Welfare in Islam: A Comprehensive Perspective

 
THE CONCEPT OF WELFARE   IN ISLAM
 
The last divine book, the holy Quran,
 which according to our belief contains
the words of Allah, has called Islam a
complete way of life, and has chosen
Islam as a way of life for all human
beings (al-Quran, 5:3
).
 
THE MEANING OF ISLAM
 
Islam is Arabic word which means
submission and obedience to Allah.  When
Islam is termed as complete way of life, it
means it.: no  aspect of life – social , political,
economic or personal, is out of the sphere of
Islam.
 
The Holy prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his four
caliphs (Khulafa-e-Rashedeen) made it an authority
for the rest of time and world.
They actually united the temporal and spiritual
authorities and practiced them in a human society
and which in the first instance remained in practice
for a century in one go. (till the period of Omar bin
Abdul Aziz 717-820 AD or 99-101 AH).
 
During this period , even though the caliphate
(
Khilafat
) 
was converted into dynastic  kingship
(Mulukiat), the basic structure of the Islamic  state
welfare services remained unaffected despite the fact
that the public exchequer  was in the hands of the kings
or the so-called caliphs. It was the Islamic state and
Government which laid the foundations of the  first
welfare State in the human history  on this planet
.
 
THE SACRED AND THE SECULAR
 
Today, things and actions are divided into sacred
and the secular and are two different things. One is
private and the other is social.
   Islam recognize this world as a source of  salvation
and prosperity in the eternal life in the world
hereafter. As a Muslim we believe in the
fundamental that there is life after death and every
one will be accountable for his/ her deeds and/or
misdeeds.
 
Islam views life as a consistent whole and all the aspects
of the human life whether economic, social or political,
are considered as interdependent. ;there is no room for
any aspect of life  to be separated in secular and sacred.
Every socio-economic and political system is goal
oriented and inconceivable  with out any organized
community / society governed in accordance with the
tenets of that system. Similarly Islam as a way of life is
goal oriented and needs an organized society for its
governance in accordance with its own tenets
 
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Catering to the welfare of the people and relieving them
of hardships is a basic objective of the Islamic State, and
the Islamic concept of welfare encompasses all the
welfare services which are known in the west as social
services - education, health, rural development,
agriculture, public health, sanitation, income
maintenance, child welfare, law and order and any other
aspect of material and social well-being.
 
The Islamic welfare model is much broader in the sense
that it considers man not only in need of material needs
but also in spiritual needs and Islam does take notice of
that as well.
Man is made up of matter (clay)
[1]
 and Islam wants his
material well-being. But that matter is also infused with
a soul and matter and soul comprise an indivisible
human being. Man’s material and spiritual needs are
therefore, necessary and indivisible.
[
1]
 Al-Quran, (
Al-Hajr
) 15: 26.
 
God almighty has created sources for meeting the
material needs on and above the earth and made them
subject to the humans
[1]
. All these resources on, and
above or below the earth are for human beings and not
for any particular privileged group/ class or country;
and it can therefore, also be inferred that they are
meant for general welfare—the eradication of poverty
and fulfilling the basic material needs of all humans.
[1]
 Al-Quran, 
Al-Baqara
: 2.29. see also 
Al-Quran, Al-Luqman
, 31;20, Al-Ibrahim
14:32
.
 
ISLAMIC PHILOSOPHY OF WELFARE
 
The basic philosophy of Islamic welfare system is
that the Islamic state is not only to provide
charity and basic needs to the citizens but a
system, which removes all hindrances in the
development of personality. Hence, in an Islamic
state the ultimate aim is to attain 
Saadah
 blessings
of Allah, the Great, -a man’s best self and the
attainment of perfection.
 
A-GHAZALI AND ISLAMIC WELFARE
 
Al-Ghazali has defined the objectives of the Islamic
politico-Legal system as the promotion of public welfare,
and according to him public welfare refers to
safeguarding faith, intellect, life, property and
prosperity
[1]
.
[1]
 
Abdul Hamid Al-Ghazali, 
Al-Musatafa Vol.-I.. 
Al-Maktaba Al-
Tajiran Kurba, Cairo,pp.130-40
 
AL-QAYYEM AND WELFARE
 
Ibn-Al-Qayyem emphasizes that the basis of Islamic
Sharia is wisdom and welfare of the people in this world
as well as in the world hereafter. He enumerates the
elements of public welfare as complete justice, mercy,
welfare and wisdom
[1]
. Hence in contrast to the welfare
system of western democracies, the Islamic welfare state
takes care of the spiritual as well as material welfare.
[1]
 Ibn-AlQayyem Al_jawzzia,  
Ilam-ul-Muaqi
  in Khurshed Ahmad (ed), 1990. 
Studies in Islamic Economics
.
Islamic Foundation  UK. P.149
 
    
Hence, in an Islamic State all the
organizations and institutions should
reflect the characteristic of merciful
blessings and cater for the welfare of all
people. Alongside material prosperity the
Quranic commands emphasize the
spiritual aspect of humanity, for Islam
helps a man both in this world and in the
world hereafter .
 
