Sunnah: "Spend, O son of Adam, and I shall spend on you."
Today is Prophet Muhammad’s, may peace be upon him and his loved ones, birthday. He was born on the 12th of Rabi ul Awal (20th April 517 AD).
Thinking of him on this day, 1,500 years on, many thoughts come to mind. Pakistan is going through a permanent crisis; the immediate one is the flooding in three provinces, which has claimed over 500 precious lives. Disasters have become the sad norm for many Pakistanis.
Pakistan calls itself the Islamic Republic. What are the values which embody the ‘Islamic’ and the ‘Republic’? Who is benefiting from the largesse of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan?
Pakistan has Awqaf (Waqf) departments in each province, based on the Islamic principle/system of charitable endowments for social purposes. They are managed by provincial Awqaf public bureaucrats/government servants. Awqaf own public properties, and commercial and agricultural lands which generate their income. They are meant to be spent and be beneficial to those in need.
In addition, Zakat is generated from the general public/citizens who are registered in banks. Two and a half per cent of one’s income and wealth is supposed to be ‘taxed’ for charity. The principle behind this religious tax is that in an ‘Islamic’ state, the government would provide all the necessary social welfare needs for all its citizens, which means shelter, health, education, nutrition. It cannot get any clearer.
All the necessary social services should be made available to all and every single citizen of Pakistan. This is the principle behind having Awqaf properties and the use of Zakat from the citizens to the state and back to those most in need.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) emphasised charity (Sadaqah) as a fundamental aspect of faith, teaching us that it protects us from the calamity of the ego, purifies our souls from excessive wealth
This is very similar to a social welfare state in secular polities. Northern European polities, Canada, and many countries have social safety nets for their citizens, providing free medical care, education, and support to those unemployed, poor, elderly, unwell, etc. The State cares; its duty of care is not merely moral but legally mandated. It is a right of the citizen to have these expectations from its government.
In reality, Pakistan has none of this, and the citizens do not trust their state.
When in crisis, do we go to the mosque? When in crisis, we turn to local government for assistance, but what are they able to do? Who pays for emergency aid and services when we are in crisis? Who provides the most vulnerable citizens with assistance when we are not in a natural disaster situation, but otherwise in a disastrous state of affairs?
This is not to say the Zakat and Waqf departments are not providing some critical care and funds to needy citizens, but I have yet to see them operate without the required sifarish to get access to those funds. The bureaucrats who manage these funds have a system of support which is unclear. There needs to be more discussion and light in this area of state services and asset management.
Millions of Pakistanis do not get Zakat or income from these authorised Islamic entities. In fact, the Benazir Income Support Program was initiated because there was insufficient support to the neediest in Pakistan. Why? Was BISP established in parallel or to buttress existing social safety pools in government? Why are there so many without basic needs support in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan? Are they operating in coordination and consolidating the needs?
The importance of providing for those most in need is a foundational principle for Muslims. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) emphasised charity (Sadaqah) as a fundamental aspect of faith, teaching us that it protects us from the calamity of the ego, purifies our souls from excessive wealth. It is what pleases the Divine, and it is a divine right of the needy to have expectations from their state.
Every child, woman, and vulnerable person must be cared for in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Today, on the birthday of our Beloved, we should demand accountability and transparency for all
The civic sense and principle underlying this is the importance of selfless giving. We have been taught this over and over again: a smile is also a form of charity, and hurtful words/deeds cancel out charitable works. Giving charity is a duty of care, a way to show mercy and compassion, embodying the ideals of the Islamic creed—caring for others. A state that harms its citizens, disappears its citizens, does not listen to its citizens, or does not adjudicate fairly is not Islamic or Muslim in any shape or form.
There are several direct references in the Qur’an regarding the importance of charity and charitable works:
- Surah Al-Hadid (57:18): "Indeed, those men and women who give in charity and lend to Allah a good loan—it will be multiplied for them, and for them is a generous reward."
- Surah Al-Baqarah (2:263): "Kind words and the covering of faults are better than charity followed by injury. Allah is free of all wants, and He is Most-Forbearing."
- Surah Al-Baqarah (2:271): "If you disclose acts of charity, even so it is well, but if you conceal them, and make them reach those really in need, that is best for you. It will remove from you some of your (stains of) evil."
- Surah Al-Munafiqun (63:10): "And spend [in the way of Allah] from what We have provided you before death approaches one of you and he says, 'My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief term so I would give charity and be among the righteous'."
The reference in Surah Al-Baqarah stayed with me recently, showing that the charity we do very publicly has become the norm, including my works on Instagram and writing about it on these pages. On one hand, the moral duty suggests doing your duty in silence without display; but on the other hand, because there is a serious trust deficit in Pakistan, it becomes imperative there is visible accountability for whose money is entrusted to you.
Many in Pakistan, or those who help from abroad, do not trust the government and channel their generosity and Zakat through individuals, non-governmental organisations, or charity works. Among the incredible organisations are Al-Khidmat, Akhuwat, and the rural support programmes (particularly AKRSP & SRSP).
In every crisis, they are there; whether due to climate change-induced disasters, weak social and physical infrastructures, earthquakes, or man-made war-like situations displacing thousands and millions, they are there. It should be our state/government that we turn to, but it is not. For far too long—almost three generations—it has remained the task of civil society members and a handful of non-governmental organisations who are the primary care providers for the most needy in crises.
As citizens of Pakistan and those who are faith-conscious, this is not a burden but our duty. But what about the government? Questions and answers need to be asked, and accountability and transparency demanded from governments that hold public assets solely meant for welfare. The Awqaf authorities and Zakat departments need to do more, share more, and become more effective.
Every child, woman, and vulnerable person must be cared for in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Today, on the birthday of our Beloved, we should demand accountability and transparency for all.
"The believer's shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his charity."
"Do not show lethargy or negligence in giving alms and charity till your last breath."