During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims worldwide are heavily involved in the act of charity (sadqa) and zakat (compulsory giving of alms). Giving of alms is one of the five pillars of Islam and is an important aspect in the lives of Muslims regardless of their social status. However, those who are more successful are likely to be largely involved with monetary donations where as others may simply donate their time.

For the past two summers, the Afghan Sponsorship Foundation (ASF) which is an NGO based out of California, has been contributing their time and services to the people of Kabul, the capital city in Afghanistan. Along with their yearly funding and program, ASF organizes an online fundraiser which they heavily promote through social media and encourage people to make monetary contributions on the internet out of the comfort of their own homes. They then use these funds to purchase basic necessities of living (primarily food, water, and hygiene products) for the neediest families. In order to determine who will be the recipient of their aid, ASF visits refugee camps, tent cities, and they also accept referrals from community members to help the poorest of the poor during Ramadan, so everybody has a meal to open their fast with. Their goal is simple “…Our goal as a foundation is to sponsor the youth of Afghanistan in order to guarantee they have equitable access to a quality education ”. Even though spending excessive time distributing aid is a threat to the lives of these young workers, they are so empowered to give back to their communities and build future leaders who they hope will continue this work.

By providing food and clean water, ASF is improving the lives of these aid recipients by reducing hunger of the children in the families, enabling them to be somewhat ready to receive an education. Children who may have never had the opportunity or hope to sit in a classroom now have the chance of improving their lives by going to school on a full stomach and being able to learn. Educating these young and very capable children encourages Afghanis to develop leaders and compassionate community members who will also contribute their time and effort to the communities that raised them together.

The work of the ASF team is a year round effort, with a specific emphasis on the importance of raising funds during Ramadan because many Muslims are both needier and more giving during this holy month. The importance of giving is highlighted in the Holy Qura’an in Surah Tauba (The Repentance):

Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [zakah] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded] traveler – an obligation [imposed] by Allah . And Allah is Knowing and Wise.
Ultimately this is an amazing victory for all. The board members and executive team of ASF are able to carry out the work of their organization and feel good knowing they are doing good, the donors are fulfilling their religious (Islamic) obligations, and the recipients of the aid are able to open their fasts, and eat well during Ramadan. If a specific family has been sponsored, they then receive a monthly basket with enough necessities to get them through the month and keep their children who are in school- on a full stomach. By providing meals, ASF is in essence sponsoring these children to have promising futures so they too can give back to their homeland.

Works Cited

Afghan Sponsorhip Foundation- our mission. (2012). Retrieved September/22, 2012, from http://www.afesf.org/our-mission/

Holy Qura’an. Surah Tauba (The Repentance). Retrieved from http://quran.com/9/60-60

Zoroastrianism is thought by many scholars to be the world’s oldest monotheistic religion.

Founded by Zoroaster (also known as Zarathustra) in approximately 1500 BCE, Zoroastrianism was

the principle faith of the ancient Persian empire, which, while centered on the territory now

occupied by modern-day Iran, stretched at its acme from northern Africa and the Middle East to

China. In the 10th century CE, as Islam swept central Asia, many Iranian Zoroastrians fled to India,

where they settled in Gujarat. These Indian Zoroastrians became known as the Parsis. (“Parsi” is

Gujarati for Persian.)

The Parsis are renowned over the world for their robust philanthropic tradition. Indeed,

“Parsi, thy name is charity” is a common saying in India which dates back to the British Raj. Parsi

philanthropy encompasses individual giving as well as institutional giving, and the tradition is

rooted in the tenets of the Parsis’ Zoroastrian faith as well as in the unique set of social forces that

influenced the early development of their community in India.

Zoroastrians worship one God they call Ahura Mazda, a being they take to be all-knowing,

all-powerful, and perfectly good. Zoroastrians believe that Zoroaster was Ahura Mazda’s prophet

and that his, Zoroaster’s, central teaching can be summarized as follows: “Think good thoughts,

speak good words, and do good deeds.” Thus, charity is one of the religion’s fundamental tenets.

