Charity, religion, Islam and beyond...

[Dawnofhope]

There's been a few threads on Islam of late so I thought I'd start one too. This thread considers the role of charity in religion generally and particularly its role in Islam. I'm interested to hear how your religion or worldview considers charity and the redistribution of wealth to assist those in need. What are your thoughts about Islam's approach?

Zakat is a form of alms-giving and treated in Islam as a religious obligation or tax, which, is considered by many Muslims as next in importance after prayer.

As one of the Five Pillars of Islam zakat is a religious obligation for all Muslims who meet the necessary criteria of wealth. It is a mandatory charitable contribution, the right of the poor to find relief from the rich, and is considered to be a tax, or obligatory alms. The payment and disputes on zakat have played a major role in the history of Islam.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources

Zakat is based on income and the value of all of one's possessions. It is customarily 2.5% (or 1/40) of a Muslim's total savings and wealth above a minimum amount known as nisab but Islamic scholars differ on how much nisab is and other aspects of zakat. The collected amount is paid to the poor and the the needy.

Today, in most Muslim-majority countries, zakat contributions are voluntary, while in a handful (Libya, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen), zakat is mandated and collected by the state.

Shi'as unlike Sunnis, traditionally regarded zakat as a private and voluntary decision, and they give zakat to imam-sponsored rather than state-sponsored collectors.

Zakat - Wikipedia

So that's Islam and charity abbreviated for RF participants, particularly those like myself with extremely short attention spans. We could explore zakat further or consider the concept of charity generally and its role both within and outside of religion.

 

[Spirit of Light]

As a Buddhist i am there for others with out thinking of my self, it can be giving money to those who have less then me. (i dont have much) But it can also be helping with things in daily life. Or even in a few occations i have given dhamma talk to seekers here in my local area.

Buddhism so say we should not think about our self as something different then others. So spending time helping others in some form is actually good virtue. (as long it is done in a selfless way)

 

[Sunstone]

In the 1600s, Spinoza decisively argued against the notion that private charity could ever be sufficient to adequately meet the needs of the poor, and that only state sponsored aide had any realistic hope of doing so. Five hundred years late, this is still news to many people -- who for the most part are in denial of it. Zakat seems to me a movement towards state sponsored aide -- or at least, a movement towards systematizing aide to the poor.

Whether or not one believes that is a good thing depends on ones values and notions of how to best realize ones values. I myself see zakat as superior to haphazard charity, but not necessarily completely adequate to deal with poverty.

 

[Sunstone]

I once had a landlord whose manager was a Muslim from Iran. The landlord was a Christian, and very much opposed to his manager's policy of never evicting anyone when doing so was likely to cause them to become homeless. The manager felt it was his religious duty not to evict people under those circumstances. The landlord could not see any religious duty at all -- pay your rent or get out -- no matter what happens to you then.

 

[Dawnofhope]

In the 1600s, Spinoza decisively argued against the notion that private charity could ever be sufficient to adequately meet the needs of the poor, and that only state sponsored aide had any realistic hope of doing so. Five hundred years late, this is still news to many people -- who for the most part are in denial of it. Zakat seems to me a movement towards state sponsored aide -- or at least, a movement towards systematizing aide to the poor.

Whether or not one believes that is a good thing depends on ones values and notions of how to best realize ones values. I myself see zakat as superior to haphazard charity, but not necessarily completely adequate to deal with poverty.

Spinoza made an invaluable contribution to the European thinkers of the enlighenment period. His Jewish heritage is no doubt relevant given the emphasis on charity within Mosaic law.

The approach Muhammad took in the seventh century appears revolutionary for His time though not entirely new. He clearly envisaged a set of laws that would be applicable not only on a tribal scale but for nations and beyond.

The Umayyads and then the Abbasid certainly applied taxes for not only Muslims but non-Muslims too, arguably exploiting Islamic law for their own benefit.

While its clear private charity is unlikely to meet the needs of the poor, an ethos of giving and generousity is an essential part of what makes any society healthy IMHO.

 

[Dawnofhope]

As a Buddhist i am there for others with out thinking of my self, it can be giving money to those who have less then me. (i dont have much) But it can also be helping with things in daily life. Or even in a few occations i have given dhamma talk to seekers here in my local area.

Buddhism so say we should not think about our self as something different then others. So spending time helping others in some form is actually good virtue. (as long it is done in a selfless way)

Any genuine spiritual path encourages its followers to prefer their brothers before themselves along with the greater good.

I understand the Buddha once said:

'a thousand candles can be lighted by a single candle. Happiness never decreases by being shared.'

 

[james blunt]

There's been a few threads on Islam of late so I thought I'd start one too. This thread considers the role of charity in religion generally and particularly its role in Islam. I'm interested to hear how your religion or worldview considers charity and the redistribution of wealth to assist those in need. What are your thoughts about Islam's approach?

Zakat is a form of alms-giving and treated in Islam as a religious obligation or tax, which, is considered by many Muslims as next in importance after prayer.

As one of the Five Pillars of Islam zakat is a religious obligation for all Muslims who meet the necessary criteria of wealth. It is a mandatory charitable contribution, the right of the poor to find relief from the rich, and is considered to be a tax, or obligatory alms. The payment and disputes on zakat have played a major role in the history of Islam.

Zakat is based on income and the value of all of one's possessions. It is customarily 2.5% (or 1/40) of a Muslim's total savings and wealth above a minimum amount known as nisab but Islamic scholars differ on how much nisab is and other aspects of zakat. The collected amount is paid to the poor and the the needy.