THE FIRST WELFARE STATE
 
when the persecution and atrocities of
Makkan’s increased beyond limits, the
holy prophet Muhammad 
(p.b.u.h) 
was asked
by Allah to migrate to Madina, in the year
622 ad\ CE after thirteen years of
preaching and calling to the way of  Allah.
 
With migration to Madina, a new era
of Islamic history started. The
Muslim got a practical chance to
implement the divine teachings and
way of life under the supervision and
guidance of the holy prophet
Muhammad (pbuh).
 
Political scientists say that any legal
system with out political sovereignty is
meaningless, similarly laying the
foundations of a state in Madina was
necessary for the new creed as a complete
way of life and the holy prophet laid the
foundations of an Islamic state at Madina,
was the first welfare state in the history of
man kind,
 
run by human beings, the vice gerent of God on
the earth, under the divine socio-political and
economic directives.
This was the first practice of an Islamic state
in the city of Madina and where the holy
prophet had united the temporal and spiritual
authorities in his person under divine
commands.
 
This initial experiment slowly expanded to
the surrounding areas, to Makkah after its
conquest and then the nearby tribes.
Within a period of a decade, after the
death of the holy prophet this state
expanded to the entire Mesopotamia and
the big empire Iran, conquered by the
Muslim armies
.
 
The
 personality of the holy prophet
(pbuh) and the way he brought up his
companions, brought a total change in
their lives, personalities, economic and
political ideals and every other aspect of
social life. This change had far-reaching
impacts on furthering the expansion of the
state.
 
After the death of the holy prophet
(PBUH) his close companion and
Aide Abu-Bakr Siddique (RA), was
selected as the Caliph of the
Muslims. This was  period of
internal and external turmoil  and
there were many challenges to  the
 
 
nascent state of Islam but he
managed not only to quell the
internal instabilities but also the
external threats and maintained the
Islamic state and succeeded in its
expansion as  well.
 
Abu-Bakr (RA) was followed by Omar
bin–Al-Khitab as the second Caliph. He
was born in Makkah in the year 586 CE.
It was his Caliphate when the Islamic
state  was transformed into a world
power  and where he consolidated the
foundations of the welfare state and
 
provided the citizens with
services and facilities 1500 years
ago, which are , today, considered
as the characteristic of a welfare
state, in modern times
particularly in the west
.
 
 
His social policies were the same as
of the present day UK, with a few
exceptions as those of deduction for
social insurance and the interest
based economy. He laid the
administrative foundations of the
govt. and an independent judiciary.
 
THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF
THE FIRST WELFARE STATE
 
1. 
Judiciary
Before the Islamic era, in the entire Arabia there was no
centralized government, and Arabs lived a tribal life.
Tribe was every thing for them and all the basic
necessities of life were met at the tribe level. This lead us
to believe that there was no concept of any judiciary.
With the emigration of Muslims to Madina, and the
establishment of the state introduced the concept of
judiciary.
 
Being a city state, this concept was limited  and
Mosque was the center of all the worldly affairs as
well. With the passage of time the concept
broadened as the Islamic state expanded. In the
period of the first Caliph, the same pattern
continued at Madina where there was an
established Islamic government
 
With the selection of Omer as second
Caliph, a man of extra ordinary
administrative capabilities, and
potentialities, the departmentalization
of the government started and the
first thing he did, was the
 
establishment of an independent
judiciary and its separation from the
executive. He appointed judges
(qadhis) who used to decide the
criminal and civil cases in the light of
the Islamic jurisprudence and legal
system.
 
These judges were appointed at the center
as well as every provincial headquarters
throughout the Islamic state. Before this,
the governor of every province was the
judge, the chief police officer, and the
chief executive or held all the
administrative as w ell as judicial powers.
 