There are at least two reasons for this, both stemming from Zoroastrian views of good and evil.

First, Zoroastrians hold that poverty and suffering are evil at work in the world. While humans are

taken to be children or servants of God in other monotheistic faiths, Zoroastrians believe that

humanity must work in active partnership with God to remove these evils. Second, while other

religions often deplore wealth and its pursuit—think of the Christian Gospels on how difficult it is

for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven!—Zoroastrianism regards wealth as a good, so long

as it is acquired fairly and used righteously. The view that we must work with God to eliminate

evil thus comes together with a positive outlook on wealth to encourage a philanthropic

commitment on the part of Parsis.

Social factors have also played a role in Parsi philanthropy. Christian missionaries in India

began building schools in the 1800s. Seeking to ensure a place for their children outside of these

missionary schools, the Parsis responded with an ambitious, charity-driven program of school

construction. The Parsi Benevolent Association, founded by Jamsetjee Jeejeeboy in 1849, built 21

schools. So successful were these efforts that by 1901 the literacy rate for Parsi males was almost

88 percent and for females was 63 percent (p.213). This tradition continued with the work of Parsi

industrialist Jamsetji Tata, who established the J. N. Tata Endowment Scheme for Higher Education

in 1892 as well as a host of other philanthropic ventures. The business enterprises Tata founded

play to this day a leading role in Indian and global philanthropy.

The roots of Parsi giving go back a long way. Just how long can be guessed by the

distinction between three kinds of charity drawn by Aturput Mahraspand, High Priest to Shapur II,

King of the Sasanian Persian empire from 309 to 379 CE: giving without being asked; giving

immediately on being asked or required; and giving when one has promised one would give. He

stressed, too, that charity is good when one expects nothing in return, certainly not personal gain or

fame. Even today one of the first prayers a Zoroastrian child learns is the Yatha Ahu Vairyo: “He

who gives assistance to the poor acknowledges the kingdom of God.”

Works Cited

BBC, “Zoroastrianism at a Glance.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/zoroastrian/ataglance/glance.shtml. Accessed January 31, 2012.

Chothia, Fali S. “Getting to Know the Zoroastrians.” The Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan

Washington, Inc. http://www.zamwi.org/religion/Getting.html. Accessed January 31, 2012.

BBC, “The Parsis.” http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/zoroastrian/history/parsis.shtml. Accessed

January 31, 2012.

Dadrawala, Noshir H. “Parsi They Name Is Charity.” Parsis, Iranis, Zarathushtis—ALL Under One Roof.

http://zoroastrians.net/2011/08/17/parsi-charity-and-philanthropy/. Accessed January 31, 2012.

BBC, “Zoroastrian Beliefs about God.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/zoroastrian/beliefs/god.shtml. Accessed January 31, 2012.

BBC, “Humanity in Zoroastrianism.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/zoroastrian/beliefs/humanity.shtml. Accessed January 31, 2012.

Rose, Jenny. Zoroastrianism: An Introduction. I. B. Tauris, 2011.

Wikipedia, “Shapur II.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shapur_II. Accessed on

January 31, 2012.

Islamic history has seen many philanthropic conventions and traditions over time. Although some of these customs are no longer existent or have been significantly altered from their original structure, there continues to be many philanthropic practices that prevail in current Islamic culture.

One such tradition that has been closely connected to Islamic philanthropy for many centuries is the construction and support of madrasas (Blanchard, 2007). A historic Islamic madrasa can be defined as an institution in which male Muslim students go to receive higher education chiefly on the topic of religion among many other subject areas (Hefner & Qasim Zaman, 2007). Madrasas were typically founded and supported by Islamic elites who offered funding through religious endowments to sustain services offered to students by the institution (Blanchard, 2007). This paper will specifically examine Nizamiyah; one of the earliest madrasas established in Islamic history.

