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Modern welfare states provide social benefits to their
poor citizens, but Islam preceded all nations in establishing social security
services. Islamic law set up financial provisions for needy Muslims through zakah
(obligatory charity) and sadaqa (voluntary charity). Zakah was made obligatory
on wealthy Muslims to take care of the poor, whereas sadaqa was left on
individual discretion to help the needy. Social security provided by Islam
includes non-Muslims as well. Islamic Law requires the state to provide for
its citizens with disabilities – Muslim or non-Muslim - that prevent them from
employment. They are provided for by the public treasury and the ruler is
negligent if he does not do so. Many instances of Muslims providing social
security to the non-Muslim citizens are recorded in history. Umar ibn
al-Khattab the second caliph of Islam, once passed by a old, blind man begging in
front of a house. Umar asked him which religious community he belonged to. The
man said he was Jewish. Umar then asked him, ‘What has brought you to this?’
The old man said, ‘Do not ask me; ask …poverty, and old age.’ Umar took the
man to his own home, helped him from his personal money, and then ordered the
head of the treasury, ‘You must look after this man and others like him. We
have not treated him fairly. He should not have spent the best years of his
life among us to find misery in his old age.’ Umar also relieved him and
others in his situation of paying the jizya.
Another example is found in Khalid ibn al-Walid’s letter
to the people of the Iraqi city of Hira. It contains the terms of truce he
offered them:
‘If God gives us victory, the people of the covenant
will be protected. They have rights promised to them by God. It is the
strictest covenant God has made incumbent on any of His prophets. They are
also held by the duties that it places upon them and must not violate it. If
they are conquered, they will live comfortably with everything due to them. I
am commanded to exempt from jizya the elderly who cannot work, the disabled, or
the poor who receive charity from their own community. The treasury will
provide for them and their dependants as long as they live in Muslim lands or
in the communities of Muslim emigrants. If they move outside of Muslim lands,
neither they nor their dependants shall be entitled to any benefits.’
In another instance, Umar ibn al-Khattab, the Muslim Caliph,
was visiting Damascus. He passed by a group of Christian lepers. He ordered
that they be given charity and regular stipends for food.
Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz, another Muslim Caliph, wrote to his
agent in Basra, Iraq, ‘Search for the people of the covenant in your area who
may have grown old, and are unable to earn, and provide them with regular
stipends from the treasury to take care of their needs.’
Some of the early Muslims
used to distribute part of their post-Ramadan charity (zakat ul-fitr) to
Christian monks, based on their understanding of the verse of Quran:
“God does not forbid you from those who do not
fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes – from
dealing kindly and justly with them. Indeed, God loves those who act justly. God
only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you
from your homes and aid in your expulsion – (forbids) that you make allies of
them. And whoever makes allies of them, then it is those who are the
wrongdoers.”(Quran 60:8-9)
Finally, there are other rights that we have not
discussed here, because of the assumption that they are elementary and taken
for granted, such as the right to work, housing, transportation, education, and
so forth. However,
before concluding, I would like to make the following observation. Our
discussion has clarified how non-Muslims living in Muslim countries enjoy
rights that they might not be granted in non-Muslim countries. Some readers
may respond with the objection that these rights might have existed in history,
but the experience of non-Muslims living in Muslim countries today is different.
The author’s personal observation is that non-Muslims still enjoy many of these
same rights today, perhaps even more. Allah Almighty has commanded us to be truthful,
in the verse:
“O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as
witnesses to Allah, even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or
your kin, be he rich or poor, God is a Better Protector to both (than you). So
follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you avoid justice; and if you
distort your witness or refuse to give it, verily, Allah is Ever
Well-Acquainted with what you do.”(Quran 4:135)
Further, when we compare the conditions of non-Muslims living
in Muslim countries to the status of Muslim minorities living in non-Muslim
countries, whether now or in history, we see a profound difference. What
happened to Muslims during the Crusades, under the Spanish Inquisition, in
Communist China, or the Soviet Union? What is happening to them today in the
Balkans, Russia, Palestine, and India? It would be worthwhile to reflect in order
to give an answer based on fairness and declaration of truth and justice. Allah
is the best of Judges, and He states:
“O you who believe! Stand out firmly for God as just
witnesses; and let not the enmity hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just:
that is nearer to piety; and fear God. Verily, God is Well-Acquainted with
what you do.”(Quran 5:8)
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