Today, in most Muslim-majority countries, zakat contributions are voluntary, while in a handful (Libya, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen), zakat is mandated and collected by the state.

Shi'as unlike Sunnis, traditionally regarded zakat as a private and voluntary decision, and they give zakat to imam-sponsored rather than state-sponsored collectors.

Zakat - Wikipedia

So that's Islam and charity abbreviated for RF participants, particularly those like myself with extremely short attention spans. We could explore zakat further or consider the concept of charity generally and its role both within and outside of religion.

Thank you for some education into the Muslim culture ! I find this very noble and empathic .

 

[Spirit of Light]

Any genuine spiritual path encourages its followers to prefer their brothers before themselves along with the greater good.

I understand the Buddha once said:

'a thousand candles can be lighted by a single candle. Happiness never decreases by being shared.'

Yes it is said Buddha said so about the candle In buddhism it is often used similies to talk anout a topic.

 

[Dawnofhope]

Yes it is said Buddha said so about the candle In buddhism it is often used similies to talk anout a topic.

Both Buddha and Muhammad used allegorical stories to teach their truths. Along with Christ, Muhammad and Buddha were probably three of the most influential figures in the last 2 1/2 thousand years. They lived in very different times of course and their approaches reflected the needs of the people they taught.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Both Buddha and Muhammad used allegorical stories to teach their truths. Along with Christ, Muhammad and Buddha were probably three of the most influential figures in the last 2 1/2 thousand years. They lived in very different times of course and their approaches reflected the needs of the people they taught.

Yes And if you look at each of the teachings you find a lot of the same teaching,just teached in a different way And the reason for this in my view is that all of them have true teaching, in different times of human history, so truth can come to more people with different cultural background and form of beliefs.

 

[Vinayaka]

We need religions or the state to tell us to be charitable? That's not saying much for our own sense of humanity.

In Sanatana Dharma, Hinduism, The ancient Tirukkural (circa 200 BC) has several chapters on Giving, Miserliness, begging, and the like. No society should have homeless or poverty. 2.5 % is a pittance for the wealthy.

 

[Lyndon]

But its 2.5% of accumulated wealth, not just the income from the previous year, imagine Bill Gates or Bezos having to pay 2.5% of their entire wealth every year, year after year. Its quite a bit.

 

[Jumi]

2.5 % is a pittance for the wealthy.

But you know they'll complain about it, excessively.

 

[Vinayaka]

But you know they'll complain about it, excessively.

My first experience with that was while working in a bar. The price of milk had gone up by 10% or so, maybe less. These guys complained, lively discussion, despite the fact they were sipping at on beer that was worth more. Sometimes things are hard to see, I guess.

 

[GoodbyeDave]

You don't have to be a Muslim to pay zakat: the secular equivalent is called income tax.

As for charity in my religion, I make donations to various charities as offerings to the gods. Next month has the festival of Hades and Persephone, so the money goes to a hospice.

 

[Dawnofhope]

We need religions or the state to tell us to be charitable? That's not saying much for our own sense of humanity.

In Sanatana Dharma, Hinduism, The ancient Tirukkural (circa 200 BC) has several chapters on Giving, Miserliness, begging, and the like. No society should have homeless or poverty. 2.5 % is a pittance for the wealthy.

By today's standards it may seem unnecessary, but part of the education of humanity to bring us to this point has been the great religions of the past. Muhammad's law for the tribesman of the Arabian peninsula and beyond was revolutionary at the time and assisted in focusing His followers thoughts on the needy.

As highlighted by another, the 2.5% is on accumulated wealth that is paid each year.

I agree no society should have homelessness.

 

[Vinayaka]

As highlighted by another, the 2.5% is on accumulated wealth that is paid each year.

Must have been one extremely ignorant uninformed society I guess. At what point in a person's life would have they any accumulated wealth?

 

[Dawnofhope]

Must have been one extremely ignorant uninformed society I guess. At what point in a person's life would have they any accumulated wealth?

I imagine compared to India in the seventh century they were extremely primitive. One tribe at the time was notorious for infanticide as a means of birth control.

Muhammad Himself was illiterate but part of the Quraysh tribe. Although someone Nomadic like the other tribes they had a base in Mecca where they administered the Kabba along with its pantheon of gods. There would be many visitors to the area and this was an important source of revenue. Part the Quraysh's opposition to Muhammad's monotheism was it was bad for business.

 

[Dawnofhope]

You don't have to be a Muslim to pay zakat: the secular equivalent is called income tax.

As for charity in my religion, I make donations to various charities as offerings to the gods. Next month has the festival of Hades and Persephone, so the money goes to a hospice.

Its great you give to charity.

In many Western democracies we have good social welfare systems. However these are relative new systems that emerged in the twentieth century. New Zealand was one of the first countries to develop a wrap around social welfare system that became necessary with the aftermath of the great depression.

Communism and the Russian revolution wouldn't have happened had the Tsar treated his subjects fairly and made adequate provision for the poor.

 

[Vinayaka]

I imagine compared to India in the seventh century they were extremely primitive. One tribe at the time was notorious for infanticide as a means of birth control.

Muhammad Himself was illiterate but part of the Quraysh tribe. Although someone Nomadic like the other tribes they had a base in Mecca where they administered the Kabba along with its pantheon of gods. There would be many visitors to the area and this was an important source of revenue. Part the Quraysh's opposition to Muhammad's monotheism was it was bad for business.

I'm not at all familiar with Islamic history, and take all history as open for debate, given how long ago it was. But with regards to charity, despite it being optional in most places, Islamic countries as a whole do well on the gini coefficient, so they must be doing something right, at least in my view.