Nazamiyah was founded by Seljuq vizier, Nizam al-Mulk, in Baghdad, Iraq during the middle of the eleventh century (Blanchard, 2007). The institution was made up specifically of male students who practiced Muslim faith (Makdisi, 1970). Attendees of Nizamiyah were not required to provide any payment to the founder or the institution itself (Makdisi, 1970). During their time receiving higher education at Nizamiyah, students had access to educational services, learning facilities, dormitories, dining halls, libraries, and medical services (Blanchard, 2007). They were also granted with scholarships and supplementary allowances to compensate for any further living costs they encountered (Makdisi, 1970). Much of what was taught at Nizamiyah was based on Muslim faith and focused on religious sciences, architecture, and literature (Hefner & Qasim Zaman, 2007).

Madrasas were constructed from the wakf of an elite family, which typically consisted of a building, piece of property, or funds that were donated specifically for the charitable purpose of helping others in need (Lapidus, 1984). Although madrasas possessed many benefits for students, founders of these institutions also received reward for their generosity on a social and spiritual level. During the eleventh century, when Nizamiyah was an operational madrasa in Iraq, funding and supporting these institutions enhanced the familial status of the founder and was thought to bring them close to their higher power (Lapidus, 1984).

Political in nature, the overall goal of Nizamiyah was to produce educated men who were capable of contributing to the bureaucratic class in Islamic culture (Blanchard, 2007). Although Nizamiyah had many immediate philanthropic notions, such as providing food and medical care, it also aimed to promote social mobility for Muslim men (Hefner & Qasim Zaman, 2007). Essentially, Nizamiyah has played an instrumental role shaping and perpetuating modern forms of education and philanthropy in modern Islamic society.

Works Cited

Blanchard, C. (2007). Islamic religious schools, madrasas: Background.

Hefner, R. & Qasim Zaman, M. (2007). Schooling Islam: The culture and politics of modern Muslim education. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Lapidus, I. (1984). Muslim cities in the later middle ages. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Makdisi, G. (1970). Madrasa and university in the middle ages. Studia Islamica, 32, 255-264. Retrieved from http://www.studiaislamica.com

Since the beginning of time people have used religion to help guide them through life. There are many different religions out there with different religious paths that all eventually lead up to the same end result, which is a higher power that we look up to (in most cases). Some religions are more common than others and are very well established around the world such as Christianity, Islam and Judaism. In 1017 the Druze faith branched off the Islamic faith and was established. (Wikipedia, 2014) The Druze faith is a relatively small Middle Eastern religious sect characterized by its close-knit identity and distinctive faith. They are a monotheistic religious and social community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan and account for approximately 2,000,000 of the world’s population. (Wikipedia, 2014) The Druze beliefs incorporate elements from Abrahamic religions as well as Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, Pythagoreanism and other philosophies creating a distinct theology known to highlight the role of the mind and truthfulness. (Britannica, 2014)

Conversion into this religion is not permitted, so due to the smaller extent of the people in this faith it is important that they have a strong support system for one another in order to maintain strength and posterity. One of the many things the Druze do for their community is support and fundraise for an orphanage with has now become a non – profit Druze organization with a social philanthropic institution for public services called Beit Al – Yateem.
This facility was established by Arif Al – Nakadi who had a great deal of passion for assisting those in need. With little support from the Lebanese social welfare service at first, Mr. Nakadi received the majority of the funds as a loan from the bank, and collateral of his personal properties. (Druze, 2014)

This project was financially very unsteady for Mr. Nakadi, but over the past thirty years the Druze Orphanage with the assistance of private and corporate donors the Orphanage now owns the main building along with the new administration and schooling buildings. The orphanage provides boys and girls who have no family or come from broken homes with housing, nourishment, clothing and schooling. The Orphanage now owns seven buildings in which 900 children are cared for. (Druze, 2014)