Omer did not like this concentration of powers in a hand
and separated the judiciary from the executive. He
appointed judges of immense repute both honesty wise
and knowledge wise. These judges were normally from
well- to- do and scholastic background so that they could
not be easily enticed for any favorable judgment. He
fixed high salaries for these judges
[1]
.
[1]
 Maulana Shibli  Naumani, 1927, 
Al-Farooq
.  Delhi: Naz Publishing house,p.47-51
.
 
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The concept of the establishment of the 
Shura
 or
parliament of selected people, based on knowledge and
piety of the selectees was introduced by the holy Prophet
(pbuh). The establishment of a Shura is obligatory for an
Islamic polity and this Shura does not mean the
parliaments in the contemporary
 
Muslim world as recommendatory bodies
and which are the meeting clubs of the
aristocrats and the most corrupt political
practitioners, to pursue their vested
interests but it really meant a Shura and
their say had a weight in the political
decisions.
 
Even at the period of the prophet (pbuh) , on the
occasion of the battle of Uhd, when the holy
prophet convened the Shura or general meeting of
the Madina people and asked their opinion about
the venue of the battle, majority of them wanted to
face the Makkans at Uhd instead of having a
passive defense at Madina albeit the prophet
himself was of the later view.
 
Omer the second Caliph expanded the
Shura and gave it a permanent status.
For ordinary issues and day to day matters
the learned people and those close to the
holy prophet were consulted but no
political or national issue was under taken
without the decision of the Shura.
Meetings of the Shura were used to hold in
at
 
mosque at Madina and every member
was free to express himself in the best
interest of the state. Decisions were made
with a majority opinion principle. The
appointment of Governors, ambassadors,
judges and other high officials was made
after consultation with the Shura
.
 
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Omer was known as Farooq-e- Azam which means a person
who makes difference between right and wrong. He was very
stern with regard to justice. He had announced that the high
officials of the Islamic state are not appointed to harass,
terrorize and tyrannize the public but are appointed to teach
the religion and the methods of the prophet (pbuh). He
ordered that whosoever has any complaint against any of the
officials should come and report to him and he will take care
of their rights.
 
He had ordered that all the Governors of the
Islamic state be present on the occasion of Hajj so
that if there is any complaint against them, be
decided. On one such occasion a man reported that
he had been tortured by the Governor of Egypt for
no fault of him and he proved it. Omer
immediately penalized the Governor and asked the
man to take his revenge from him openly and that
happened before thousands of people at Makkah.
 
4.SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAMEMS
 
During the early days of the Islamic state, the revenue
resources were scarce and meager. Even then whatever came to
the state was distributed among the needy at the same time.
There was no concept of accumulating the wealth if people
needed that
. During the period of the first
Caliph, a building was specified for the
purpose where state revenue were collected
and kept and then distributed
 
During this period the amount so
distributed among the needy residents
of Madina, was 20 pieces to maximum.
During the second Caliph, Omer
Farooq, the economic resources of the
Islamic state tremendously increased.
 
It is said that when Bahrain was
conquered, the treasury of that state
came as booty laden on 90 camels.
The treasury was consisting of gold,
silver and jewels and other precious
things. As a result of that the
economic conditions of the Islamic
sate improved a lot.
 
In order to provide maximum relief to the
needy citizens out of this wealth, Omer
convened the Shura and asked the opinion.
The Shura decided that from the revenue the
entire population of the Islamic state who
needed it, be provided with financial
assistance and it was the first social assistance
programme in the history, on a national level.
 
The aristocracy in Madina was of the
view that they should be given
preference and were not in favaour of
help to ordinary Muslims equal to them.
A formula was devised that those who
were the first converts, were given
priority.
 
The second priority was given to
the relationship with the holy
prophet (pbuh) and the third
category was of ordinary citizens
irrespective of their religious
attachment
.
 
Omer Farooq established the public
exchequer and appointed responsible people
of good reputes in-charge of the exchequer
who kept the accounts and this was the first
Treasury and Finance Department of the
Islamic state.
 
[1]
 William Muir, 1924, 
The Caliphate: its Rise, decline and Fall
, Edinburgh: John  Grant, 31  George IV Bridge, p.148.
.
 
Every person whether adult or child, male
or female, Muslim or Non-Muslim were
given the assistance in cash on an annual
basis and minimum rate was 200 pieces
(Dinar) for a child which increased with
the passage of time
[1]
.
 
