Explore the key characteristics of an Islamic welfare state, based on the principles of compassion, charity, and social justice. Learn how an Islamic welfare state differs from other welfare systems.
Characteristics of Islamic Welfare State
Some of the essential function of the Islamic welfare state with respect to|he economy may be stated to be.
- To eradicate poverty and create condition for lull employment and a high rate of growth.
- To promote stability in the real value of money.
- To maintain law and order.
- To ensure social and economic justice.
- To arrange social security and foster equitable distribution of income and wealth.
To harmonise international relations and ensure national defence.
Each of these functions is briefly discussed below.
- . Since economic resources are trust from God it is the moral obligation of the trustee to employ these resources efficiently to realise the purpose of the trust which is the welfare of all the vicegerents of God.
For a realization of this objective it would be incumbent upon the Islamic state not to leave the essential function of allocation of resources, particularly scarce resources, or the determination of aggregate demand to the unhindered operation of blind market forces. It should itself play positive role and consicously contribute towards the attainment of desired goods through (i) rational planning, and (ii) building the necessary physical and social infra— structure.
Planning:
It is now widely recognize that undisciplined self interest and unguided plays of market forces may not always work out for the best of all strata of society and may not necessarily lead to optimum efficiency in the use of resources because of limitation of individual horizon, lack of awareness or appreciation of social costs and unbalanced growth in different sectors of the economy unrelated to the welfare needs of the people. The Islamic state should therefore, resort to planning and play an active role in the implementation of its plans.
The need for planning does not imply that the Islamic state can resort to regimentation of unseruplous control of the private sector. What does imply is that instead of leaving allocation of resources and the management of aggregate demand primarily to the build interplay of market determining properties and guiding or channeling the scarce resources in the light of those priorities, but also regulating demand so that occrance of recession or inflation is abided.
Priorities should of course, be determined in accordance with firstly, the terms of the trust as laid in the sharia by the creator of all resources, and secondly the needs and general overall welfare of Gods vicegrent. The basic teachings of the sharia are eternal and universal but the need of man might differ with changes in time, geographical environment, stages of economic and social development and progress of technology. It may be stated that in general efficient use of resources of the satisfaction of fundamental needs of all trusted should receive the utmost priority.
Physical and Social Infrastructure
For the growth of an economy and the development of a healthy and prosperous society, the existence of a basic physical infrastructure is generally recognized to be an absolute necessity. Much as investment in necessary physical capital leads to the development of an economy, the provisions of such capital leads to the development of an economy the provision of such capital does not appeal to private enterpreneurs because direct monetary returns for investors are small and the amount of capital required is generally beyond their capacity. But since social benefits are so much in excess of private benefits, investment in these sectors must rank high in the development plans of an Islamic state as it should in the development plans of any developing economy.
The Quran enjoins upon Muslims together what ever strenth they are capable of.” The significance of “strength” here need not be confined to military strength. It could also be implied to refer to the economic strength which, among others lies at the root of military strength. An essentia* part of this latter strength is the provisions of an infrastructure thiough the improvement and extension of roads and high ways buildings of dams and bridges, provisions of irrigatin network construction of ports, air ports and telecommunication services, and furnishing of facilities essential for providing external economies to different sectors of the economy. The role of the state here is obviously of primary importance.
investment in education is necessary. Educational efforts must, however, go beyond attempts to increase the degree of literacy, for literacy is only means to teal education and not an end in itself. I he general aim of education in Muslim society must be to raise Muslim who would conform to the ideals laid down in the Quran and the Sunnah to introduce the process of change that would bring about the Islamic environment, to teach ever-new skills, and to stimulate the incentive for search and invention of new techniques of production and distribution so as to utilize God given resources more efficiently. The education system in addition to building upright moral character, should also inculcate in the student the spirit of hard work and efficiency, economy and frugality avoiding waste and extravagence, and making productive investment of savings so that in addition to the individual, it benefits society in general as well.
Another sphere of social capital towards which the government should take positive steps; is public health. It is the responsibility of ths Islamic state to provide a healthy environment combined wit^ adequate medical facilities so as to improve the health and efficiency of people and to reduce suffering from sickness and disease. With respect to a healthy environment one may also argue in favour of better sanitation facilities, curbing of population, provisions of clean and safe water supplies hygienic and comfortable housing clearance of slums.
Stability in the real value of money
One of the most serious problems of contemporary society is persistent inflation with accompanying decline in the real value of money and monetary assets.
In fact stability in the real value of money is vitally importance not only for the continued long-term growth of and economy but also for social justice and economic welfare.
Honesty and justice ii) all measures of value has been unequivocally stressed in the Quran.
Money also being a measure of value, any continuous and significant erosion in its real value, may be interpreted in the light of the Quran to be tantamount to corrupting the world because of the adverse effect this erosion has no social justice and general welfare which are among the central goals of the Islamic system. This implies that any activity or behaviour of individuals groups, or institutions in an Islamic state which significantly erodes the real value of money would be considered to be a national issue of paramount importance and treated with a sense of coiuc!” neverthless, there are other goals which arc of equal or greater importance. If there is an avoidable conflict between the realization of these goods and a compromise becomes ineviable conflict between the realization of these goods and a compromise becomes inevitable then the goal of stable real value for money be some what relaxed provided that the demage done by such relaxing is greater than offset by the realization of other indispensable national goah.
It may be considered obligator for the Islamic state to resort to healthy monetary, fiscal and incomes policies and appropriate direct controls when necessary including wage price controls of minimize erosion in the real value of money, thus preventing one group of society from knowingly or unknowingly. Short changing others and violating the Islamic norms of honesty and justice in measures.