The Druze community is very supportive of their own people and has provided much assistance in maintaining the foundation for the Orphanage. I am of Druze faith and we host many events at our community center along with many Druze people in different cities or communities. This Orphanage has always been a focus of ours along with many other Druze foundations. During our events much of our proceeds are donated to the Orphanage, along with clothing drives which take place in hopes to provide these children with bright futures and the tools for great opportunities. (Druze, 2014) This summer I had the opportunity to visit this Orphanage with my family and it was such a blessing to see how strong of a community and belief system we have in order to work together and give these children the opportunities and care they have, otherwise who knows where they could have ended up based on their circumstances.

Works Cited

Druze Orphanage. (2014). Retrieved September 19, 2014, from:

http://www.druze-orphanage.org/

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (2014).Druze. Retrieved September 19, 2014, from: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/172195/Druze
Wikipedia. (2014). Druze. Retrieved September 19, 2014, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druze

Acts of philanthropy occur in almost every population, all over the world. Often these acts stem from religious beliefs. In Islam, Allah is the owner of everything that exists (Jalili, 2006). From this comes the belief that wealth and money should be evenly distributed among the people in order to avoid the concentration of economic power within a few hands (Jalili, 2006). To understand how this wealth is evenly distributed we must turn to the Qu’ran.

In Islam, the Qu’ran is the religious text that Muslims follow for spiritual guidance. From the Qu’ran, two fields of charity developed: the required alms tax, known as zakat, and voluntary donations known as sadaqa, recommended to every Muslim (Singer, 2005). The two themes of giving are subtly different despite seeming very similar. Both involve charitable donations to those in need and both operate under the assumption that the donor is doing so with the best of intentions (Kochuyt, 2009). The main difference, in theory, between the two is that zakat is mandatory while sadaqa is not. This obligation to pay the zakat tax might mean that in reality the donor is not doing so because he wants to. Philanthropy is an altruistic act that is done for the benefit of others. Zakat involves giving and benefits those in need, but zakat is mandatory and therefore can be argued that it is not an act of philanthropy. It should be noted, however, that often the terms zakat and sadaqa are used interchangeably. It is generally assumed that, regardless of whether one gives out of obligation or free-will, the act is selfless and reflects the donor’s pure niyya, or intention (Kochuyt, 2009).

In theory, sadaqa is the more philanthropic act of the two. It is voluntary and therefore reflects more accurately the altruistic nature we associate with philanthropy. One such historical act of sadaqa involved the donation of a basic necessity: food.

Public kitchens in the Ottoman Empire, known as imarets, began in the 14th century and distributed food free of charge to those in need (Singer, 2006). These imarets were acts of sadaqa, meant to bring the wealthy founders closer to God (Singer, 2005). From a philanthropic perspective, the public kitchen, Singer (2006) argues, was an expression of the Ottoman desire to see all citizens, regardless of their standing in the social hierarchy, reap the benefits of the Ottoman Empire.

In Islam, charity is guided by the religious beliefs outlined by Allah in the Qu’ran. The two types of charity that emerge are zakat, a compulsory alms tax for the poor, and sadaqa, a voluntary donation. Regardless of whether giving is compulsory or a selfless desire to help, the charitable actions promoted through Islam help promote the idea of philanthropy. Giving and charity are important parts of the Islamic religion.

Works Cited

Jalili, A. (2006). A descriptive overview of Islamic taxation. Journal of American Academy of Business 8(2): 16-28.

Kochuyt, T. (2009). God, gifts, and poor people: On charity in Islam. Social Compass 56(1): 98-116.

Singer, Amy. (2005). Serving up charity: The Ottoman public kitchen. Journal of Interdisciplinary History

Singer, Amy. (2006). Soup and sadaqa: Charity in Islamic societies. Historical Research 79 (205): 306-324.