 
Similarly, a social security programme was
founded by him and every aged, disabled, and
jobless man, women and child was given cash
benefits without any contribution by them. For
himself, he lived a very simple life and lived as
ascetic life to the extent of harshness 
[2]
.
 
[2]
 
The New Encyclopedia Britannica, 1990,Vol-12.p.119
 
5. CONSTRUCTION OF INNS, GUEST HOUSES FOR WAY-
FARERS AND TOURISTS
;-
 
 
In the period of Omer Farooq, guest’s houses/ inns
were constructed along the main road sides and in
the capital cities and towns where wayfarers and
tourists and traders stayed free of cost. They were
provided with food, shelter and medical facilities
there. Many times he used to visit the main inn in
Madina and met the wayfarers and traders and
served them himself.
 
 
6.  PROTECTION TO THE
UNPROTECTED/ ORPHANS
 
As already mentioned, every child was granted
assistance and with passage of time the
amount increased. Omer had ordered that
protection should be given to those who are
unprotected and who have no guardian/ ward
etc
.
 
He had ordered that any such
child who is left by mother on the
road side or other places, the state
will be responsible for his brought
up and maintenance.
 
though there were no baby homes and  day
care centers like the present day but the
local people or those who were interested
in adapting such children, were given
much incentives to adopt them and they
were paid 100 Dinars as maintenance
allowance  for every child which increased
with their age
[1
]
.
[1]
 Maulana Shibli Naumani, Op. Cit.
 
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The institution is very old throughout the
world and it is wrong to associate this with
the Arabs or the Muslims in particular.
Quran is a witness to the institution of
slavery when a prophet Yousaf (AS)
(Joseph ) was sold in market in Egypt of
the pre-Judaic era.
 
Islamic state tried to minimize it as its
complete eradication from the Arab society
was not possible. The holy prophet (PBUH)
time and again expressed his opinion against
this tradition of slavery and advised the
masters to treat them humanly as they will be
asked about it in the day hereafter.
 
 
 
On the occasion of the last pilgrimage
to Makkah, he categorically said that
be kind to your salves and what you
eat yourself, feed them and what you
wear yourself, give them to wear.
 
In the light of these sayings of the
holy prophet, Omer (RA) tried to end
this institution and did not succeed
completely in abolishing it out side
Arab but succeeded to the maximum
in abolishing it in the Arab world
 
He said that men were  born free
of their mothers, then why you
keep them in bondage?
 
8. EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
 
Before Islam, in the entire Arabia ,
there were a few people who could
read and write. Islam gave much
importance to education and termed it
as obligatory for every Muslim man
and woman. As a result of this the
trend of education and knowledge
increased.
 
Education in those days was confined to
the religious education only and Quran
and the sayings of the holy prophet (SA)
had an important place in that education.
As a result, for training people in reading
and writing, schools in Madina and
Makkah were opened.
 
 
When Omer (RA) became the Caliph, he
opened  a lot of schools in all parts of the
Islamic world and appointed teachers there
who were paid heavy salaries. Before this, in
Arabia, there were no concept of school or
Seminaries.
  The army generals were advised to
    make special arrangements for the
 
 
education of the soldiers. He made it
compulsory for every Muslim in the
Islamic state, to  learn at least the five
Surahs of the holy Quran namely,
Albaqara, Al-Nisa, Al-Maida, Al- hajj and
al-Noor.
 
These Surahs of the Quran contains laws
and rules pertaining to daily life’s rights
and duties of Muslims.  The content of
education, in those days , again was
religious teachings with a marked
difference of introducing Ijmaa as the
 
 
other source of law making and Qias
which opened ways for the
advancement of Jurisprudence and
later on to other branch of knowledge
like philosophy, astrology, maths, etc.
under the Muslims.
 
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Omer (RA) took keen interest in the
development of agriculture and land
reforms. Arabs were non-agricultural
people and depended upon Egypt and
Syria for their food needs. These areas
when came under the Muslims, Omer
allowed the previous occupants
 
of the lands to continue their agriculture
and these lands were not taken away from
them. Those who had fled the areas during
such battles, were informed to come back
and take possession of their lands and
continue tilling them.
 
It was also decided that all the uncultivated
lands be given to those who could bring them
under cultivation. Those who could not
cultivate these lands for three years
continuously, were taken back from them  and
allotted to others who were interested in doing
so. Such state lands were granted to the
cultivators.
 