Law and Order:
The importance of this universally recognized function of the state cannot be overstressed. This is because the degree of law and order in a society and the extent of security of life and property are one of the prime determinants of growth and stability of an economy and the inner happiness of individuals. In his rcmarkabley address but powerful farwell pilgrimage adress, In which the Holy Prophet force fully enunciated a number of principles for the sociopolitico economic system of Islam, he declared “your lives and your properties are as scared as this day of Hajj.” On other occasion he emphasized “what ever a Muslim possess in unlawful for another Muslim, his wealth and property and his life.” On the basis of this
Muslim Jurists have unanimously stressed the duty of the Islamic state safeguard the life and property of all individuals within its boundaries so that in the words of the prophet, “a woman travelling alone from Hijra to the Kaba feels such security that she has fear of none of but God.”
Social and Economic Justice
Since Islam considers mankind as one family, all members of his family are alike in the eyes of God and before the law revealed by him. There is no difference between the rich and the poor, the high and the low, or the white and the black. There is to be no discrimination due to race, color or position. The only criterion for a man’s worth is character, ability and service to Islam and humanity. Said the Holy prophet “Certainly God does not look at your forces or your wealth. He looks af your hearts and your deeds.” The noblest of you are the best in character.” To be even more emphatic the prophet warned of the disastrous consequence of discrimination and inequality before the law for an individual or a nation.
Communities before you strayed because when the high committed theft they were set free but when the low committed theft the law was enforced on them. By God even if my daughter Fatimah, comm i ted theft. 1 will certainly cut her hand.
Who ever humiliates or dispises a Muslim male or female, for his poverty will be disgraced by God on the day of judgment.
The Islamic teaching of brotherhood and equal treatment of all individuals in society and before the law would not be meaning full unless accompanied by economic justice so that everyone gets his due for his contribution to society or to the social products and that there is no exploitation of one individual by another. This point is also very well stressed in Islamic writings.
The Quran urgues Muslims to “with hold not what is justly due to others”. Implying thereby that every individual must get what is really due to him and not more by depriving others of their share. The prophet aptly warned. “Beware of injustice for injustice will be equivalent to darkness on the day of judgment.” This warning against injustice and exploitation is designed to protect the rights of all individuals in society and to promote general welfare the ultimate goal of Islam.
On the basis of these teachings, fixation of minimum wages and maximum working hours, creation of appropriate working conditions, enforcement of precautionary measures against industrial hazards and adoption of technological innvations to reduce hardships arc the duties of the state.
Islam protects the employers to his employees. Islam protects the employers by placing certain moral obligation one the employee as well. These include among others honestly diligence and efficiency in the performance of the function for which the employee has been hired.” An employee who excels in his devotion to God also renders to his employer the duty sincerity and obedience that he owed him, for him there is double reward. In this field the Islamic state could play an important role through inculcation of Islamic work ethics in employees and imparting of appropriate vocational education.
Social Security: .
Islam emphasizes distributive justice and incorporates in its system which seems to contain the following five essential elements.
- Making arrangements for training and then rendering assistance in finding gainful employment to those unemployed and looking for work in accordance with their ability .
- Enforcing a system of “just” remuneration for those working.
- Making compulsory arrangements for insurance against unemployment and occupational hazards, old age pensionrs and survivors benefits for those who can afford to provide for this.
- Providing assistance to those who, because of disability, physical or mental handicaps, or adolescence are unable toby their own effort.
- Collecting and distributing Zakat and enforcing Islamic teachings related to the division of the estate of a desceased person to accelerate the distribution of Income and wealth in Muslim society so that in the world of the Quran: “Wealth does not continue to circulate merely among your rich.”
It is the duty of the Islamic state to ensure a respectable standard of living for every individual, who is unable to take care of his own needs and hence requires assistance. The prophet clearly declared that. “He whom God has made an administrator over the affairs of Muslim but remains indifferent to his needs and poverty.” He also said that: He who leaves behind him dependents they are our responsibility, and that the ruler is the supporter of him who has nu supportner.”
International Relations and National Defence
It is the responsibility of the Islamic state to try to make as rich a contribution as it can towards the spiritual and material uplift of mankind. The guiding principles of its policies in international economic relations may in the light of Islamic teachings be briefly stated as: one to co-operate in all matters contributing to reghteousnes and piety and to refrain from cooperation in aggresson and sin and two to work positively for the welfare of mankind because it is the family of God.
These principles of course, relate to all countries and all people to whom the Islamic stale is linked by bonds of universal human brotherhood as propounded by Islam. However, with Muslim countries to which the Islamic slate is also united by bonds of common, ideology it should manifest greater solidarity and cooperation in all fields of life to enhance the unity and dignity of the ummah and the glery of Islam.
The Islamic state should also promote international understanding and peace in keeping with the leaching of Islam which by its very name stands for peace. It should encourage and support and any contructive move towards peace and should honour all treaties and agreement to which it is a partner. Ncverthless, while working for peace as a basic objective the Islamic state should do its utmost to strengthen its deforces so as to prevent or frustrate any aggression against its faith territory freedom and resources since the Quran enjoins; “And prepare against them wheatever force you can.” I his may be understood to imply preparedness in term of training high moral and diversification of sources of supplies if compliance with Islamic teachings the military strength of the Islamic state should be used only for a “just” cause in or resort to aggressive designs and fight in the way of God against those who fight against you but do not transgress limits for God loves not the transgressors