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Chapter 17 - Zakat and Waqf: Towards Achieving Sustainability, Health, and Well-Being

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2025

By
Mohammad Abdullah
Edited by
Basil H. Aboul-Enein ,
G. Hussein Rassool ,
Nada Benajiba ,
Joshua Bernstein  and
MoezAlIslam E. Faris
Basil H. Aboul-Enein
Affiliation:
University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
G. Hussein Rassool
Affiliation:
Charles Sturt University
Nada Benajiba
Affiliation:
Ibn Tofail University
Joshua Bernstein
Affiliation:
A. T. Still University of Health Sciences
MoezAlIslam E. Faris
Affiliation:
Applied Science Private University
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Summary

This chapter delineates the concept, mechanism, and operational frameworks of zakat (Islamic obligatory charity) and waqf (Islamic endowment) and their potential roles in achieving health and well-being from among the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Sharia prescription of zakat originates from the Holy Qur’an, whereas the conceptual premises of waqf are derived from the Prophetic traditions (Sunnah). Zakat is obligatory once a year, and the heads of its beneficiaries are well-defined. In comparison, waqf implies a voluntary form of charity. Both zakat and waqf have a history of contribution to the socioeconomic development of communities in general and in supporting health and well-being in particular. This chapter delves into the modern relevance of waqf and zakat, particularly in the context of health and well-being of communities. The chapter attempts to contextualize the roles and significance of waqf and zakat in providing the society with the means of maintaining health and well-being.

Keywords

WaqfzakatcharitySustainable Development GoalsIslamShariasustainability
Type
Chapter
Information
Contemporary Islamic Perspectives in Public Health , pp. 106 - 111
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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References

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