For the development of the agriculture,
,Omer constructed many water canals in
Egypt and Syria and Iraq. According to
Maqrezi, only in Egypt a number of 120,000
laborers were employed to work on such
projects through out the year and these
laborers were paid from the national
exchequer
[1]
.
1]
 Maqrezi, Kiatbus-Salook,
 
Vol-I. Cf.  Shibli Namani, 1927, 
al-Farooq.
 
Omer introduced a new system of land
revenue. He divide the lands into two
categories namely, 
Ushria
 and 
Kharajiah
.
The former lands were the property of
Muslims and a tithe 1/10th was received on it
which had to go to the national exchequer as
an obligatory tax on lands
.
 
Those lands belonged to the Non-Muslims, were
brought under the pool tax and a nominal tax/ land
revenue was imposed on them. This system boosted the
economy of the state.
During this period the famous canal Abu Musa was
built on river Tigris in Iraq and which was nine miles
long. Canal Abu Saad built on Tigris which was later
redesigned and completed by Hujjaj Bin Yousaf,
 
 
Canal Amirul Mumeneen, 69 miles long, connecting
river Mediterranean sea and Red Sea, completed in
Six months. This canal is now a day known as Suez
Canal
[1]
Basically, this canal was already existent, built by
Raamsees-II, The Pharaoh (  Waleed-ibn-musaab-
ibn-rayyan), in the era of  Moses (Musa AS) but was
totally choked by silt for centuries.
 
 
 
it was reconstructed at a time
when Madina was hit by
famine and grain from Egypt
and Syria could not reach
easily by land route.
 
10. PUBLIC WORKS
 
This is the most modern term used for
construction works by the state and includes
the construction of roads, buildings, canals,
bridges, hospitals, schools etc. In Arabic there
was no proper term for this and in Egypt and
Syria, it was known as NAZARAT-E-NAFIA
i.e.
[1]
 William Muer  Sir,  
Op.Cit.
 
the department of public welfare. In the
period of Omer, except hospitals, the rest
of the public construction works were
given high priority. In those days the
concept of hospitalization was not
introduced in Arabia, probably.
 
 
In the history of Arabia, Omer,
for the first time introduced jails
and constructed a no. of prisons
under the public works
department
.
 
Before this, penalties for ordinary crimes
were very stern but when he introduced
prisons, the severity of penalties was
replaced by imprisonment of the
offenders. Similarly, according to an
estimate, he constructed about 4000
mosques.
 
Provincial Headquarters buildings, grain
storages, residential colonies for officials,
inns / guest houses, and even new cities like
Basra, Mosel, Fustat, Koofa
[1]
.
[1]
 
Maulana Shibli Numani, Op.Cit
.
 
 
 
The introduction of Police in
Arabia, the introduction of
cash salaries to the state
employees, Dewan or register of
deaths and births, are some of
his other services through the
Islamic state
.
 
Today, these services may look raw
and crude, but in fact these were the
beginning of the concept and practice
of modern public welfare on a
organized level or state level.
[1]
[
1]
 Maulan Shibli Numani, 
Op.Cit
 
In brief, Hazrat Omer (RA) did the following;-
1.Made army and navy as state departments.
2.Introduced police system
3.Introduced police and intelligence agencies
4. made agriculture development and land
reforms
5.Introduced jails and prisons in Arabia
 
6.Introduced a public assistance and social security
system.
7. Established Judiciary
8. established Accountability system.
9. Developed and introduced tourism and trade
development
10. irrigation system in Arabia.
11. Remodeled the famous Suez canal
12. Introduced fast horses for postal and dak srvices
 
13. Introduced self-supporting financial system
14. Established revenue department
15. Established the concept of need assessment of
food, shelter and clothes.
16.Established roads, inns, new cities like Basra,
Mosel, Fustat and Koofa.
 17. established the district system.
18. made residential colonies for officials and state
buildings.
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The concept of welfare in Islam is deeply rooted in the teachings of the Holy Quran and the practices of Prophet Muhammad and his caliphs. Islam encompasses all aspects of life - social, political, economic, and personal - under its umbrella, emphasizing the importance of unity between temporal and spiritual authorities. The Islamic state pioneered welfare services, laying the foundations of the first welfare state in history. Islam views life holistically and promotes an organized society governed by its tenets for the well-being of all individuals.


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  1. THE CONCEPT OF WELFARE IN ISLAM The last divine book, the holy Quran, which according to our belief contains the words of Allah, has called Islam a complete way of life, and has chosen Islam as a way of life for all human beings (al-Quran, 5:3).

