Social welfare project by QnS Academy London.

Zakat or obligatory charity is a foundation of Muslim social services. Social services with Muslims date back more than 1,400 years to the time of the Prophet Muhammad. His biography reflects his involvement in the care of the poor, widows, and orphans and engagement in social justice for women and minorities. Muslim communities throughout the United States are providing social services for Muslims; however, an institutionalized network of professional social services sensitive to the needs of Muslims is in the developmental stage.

The commitment of the Islamic state to welfare is derived, according to Dr. Chapra, from the mercy (Rahmah) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was sent with. Thus, “welfare” and “good life” become synonymous. Ironically, welfare must be understood in its general and comprehensive meaning that includes all aspects of human life, the economic aspect is but one of them. Chapra feels that there exists abundant evidence to make it “absolutely unjustified not to term the Islamic state as a welfare state.”2 El-Ghazali expresses this concept of welfare saying:  “The objective of Shari'ah, as far as people are concerned, is five-fold: The protection of their religion, life, mind, offspring, and property. Thus everything that implies promoting these five things (or any of them) is Maslahah (interest) and everything that implies harming them is Mafsadah (harm).”