The Muslim tradition of sharing sacrificial meat with relatives and friends, and the poor and the needy, occurs during the religious celebration of Eid al-Adha, or the “Greater Eid” or “Festival of Sacrifice”, which is observed annually from the 10th to the 12th of the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The significance of the sacrifice is a solemn reminder that the essence of being a Muslim is a lifestyle of complete and total submission to Allah, including a willingness to sacrifice most cherished belongings in obedience to Allah. This is inspired by the ultimate sacrifice Allah asked of Ibrahim, and his only and most cherished son Isma’el, to prove their unquestioning devotion and obedience to him.

As told in the Qur’an, this occurred when Ibrahim was 99 years old, and Isma’el was about thirteen years old. Ibrahim was considered a prophet, and it was known that Allah communicated his desires to his prophets through dreams. Ibrahim had recurring dreams that he interpreted as Allah’s request for Ibrahim to sacrifice Isma’el in his name. Ibrahim did not question Allah’s wisdom so he approached Isma’el with his intention. Isma’el agreed that Allah’s request should be followed, and the two willingly proceeded with the sacrifice in Allah’s name. Allah rewarded their devotion by replacing Isma’el with a ram to be sacrificed, and made it a requirement of all Muslims to commemorate Ibrahim and Isma’el’s complete submission to Allah through this annual observance of their sacrifice.

The sacrifice is made after the Eid prayer, also called Salat al-Eid, which includes a reminder to the Muslim community that it has responsibilities and obligations towards Allah, and that good works, kindness, mercy and generosity are to be shown towards their fellow Muslims and humanity as a whole.

There are rules of the sacrifice that must be adhered to. The animal to be sacrificed must be one of the cattle approved by the Sharia (either a cow, camel, goat, lamb, sheep, ram, or buffalo), it must have reached a required age, it must be free from obvious defects and in good health, it must be the possession of the person who offers it as sacrifice (not stolen, jointly owned or held as collateral), it cannot be sold or given away once chosen for sacrifice unless being exchanged for something better. The person offering the sacrifice must be Muslim, must not remove any hair or nail between sunset the day before Eid until the sacrifice is done, must do the slaughter with one’s own hands (or appoint someone else if unable to do so, but must witness the slaughter), with the intention of the offering being a sacrifice (this is an intention of the heart and not to be spoken aloud), and must pronounce the name of Allah at the time of the slaughter (this is done whenever an animal is slaughtered throughout the year as a reminder that Allah has given them power over animals and allowed them to eat meat, and that life is sacred). If these rules are not adhered to, the sacrifice is considered unacceptable. The sacrifice is then divided into three shares, one share each going to the family, to relatives and friends, and to the poor and needy.

One purpose of giving sacrificial meat is to ensure that no poor or needy people are left out of this sacred celebration; it also symbolizes the willingness to sacrifice something that would be highly valued, in order to strengthen the community and help the truly needy, in recognition that all blessings come from Allah. If a family is wealthy enough to pay Zakaat, they must also provide a sacrifice. If they do not keep livestock they can contribute to a charity that will provide the poor with meat; if they do not have enough money to provide a sacrifice they can pool their money with others in the same situation to fulfill this obligation.

Works Cited

Eid al-Adha: Meaning of “The Festival of Sacrifice”. Retrieved Jan 25, 2011 from About.com: http://islam.about.com/od/hajj/a/adha.htm

Hamid, A. A. (n.d.). Eid al-Adha: Festival of Sacrifice, A Commemoration of the Devotion of Ibraheem and Isma’el. Retrieved Jan 25, 2011 from Mission Islam: http://www.missionislam.com/knowledge/eidaladha.htm

Imam Siddiqui, A. (n.d.). The Significance of Eid. Retrieved Jan 25, 2011, from Islamic Society of North America: http://www.isna.net/Islam/pages/The-Significance-of-Eid.aspx

Often Sadaqah is made in the form of a “waqf, which is a gift that is used to bring a return, with the profits being put towards charity. According to the Kerala State WAFK Board, the word “Waqf” has its origin in the Arabic term “Waqufa”, meaning to hold or tie up. A waqf is very similar to a charitable trust or endowment made in Western culture.