  2. THE MEANING OF ISLAM Islam is Arabic word which means submission and obedience to Allah. When Islam is termed as complete way of life, it means it.: no aspect of life social , political, economic or personal, is out of the sphere of Islam.

  3. The Holy prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his four caliphs (Khulafa-e-Rashedeen) made it an authority for the rest of time and world. They actually united the temporal and spiritual authorities and practiced them in a human society and which in the first instance remained in practice for a century in one go. (till the period of Omar bin Abdul Aziz 717-820 AD or 99-101 AH).

  4. During this period , even though the caliphate (Khilafat) was converted into dynastic kingship (Mulukiat), the basic structure of the Islamic state welfare services remained unaffected despite the fact that the public exchequer was in the hands of the kings or the so-called caliphs. It was the Islamic state and Government which laid the foundations of the first welfare State in the human history on this planet.

  5. THE SACRED AND THE SECULAR Today, things and actions are divided into sacred and the secular and are two different things. One is private and the other is social. Islam recognize this world as a source of salvation and prosperity in the eternal life in the world hereafter. As a Muslim we believe in the fundamental that there is life after death and every one will be accountable for his/ her deeds and/or misdeeds.

  6. Islam views life as a consistent whole and all the aspects of the human life whether economic, social or political, are considered as interdependent. ;there is no room for any aspect of life to be separated in secular and sacred. Every socio-economic and political system is goal oriented and inconceivable with out any organized community / society governed in accordance with the tenets of that system. Similarly Islam as a way of life is goal oriented and needs an organized society for its governance in accordance with its own tenets

  7. THE ISLAMIC APPROACH TO SOCIAL WELFARE Catering to the welfare of the people and relieving them of hardships is a basic objective of the Islamic State, and the Islamic concept of welfare encompasses all the welfare services which are known in the west as social services - education, health, rural development, agriculture, public health, sanitation, income maintenance, child welfare, law and order and any other aspect of material and social well-being.

  8. The Islamic welfare model is much broader in the sense that it considers man not only in need of material needs but also in spiritual needs and Islam does take notice of that as well. Man is made up of matter (clay)[1] and Islam wants his material well-being. But that matter is also infused with a soul and matter and soul comprise an indivisible human being. Man s material and spiritual needs are therefore, necessary and indivisible. [1]Al-Quran, (Al-Hajr) 15: 26.

  9. God almighty has created sources for meeting the material needs on and above the earth and made them subject to the humans[1]. All these resources on, and above or below the earth are for human beings and not for any particular privileged group/ class or country; and it can therefore, also be inferred that they are meant for general welfare the eradication of poverty and fulfilling the basic material needs of all humans. [1]Al-Quran, Al-Baqara: 2.29. see also Al-Quran, Al-Luqman, 31;20, Al-Ibrahim 14:32.

  10. ISLAMIC PHILOSOPHY OF WELFARE The basic philosophy of Islamic welfare system is that the Islamic state is not only to provide charity and basic needs to the citizens but a system, which removes all hindrances in the development of personality. Hence, in an Islamic state the ultimate aim is to attain Saadah blessings of Allah, the Great, -a man s best self and the attainment of perfection.

  11. A-GHAZALIAND ISLAMIC WELFARE Al-Ghazali has defined the objectives of the Islamic politico-Legal system as the promotion of public welfare, and according to him public welfare refers to safeguarding faith, intellect, life, property and prosperity[1]. [1] Abdul HamidAl-Ghazali, Al-Musatafa Vol.-I.. Al-Maktaba Al- Tajiran Kurba, Cairo,pp.130-40

  12. AL-QAYYEMAND WELFARE Ibn-Al-Qayyem emphasizes that the basis of Islamic Sharia is wisdom and welfare of the people in this world as well as in the world hereafter. He enumerates the elements of public welfare as complete justice, mercy, welfare and wisdom[1]. Hence in contrast to the welfare system of western democracies, the Islamic welfare state takes care of the spiritual as well as material welfare. [1] Ibn-AlQayyemAl_jawzzia, Ilam-ul-Muaqi in KhurshedAhmad (ed), 1990. Studies in Islamic Economics. Islamic Foundation UK. P.149

  13. Hence, in an Islamic State all the organizations and institutions should reflect the characteristic of merciful blessings and cater for the welfare of all people. Alongside material prosperity the Quranic commands emphasize the spiritual aspect of humanity, for Islam helps a man both in this world and in the world hereafter .

