Responsibility vs Accountability towards the Poor and Vulnerable: Beyond Islamic Obligations

 

Representative Image - The manuscript is by Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi, a section from a larger body of work on Maliki Fiqh.

MD SOHEL MONDAL & ANIKUL ISLAM

Abstract 

In 2015, The UN adopted 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development that makes ‘No Poverty’ as the first of its seventeen oriented goals with a 15-year plan. The present year of 2023, as the call of SDGs at its halfway, however, shows a more grim picture - a groaning dismay of poverty. The pressing challenges faced by weaker sections like poverty, low productivity, illiteracy, malnutrition, depleting human capacity and increasing global disparity have engrossed all in an imperative attention to resolve a viable solution for a better and inclusive world, whereas Islam as an embodiment of revelation and reason forwards its unique curative paradigm. With this viewpoint, the research sketches out the pro-poor directions embedded in the Islamic frameworks that enigmatically provide various scopes for the poverty alleviation and empowerment of underprivileged sections with a global efficacy.

Furthermore, the Islamic pattern of any act incorporates two ways i.e. voluntary and obligatory. In terms of poverty mitigation, the charity institutions like Sadaqah and Zakah respectively underpins their pragmatic eminence of Khidmah (service) beyond the line of obligation providing ethical and spiritual dimensions. However, the application process needs to be evaluated and accommodated in a timely compatible mechanism. Muslim countries as well as responsible social organizations have been unable to duly contribute on a global scale averting the efficacy of these empowerment factors showing senseless accountability.

Overall, this work delves into exploring matters of concerns and midway impediments in the aptly execution of the Islamic gazettes in resolving the global menaces of economic instability inflicted on a large underprivileged population In addition, the paper, as a remedy method, tries to contribute to the global mission of sustainable development with a  Sharia-compliant approach of Khidmah strategy which inextricably engages all human as well as the whole creation. 

Keywords: Poverty, Economy, Shariah, Responsibility, Empowerment 

The abstract was submitted for International Conference on Fiqh and Justice in an Abnormal Context: Connecting Islamic Tradition to Contemporary Challenges at Depok, Indonesia in November 7-9, 2023 by UIII - Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia.

Authors: PG Scholars, Darul Huda Islamic University, Kerala