The Holy Prophet said, "Charity wipes out sins as water extinguishes fire." (Tirmidhi) "Only two persons are to be envied ...and he upon whom Allah bestows wealth and he spends in the cause of Allah through the hours of the night and day." (Bukhari)
It is not the quantum of charity that is important but the spirit behind it. Every Muslim, regardless of his means, is expected to participate in this act of virtue. It is in the Holy Quran, "Let him who has abundance of means spend out of his abundance, And let him whose means of subsistence are straitened, spend out what Allah has given him.
Allah burdens not any soul beyond that what He has given it. Allah will soon bring about ease after hardship." (65:8) "And they ask thee what they should spend. Say, 'what you can spare.'
Thus Allah makes His commandments clear to you that you may reflect, upon this world and the next." (2:220) The Holy prophet explained this by saying, "He who has an extra mount should give that to the one who has no mount, and one who has surplus of provision he should give it to the one who is without it" According to the companion (RA) who reported it, "He made mention of so many kinds of wealth until we were of the opinion that none of us has any right over surplus." (Muslim)
Practical experience shows, there is no dearth of problems to be confronted by the state when it assumes welfare functions. Bringing in individual to lend a helping hand makes the system more effective, thus preserving the self-respect and dignity of the recipients. It, however, adds many new dimensions to management such as coordination so as to avoid duplication of effort and to ensure that there is nothing amiss.
The general tendency to pass the buck and conflict of interests should be watched very carefully. Allah, in His infinite wisdom, has in great detail explained His directives on issues of a permanent nature. Zakat is a prime example.
For problems that could arise in the future and not be comprehended at that time, Allah indicated the basic principles leaving the detailed mechanics to time. Of these, the relative role of the State and the individual in instituting and managing the welfare system comes to mind.
A whole host of literature on experiments for making the state welfare system, sans the individual as one of the purveyors, really effective is available. Here is a challenge for Muslim scholars to devise a system in accordance with the dictates of Islam in their true spirit.
Islamic institutions cannot deliver without the Islamic spirit providing the real motive force. The current experience with the zakat funds provides ample evidence of their improper use, leaving the genuinely deserving in the cold, as the spirit is lacking. The present bureaucratic system of management in the public sector, ruling over rather than serving the public, a deeply ingrained legacy of the Raj, will not do.
The British adopted the regal style in order to awe the natives, and could easily afford it as it was not paid by them. Their style of living and management back home, where they had to pay through their nose by way of taxes was totally different. The powers that be in Pakistan, instead of adopting austerity as preached by Islam, have set new records of wasteful expenditure just to satisfy their ego.
When talking of the Islamic system, the standard set by the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and the righteous successors (RA) is worth keeping in view. It could be argued that resource constraints during the Prophet's time dictated austerity.
Wealth poured in torrents after his demise, particularly during Hazrat Umar's time but this did not change his proverbial simple lifestyle. Hazrat Hassan (RA) once, during a Friday sermon, counted no less than 12 patches on his shirt. (Tabri)
When Hazrat Umar (RA) travelled to Jerusalem to sign the peace treaty as a conqueror and the head of the then mightiest and wealthiest Empire, his entourage consisted of just one servant with whom he shared the only mount they had, riding by turn.
Some Muslim generals wanted him to be more presentable but he refused, saying, "We are the people whom Allah has honoured with Islam. We do not want any thing except Allah." (Ibn Kathir)
The Islamic welfare society, for that matter any effort in the name of Islam can never see success without the implementation of basic Islamic values of life. The most important of these are unshakable faith in the existence of the All-Power ful God - Allah, transitory life on earth, accountability of every thing big or small on the Day of Judgment, and reward by the All-Aware according to the real motive of every human action.
For this, the followers have ample guidance in the Holy Quran and the perfect role model of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). There is no room for corruption of any kind. Fear of Allah, honesty, merit and justice must rule the roost.
The world has recognized after a long and bitter experience that these are essential pre-requisites of a civilized society and has turned to good governance. Islam has been very emphatic about it for the last more than fourteen centuries.