A waqf can be made in many forms, including books, agricultural machinery, cattle, shares, arable land, money, buildings, a business and more. Often the rewards for this type of charity continue even after the donor’s death and for as long as people continue to benefit from the waqf (Islamic Relief Worldwide, n.d.). In fact, a very central element to a waqf is its permanence (Encyclopedia of the Middle East, 2008). For a donation to be considered a waqf, it must be a form of continuous charity and the original gift can never be sold or altered (Islamic Relief Worldwide, n.d.). The only exceptions to these restrictions are when donors or trustees of the waqf violate the contract or if the founder or manager secedes from Islam (Encyclopedia of the Middle East, 2008).

According to the Kalifah Institute, throughout Islamic history there have been three types of waqf. In the first type, a religious waqf, all revenue generated by the original gift is spent solely on the operation and maintenance of mosques (Kalifah Institute, 2011). The second type, a philanthropic waqf, aims at supporting the poor segment of the society and the activities of the community at large (Kalifah Institute, 2011). Libraries, scientific research, education, health services, the environment, parks, roads, and bridges are all examples of projects and programs that are supported by philanthropic waqfs. The final type of waqf is called a posterity or family waqf, which ensures that the donor’s family and children be the first to benefit from the revenues of their waqf (Kalifah Institute, 2011). In this case only the surplus, if any, would be given to the poor. This last type of waqf is very interesting because it originated as a way to circumvent regulations In Islam that do not allow inheritance, causing wealth of individuals to become property of the ruler (Encyclopedia of the Middle East, 2008). Wealthy families donated properties as waqf, naming their sons as trustees. The trustee usually received 10% of the income, guaranteeing that at least some wealth remained in the family (Encyclopedia of the Middle East, 2008).
Today, charitable organizations such as Islamic Relief organize large waqfs to cover the costs for long-term projects. For example, donations from the public to the organization are pooled and invested according to the principles of Islamic Shari’ah, and the income is then used to help the poor (Islamic Relief Worldwide, n.d.).

Works Cited

Encyclopedia of the Middle East (2008). Waqf. Retrieved on February 3, 2011 from http://www.mideastweb.org/Middle-East-Encyclopedia/waqf.htm

Islamic Relief Worldwide (n.d.). Waqf Future Fund. Retrieved on February 3, 2011 from http://www.islamic-relief.com/Waqf/default.aspx?depID=16

Kalifah Institute (2011). WAQAF. Retrieved February 2, 2011 from http://www.islamic-world.net/economic/waqf/waqaf_mainpage.html

Kerela State WAKF Board (n.d.). Wafk. Retrieved February 3, 2011 from http://www.keralastatewakfboard.org/

Wikipedia (2010). Sadaqah. Retrieved February 2, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadaqah

A hospital is a building that houses sick and diseased individuals so that they can be treated and, ideally, cured by specialized medical staff. Absolutely central to the sophisticated medical care offered by modern societies, hospitals in fact evolved at a specific time and place – during the 4th century in Constantinople, as a form of philanthropic outreach by the newly Christianized Eastern Roman Empire. The Roman Empire split in half in the 4th century, spurred on by Constantine’s decision to establish Byzantium as his capital city, subsequently renamed Constantinople.

The collapse of the Western Empire, with the sack of Rome in 410 by the Goths, ushered in the Dark Ages for Europe. By contrast, the Eastern Roman Empire flourished until the city’s fall in 1453 CE to the Ottomans – another thousand years.
​
Constantine, who ruled from 306 to 337 CE, had converted to Christianity. With the division of the empire into two halves in 395 CE, the Eastern Roman Empire (or Byzantine Empire) became both Christian and Greek speaking. As Timothy Miller writes, “the ancient Hellenic heritage, the city environment, the Christian church, the monastic movement, the imperial bureaucracy, and the medical profession all participated in shaping and sustaining perhaps the most fascinating institution of the Byzantine Empire – its hospitals” (Timothy Miller, The Birth of the Hospital in the Byzantine Empire, 1997, p. 11).

