Islamic Philanthropy and Public Welfare: A Maqasid al-Shari'ah Framework
Keywords:
Islamic Philanthropy, Maqasid al-Shari’ah, Maslahah, Public WelfareAbstract
This paper examines Islamic philanthropy (al-tabarru’at) as a public welfare instrument through the theoretical lens of Maqasid al-Shari’ah – the higher objectives of Islamic law. Arguing that philanthropy is not merely a moral virtue but a structural mechanism embedded in the Islamic legal order, the study demonstrates how the classical Maqasid framework – comprising the protection of religion (din), life (nafs), intellect (‘aql), lineage (nasl), and wealth (mal) – provides a coherent theoretical foundation for understanding, classifying, and expanding philanthropic institutions in the Islamic public domain. Drawing on classical juristic sources including al-Ghazali, al-Shatibi, Ibn Ashur, and al-’Izz ibn ‘Abd al-Salam, the paper argues that philanthropy serves as a collective obligation (fard kifayah) that preserves societal maslahah (public interest) at all three levels: daruriyyat (necessities), hajiyyat (needs), and tahsiniyyat (refinements). The paper further contends that a Maqasid-based framework offers a systematic methodology for evaluating, prioritising, and institutionalising philanthropic activity in the contemporary Muslim public sphere.
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