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UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT

OF SOCIAL WORK IN ISLAM
BY GUEST AUTHOR (HTTPS://ORACLEOPINIONS.COM/AUTHOR/SOFI/) ON NOVEMBER 15, 2017
Social work is a profession which creates that system or environment helpful in enhancing and
elevating the capacities of people living in a society. And the theory of this profession actually
comes from the field in terms of working with individuals, groups, communities and families.
And this is the reason that keeps this profession updated from the social problems prevalent
and emerging in a society. Social Work is a word carried by trained professionals with the aim
of alleviating the issues of those people in a community suffering from special deprivation. It
has its roots in the attempts of society at large to deal with the problem of poverty and
inequality.
Social work is defined as to match the limited resources with the unlimited problems. It is the
scientific body of knowledge which gives a proper understanding and a way to address the
social problems. National Association of Social Workers (NASW) defines Social Work as,
Social work is a profession of helping individuals, groups or communities enhance or restore
their capacity for social functioning and creating societal conditions favorable to this goal.
Social work practice consists of the professional application of social work values, practices
and techniques to one or more of the following ends:
Helping people obtain tangible services.
Providing counseling and psychotherapy to individuals, families and groups.
Helping communities or groups provide or improve social or health issues.
Participating in relevant legislature process.
Social Work, in proper sense, means to help the helpless to help themselves. The Social Work
profession believes in sustainable and long term approach as in, at minor level – to make the
individual capable to help himself after getting the required help from any agency, and groups,
family and community comes under the major level intervention by the social work profession
wherein social work professionals endeavor to make the group, family and community
independent from all the sides and make the people of that group, family and community able
to find solutions to the problems they encounter in their day to day life. Social Work
Profession, since its theoretical and practical inception, has always focused on the
emancipation of poor, needy, underprivileged and marginalised sections of the society in terms
of making them able to come forward and voice their needs.
Islam: Brief introduction
Islam is an Arabic word and connotes submission, surrender and obedience. As a religion,
Islam stands for complete submission and obedience to Allah. The person who accepts Islam
is called as Muslim (who has submitted his will to Allah). Islam is mainly determined by three
sources; i) the Holy Qur’an, ii) Sunnah – the sayings and practices of the Last Messenger of
Islam, Prophet Muhammad (On Whom Be Allah’s Peace and Blessings), and iii) Fiqh or
Ijtihaad – the interpretation given by the Islamic Scholar (s) or any knowledgeable person on
prevalent or growing issues. And a Muslim, after accepting Islam, has to follow Qur’an and
Sunnah in true essence. Allah says in the Quran,
Say: (O Muhammad) if you do love Allah, follow me, Allah will love you and forgive your sins,
for Allah is oft-forgiving, most merciful. Say: (O Muhammad), obey Allah and his messenger;
but if they turn back, Allah does not love those who reject faith. (Chapter 3, Verse 31 & 32)
Similarly there is a Hadith which is narrated by Anas Bin Malik (May Allah Be Pleased With
Him) that the Prophet Muhammad (On Whom Be Allah’s Peace and Blessings) said,
None of you will have a faith until he loves me more than his father, his children and all
mankind. (Bukhari)

Therefore, the above mentioned Qur’anic verses and Hadith instructs a Muslim to abide by
Quran and Sunnah completely and also talks about love for Allah and his Messenger. Here,
love doesn’t remain confined to having sense of affection only, but it also guide Muslims to
follow the instructions given in the Quran and Hadith.
Concept of Social Work in Islam
For discussing the concept of social work in Islam, it was necessary to understand the two
terms; Social Work and Islam so as to reach a refined and absolute perspective. Islam is a
religion of humanity. Islam considers serving others as a great act of worship. According to the
teachings of Islam, it is only in serving people that we shall have a share in Allah’s Mercy. And
an individual should lead his life as well-wisher to all, ready to help everyone, accepting
others’ rights over his own possessions.
All the teachings of Islam are based on two principles; worship of Allah and serving to
humanity. Without putting both of these principles into practice, there can be no true fulfillment
of one’s religious duties. By serving human beings on the one hand they (Muslims) please
their Lord; Allah, and on the other they achieve spiritual progress for themselves. Doing good
and talking in a good manner with parents, relatives and orphans, is actually what Islam
prescribes and appreciates a Muslim to do. And Allah mentions in Qur’an,
Do not worship except Allah; and to parents do good and to relatives, orphans, and the needy.
And speak to people good [words] and establish prayer and give Zakah. (Chapter 2, Verse 83)
And Allah defines the person with the noble and righteous attributes as,
Righteousness is not that you turn your faces towards the east or the west, but (true)
righteousness is (in) one who believe in Allah, the last day, the angels, the books and the
Prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveller,
those who ask (for help) and for freeing slaves (and who) establishes prayer and gives Zakah
(those who) fulfill their promise and (those who) are patient in poverty and hardship and during
battle. These are the ones who have been true and it is those who are the righteous. (Chapter
2, Verse 177)
Islam not only glorifies and professes the oneness of Allah in the form of worshipping Him
alone, but it also teaches Muslims the ways to live and perform in a better way in a society.
