A Brief History of Humanitarianism in the Muslim World

Abstract

Before looking at the history of humanitarianism in the Muslim world it is important to define what humanitarianism means from an Islamic perspective. In Islam, humanitarianism is a very broad concept that encompasses traditional forms of charity, with which modern humanitarian aid is more often associated, and also more holistic interactions between human beings and indeed all creatures. Charity, in the traditional sense of a transfer of material resources from the rich to the poor, falls into two categories in Islam: voluntary and obligatory. Obligatory charity is institutionalised in Islam through zakat which is the third pillar2 of Islam. Zakat, which is mentioned many times in the Qur’an, is a mechanism in which Muslims donate a portion of their wealth every year for the poor and needy. 3 Traditionally the amount of zakat payable is one fortieth of a person’s assets per year, providing their wealth reaches a certain threshold, in addition to a small annual payment (zakat al-fitr) that all Muslims are required to pay during Ramadan. Sadaqah on the other hand is a form of voluntary charity of which Muslims can donate any amount, at any time. A common form of sadaqah is waqf, which is an endowment often given in the form of land or property that is either used directly for charitable purposes or used to support charitable activities through the return from its investment