The best description of an early hospital comes from the “typikon” for the Pantokrator monastery in Constantinople (of 1136 CE), a document that lays out the rules for establishing the “xenon” or hospital. Part of a larger complex, it featured 50 beds, divided into sections according to the type of illness and gender of patient, a large and hierarchical medical staff, independent managers and serving priests.

While classical Greece had generated a significant body of medical knowledge and a professional class of doctors, both imported into the Western Roman Empire, the concept of a hospital – a building that housed patients of all social strata to be tended by medical professionals with the aim of curing them – did not evolve until the 4th century in Constantinople. Patients either went to the doctor, or the doctor visited the patient. Alms houses also existed for the poor and for travellers, but not specifically for treating the sick. There were also earlier Roman examples of facilities that treated soldiers and slaves, but the xenons of Constantinople were revolutionary. Evidence suggests that the description of the Pantokrator xenon above closely resembles the facilities that were invented in the 4th century and would be recognized today as hospitals.

The conversation of Constantine to Christianity meant that he was both emperor and head of the church, “retaining significant religio-political functions” (Miroslav Ruzica, “Orthodox Christinity, the Nation-State, and Philanthropy: Focus on the Serbian Orthodox Church” in Philanthropy and Social Change). Ruzica argues that the Orthodox Christian Church was therefore “reduced to its spiritual functions” (Ruzica, p. 238), with a form of belief and worship that focused on the spiritual and the eternal, rather than the particular and the present – a focus on the mystical as a part of the process of theosis, of becoming Christ-like. But since Christ’s teachings were emphatic on the need to help the oppressed, the sick and the poor, it was the duty of the church, of the bishops, indeed of the emperor, to help these groups directly. Miller argues that the Christian concept of agape inspired the early church bishops to care for the sick as a form of religious duty, “as expressions of Christian charity” (Miller, p. 61). This care was also necessary for their spiritual well being, as part of their process of theosis. In addition, the emperor had extended tax immunities to the church, allowing the church to amass considerable wealth, which in turn was used to fund hospitals and other philanthropic projects, such as old age home and orphanages.

The church-led effort to help the sick was married to the robust tradition of pagan Greek medicine to create hospitals. In Byzantine culture, both priesthood and medicine were respectable professions, and often there was considerable overlap, in that priests studied and even practiced medicine. The early church rejected the idea that healing should be spiritual only, rather seeing in the practice of medicine the direct application of philanthropia or love in action. Early Greek church writings used the metaphor of Christ as a physician or healer, a metaphor also applied more broadly to the bishops.

However, some writers have pointed out that the number of beds, and therefore the number of patients helped, must have been very small relative to the total population. Ruzica argues that Orthodox Christian philanthropy was almost symbolic, rather than practical. The emperor, for instance, required the sick being treated in the Pantokrator hospital to pray for him, as a way of building up his spiritual “capital”. Regardless, the unique confluence of Christian philanthropy, imperial largesse, Greek medical knowledge and being situated in the capital of an empire all contributed to the development of the hospital, an institution for the public good that is now universal in advanced societies.

Afghan Muslims are responsible for carrying out the duties and rituals commonly referred to as the five pillars of Islam. These include the recitation of the creed (shahdah), daily prayers (namaz), almsgiving (zakat), fasting (ruzah) and pilgrimage (hajj), (Sitar, 1969).