  14. THE FIRST WELFARE STATE when the persecution and atrocities of Makkan s increased beyond limits, the holy prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) was asked by Allah to migrate to Madina, in the year 622 ad\ CE after thirteen years of preaching and calling to the way of Allah.

  15. With migration to Madina, a new era of Islamic history started. The Muslim got a practical chance to implement the divine teachings and way of life under the supervision and guidance of the holy prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

  16. Political scientists say that any legal system with out political sovereignty is meaningless, similarly laying the foundations of a state in Madina was necessary for the new creed as a complete way of life and the holy prophet laid the foundations of an Islamic state at Madina, was the first welfare state in the history of man kind,

  17. run by human beings, the vice gerent of God on the earth, under the divine socio-political and economic directives. This was the first practice of an Islamic state in the city of Madina and where the holy prophet had united the temporal and spiritual authorities in his person under divine commands.

  18. This initial experiment slowly expanded to the surrounding areas, to Makkah after its conquest and then the nearby tribes. Within a period of a decade, after the death of the holy prophet this state expanded to the entire Mesopotamia and the big empire Iran, conquered by the Muslim armies.

  19. The personality of the holy prophet (pbuh) and the way he brought up his companions, brought a total change in their lives, personalities, economic and political ideals and every other aspect of social life. This change had far-reaching impacts on furthering the expansion of the state.

  20. After the death of the holy prophet (PBUH) his close companion and Aide Abu-Bakr Siddique (RA), was selected as the Caliph of the Muslims. This was period of internal and external turmoil and there were many challenges to the

  21. nascent state of Islam but he managed not only to quell the internal instabilities but also the external threats and maintained the Islamic state and succeeded in its expansion as well.

  22. Abu-Bakr (RA) was followed by Omar bin Al-Khitab as the second Caliph. He was born in Makkah in the year 586 CE. It was his Caliphate when the Islamic state was transformed into a world power and where he consolidated the foundations of the welfare state and

  23. provided the citizens with services and facilities 1500 years ago, which are , today, considered as the characteristic of a welfare state, in modern times particularly in the west.

  24. His social policies were the same as of the present day UK, with a few exceptions as those of deduction for social insurance and the interest based economy. He laid the administrative foundations of the govt. and an independent judiciary.

  25. THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE FIRST WELFARE STATE 1. Judiciary Before the Islamic era, in the entire Arabia there was no centralized government, and Arabs lived a tribal life. Tribe was every thing for them and all the basic necessities of life were met at the tribe level. This lead us to believe that there was no concept of any judiciary. With the emigration of Muslims to Madina, and the establishment of the state introduced the concept of judiciary.

  26. Being a city state, this concept was limited and Mosque was the center of all the worldly affairs as well. With the passage of time the concept broadened as the Islamic state expanded. In the period of the first Caliph, the same pattern continued at Madina where there was an established Islamic government

  27. With the selection of Omer as second Caliph, a man of extra ordinary administrative capabilities, and potentialities, the departmentalization of the government started and the first thing he did, was the

  28. establishment of an independent judiciary and its separation from the executive. He appointed judges (qadhis) who used to decide the criminal and civil cases in the light of the Islamic jurisprudence and legal system.

  29. These judges were appointed at the center as well as every provincial headquarters throughout the Islamic state. Before this, the governor of every province was the judge, the chief police officer, and the chief executive or held all the administrative as w ell as judicial powers.

  30. Omer did not like this concentration of powers in a hand and separated the judiciary from the executive. He appointed judges of immense repute both honesty wise and knowledge wise. These judges were normally from well- to- do and scholastic background so that they could not be easily enticed for any favorable judgment. He fixed high salaries for these judges[1]. [1] Maulana Shibli Naumani, 1927, Al-Farooq. Delhi: Naz Publishing house,p.47-51.

  31. 2 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF SHURA OR PARLIAMENT The concept of the establishment of the Shura or parliament of selected people, based on knowledge and piety of the selectees was introduced by the holy Prophet (pbuh). The establishment of a Shura is obligatory for an Islamic polity and this Shura does not mean the parliaments in the contemporary

  32. Muslim world as recommendatory bodies and which are the meeting clubs of the aristocrats and the most corrupt political practitioners, to pursue their vested interests but it really meant a Shura and their say had a weight in the political decisions.

  33. Even at the period of the prophet (pbuh) , on the occasion of the battle of Uhd, when the holy prophet convened the Shura or general meeting of the Madina people and asked their opinion about the venue of the battle, majority of them wanted to face the Makkans at Uhd instead of having a passive defense at Madina albeit the prophet himself was of the later view.

  34. Omer the second Caliph expanded the Shura and gave it a permanent status. For ordinary issues and day to day matters the learned people and those close to the holy prophet were consulted but no political or national issue was under taken without the decision of the Shura. Meetings of the Shura were used to hold in at

  35. mosque at Madina and every member was free to express himself in the best interest of the state. Decisions were made with a majority opinion principle. The appointment of Governors, ambassadors, judges and other high officials was made after consultation with the Shura.

  36. 3. 3. ACCOUNTABILITY OF HIGH -UPS Omer was known as Farooq-e-Azam which means a person who makes difference between right and wrong. He was very stern with regard to justice. He had announced that the high officials of the Islamic state are not appointed to harass, terrorize and tyrannize the public but are appointed to teach the religion and the methods of the prophet (pbuh). He ordered that whosoever has any complaint against any of the officials should come and report to him and he will take care of their rights.

  37. He had ordered that all the Governors of the Islamic state be present on the occasion of Hajj so that if there is any complaint against them, be decided. On one such occasion a man reported that he had been tortured by the Governor of Egypt for no fault of him and he proved it. Omer immediately penalized the Governor and asked the man to take his revenge from him openly and that happened before thousands of people at Makkah.

  38. 4.SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAMEMS During the early days of the Islamic state, the revenue resources were scarce and meager. Even then whatever came to the state was distributed among the needy at the same time. There was no concept of accumulating the wealth if people needed that. During the period of the first Caliph, a building was specified for the purpose where state revenue were collected and kept and then distributed

  39. During this period the amount so distributed among the needy residents of Madina, was 20 pieces to maximum. During the second Caliph, Omer Farooq, the economic resources of the Islamic state tremendously increased.

  40. It is said that when Bahrain was conquered, the treasury of that state came as booty laden on 90 camels. The treasury was consisting of gold, silver and jewels and other precious things. As a result of that the economic conditions of the Islamic sate improved a lot.

  41. In order to provide maximum relief to the needy citizens out of this wealth, Omer convened the Shura and asked the opinion. The Shura decided that from the revenue the entire population of the Islamic state who needed it, be provided with financial assistance and it was the first social assistance programme in the history, on a national level.

  42. The aristocracy in Madina was of the view that they should be given preference and were not in favaour of help to ordinary Muslims equal to them. A formula was devised that those who were the first converts, were given priority.

  43. The second priority was given to the relationship with the holy prophet (pbuh) and the third category was of ordinary citizens irrespective of their religious attachment.

  44. Omer Farooq established the public exchequer and appointed responsible people of good reputes in-charge of the exchequer who kept the accounts and this was the first Treasury and Finance Department of the Islamic state. . [1] William Muir, 1924, The Caliphate: its Rise, decline and Fall, Edinburgh: John Grant, 31 George IV Bridge, p.148.

  45. Every person whether adult or child, male or female, Muslim or Non-Muslim were given the assistance in cash on an annual basis and minimum rate was 200 pieces (Dinar) for a child which increased with the passage of time[1].

  46. Similarly, a social security programme was founded by him and every aged, disabled, and jobless man, women and child was given cash benefits without any contribution by them. For himself, he lived a very simple life and lived as ascetic life to the extent of harshness [2]. [2] The New Encyclopedia Britannica, 1990,Vol-12.p.119

  47. 5. CONSTRUCTION OF INNS, GUEST HOUSES FOR WAY- FARERS AND TOURISTS;- In the period of Omer Farooq, guest s houses/ inns were constructed along the main road sides and in the capital cities and towns where wayfarers and tourists and traders stayed free of cost. They were provided with food, shelter and medical facilities there. Many times he used to visit the main inn in Madina and met the wayfarers and traders and served them himself.

  48. 6. PROTECTION TO THE UNPROTECTED/ ORPHANS As already mentioned, every child was granted assistance and with passage of time the amount increased. Omer had ordered that protection should be given to those who are unprotected and who have no guardian/ ward etc.

  49. He had ordered that any such child who is left by mother on the road side or other places, the state will be responsible for his brought up and maintenance.

  50. though there were no baby homes and day care centers like the present day but the local people or those who were interested in adapting such children, were given much incentives to adopt them and they were paid 100 Dinars as maintenance allowance for every child which increased with their age[1]. [1] Maulana Shibli Naumani, Op. Cit.

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