In this paper I will be focusing on the zakat system as practiced in Afghanistan. Zakat, or almsgiving, means donating a percentage of one’s wealth to the needy or poor. Currently, many institutions and organization are surviving solely on zakat money within Afghanistan. Schools and orphanages actively collect zakat donations yearly, especially within the month of Ramadan. In fact, many of these orphanages rely heavily on their zakat funds for their annual budget. The poor and impoverished also receive much of their medical needs, schooling and basic daily living from this money. Thus, Islam has emphasized the importance of zakat and has used the Muslim religious text of the Quran to highlight its need within Muslim societies. According to the Encyclopedia of Islam, any Muslim who does not believe in the five pillars of Islam is not categorized as a Muslim. Also, the prayers of those who do not pay their zakat will not be accepted within Islam (Houtsma et al, 1913-1938). There is no specific amount of zakat that must be paid, but traditionally, in Afghanistan and other Islamic states, 2.5 % of one’s accumulated wealth over a year is given (Ahmad, 2009).

Every year my family and I send our zakat money to an orphanage in Afghanistan. I personally believe that orphans deserve most of our zakat funds since they experienced many traumas as result of the war and many of them lost their parents and other love ones. At the orphanage, they are in a safe and clean environment with people that cares about them and the children are able to study to build their future.

Works Cited

Ahmad, M.A. (2009). Zakat fund -concept and perspective. 2, 197-205. M.th.Houstsma et al., eds. (1913-1938) The Encyclopedia of Islam: A Dictionary of the Geography, Ethnography and Biography of the Mohammedan peoples. London: Brill Publishers.

Mohammad, F.Z. (1991). Prospects of poverty Eradication through the existing zakat system in Pakistan. The Pakistan Development Review, 1119-1129.

Sirat, A.S. (1969). Islamic study review: sharia and Islamic education in modern Afghanistan. Middle East Journal, 23(2), 217-219.

Islam is the second largest religion in the world and still growing. There are five pillars which are obligatory acts of worship: The Testimony of Faith, Prayer, Giving Zakat, Fasting the Month of Ramadan, and The Pilgrimage to Makkah. (Leslie, 2010)

The third pillar is Zakat which means “purification” and “growth”. Giving zakat means “giving a specified percentage on certain properties to certain classes of needy people”. It is required that every year 2.5% of one’s wealth is given away to the poor and needy. (Pennington, 2009) This may be in form of gold, silver, cash, stocks, bonds, live stock etc. (Leslie, 2010) In regard to gold, silver, and currencies Prophet Mohammad stated that the Nisaab amount, which is the minimum wealth that one must hold for one year is equivalent to 85 grams of pure gold. (Pennington, 2009) Zakat is to eliminate greed and selfishness and to help those in their community in need. Many poor communities and people rely on Zakat received, if Zakat is paid regularly their will be no distinction between the wealthy and poor. (El-Khouly, 2004) Zakat makes Islam the first welfare system in history that redistributes part of the wealth of the rich among the poor as a way to achieve social justice. (Pennington, 2009)

Sadaqah on the other hand is voluntary charity, it is for those who would like to give more than their obligatory Zakat. It is used sometimes as a way of bringing blessings to special occasions such as weddings, anniversaries or times of sadness. (Ghazaali, 2009) An example of when Muslims are most likely to give sasaqah is during Ramadan which is the holiest month to give to those in need. It is also emphasized to give sadaqah in secrecy as this makes sure that those receiving their feelings are respected as well as there identity is kept secret. (Ghazaali, 2009) Also the other difference from Zakat is there is no specific amount that needs to be given.

Works Cited

Dindang, N. Ways and Virtues of Sadaqah. Retrieved from http://www.wefound.org/sadaqah-byNorlain.htm

El-Khouly, E. (2004). Zakah: Connecting Humanity. Retrieved from http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=IC0410-2496

Ghazaali, I (2009). What is Sadaqah? Retrieved from http://www.uwt.org/site/article.asp?id=170

Leslie, L (2010). Ramadan and charity: What is Zakat?. Retrieved from http://muslimvoices.org/ramadan-charity-zakat/

Pennington, R (2009) Charitable Giving: The practice of Zakat. Retrieved from http://muslimvoices.org/zakat/