Allah has strongly encouraged selflessness towards all the individuals living in a society;
therefore Qur’an becomes its evident as,
Worship Allah and associate nothing with him and to parents do good, and to relatives,
orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side,
the traveller and those whom your right hands possess. Indeed Allah doesn’t love those who
are self-deluding and boastful. (Chapter 4, Verse 36)
In other words, Allah is reminding Muslims that their worship is incomplete without helping
deeds. Therefore after having believed in Allah, the angels, the Prophets, the Books and the
last Day of Judgment, a Muslim must translate his Eeman (Faith) into the actions of service to
humanity.
The Prophet Muhammad (On Whom Be Allah’s Peace and Blessings) said:
He who sleeps satiated while his neighbor goes hungry is not dear to Allah. A Muslim has
been a revered companion of the Prophet. He cites the Prophet as directing his people to
gladly accept an invitation to lunch or dinner from the neighbor, as it promotes understanding
and solidarity.
Same Hadith is narrated by one of the companions of Prophet Muhammad (On Whom Be
Allah’s Peace and Blessings) namely Abu Huraira (May Allah be Pleased With Him). Allah has
provided a proper way to help people, and Zakah is among the one by which a poor or needy
gets benefitted.
Zakah
Zakah is one of the pillars of Islam which sets to provide economic justice in society. Zakah
means purity and cleanliness. It is a portion which is set apart from wealth for needy and poor
people. As per Islamic teachings, the wealth of that person is impure who doesn’t take out
from Allah’s given wealth what is due to poor and needy. Allah says in the Qur’an,
Indeed those who believe and do righteous deeds and establish prayer and give Zakah will
have their reward with their Lord, and there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they
grieve. (Chapter 2, Verse 277)
In Islam, Muslims are directed to give structure to a financial institution known as Bait-Ul-Maal
where Muslims keep Zakah, donations, charity etc. Bait-Ul-Maal (house of wealth) was first
established by the second Caliph of Islam Umar Bin Khattaab (May Allah Be Pleased With
Him) with the aim to reach needy and poor people by distributing Zakah. Another aim of the
establishment of this institution is to alleviate the problems of those people belonging to
underprivileged and marginalized sections of society.
And Islam gives unanimous instruction to all the Muslims in the world that Zakah is obligatory
on Ummahs of all the Prophets of Islam. Like when Allah is addressing Prophet Ibrahim and
the Prophets of his race as;
And we made them leaders guiding by our command. And we inspired to them the doing of
deeds, establishment of prayer and giving Zakah; and they were worshippers of us. (Chapter
21, Verse 73)
About Prophet Ismail, it is said,
And he used to enjoin on his people prayer and Zakah and was to his Lord pleasing. (Chapter
19, Verse 55)
And when Prophet Moses prayed for his people;
Oh Allah! Bestow upon us well-being of this world as also the well-being of the hereafter.
In reply to it, Allah said,
So, I will decree it (especially) for those who fear me and give Zakah and those who believe in
our verses. (Chapter 7, Verse 156)
From the above Qur’anic verses, it becomes quite clear and specific that, giving Zakah is part
of one’s faith and if a Muslim is craving to attain piety and righteousness, he / she needs to
give Zakah out of his / her wealth.
A Beautiful Loan to Allah
To look after deprived people in terms of giving them money or providing them help of any
nature is what Allah appreciates and strongly reiterates to do always. And in the same line,
Allah, in a Qur’anic verse, mentions about the beautiful loan and its benefits as,
Who is he that will loan to Allah a beautiful loan but which Allah will double into his credit and
multiply many terms? (Chapter 2, Verse 245).
Same context is in other verses like, Chapter 5 Verse 12, Chapter 57 Verse 11 & 18, Chapter
64 Verse 17, and Chapter 73 Verse 20.
Sayings of Prophet Muhammad (On whom Be Peace and Blessings of Allah)
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (May Allah Be Pleased With Him), who said that the
Messenger of Allah (On whom Be Peace and Blessings of Allah) said:
Allah (mighty and sublime be He) will say on the Day of Resurrection: O son of Adam, I fell ill
and you visited Me not. He will say: O Lord, how should I visit You when You are the Lord of
the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant so-and-so had fallen ill and you
visited him not? Did you not know that had you visited him you would have found Me with
him? O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you fed Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how
should I feed You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My
servant So-and-so asked you for food and you fed him not? Did you not know that had you fed
him you would surely have found that (the reward for doing so) with Me? O son of Adam, I
asked you to give Me to drink and you gave Me not to drink. He will say: O Lord, how should I
give You to drink when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: My servant So-and-so
asked you to give him to drink and you gave him not to drink. Had you given him to drink you
would have surely found that with me. (It was related by Muslim)
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (May Allah Be Pleased With Him), that the Prophet (On
whom Be Peace and Blessings of Allah) said:
Whoever removes a worldly grief from a believer, Allah will remove from him one of the
grieves of the Day of Resurrection. And whoever alleviates the need of a needy person, Allah
will alleviate his needs in this world and the Hereafter. Whoever shields [or hides the misdeeds
of] a Muslim, Allah will shield him in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah will aid His slave
so long as he aids his brother. And whoever follows a path to seek knowledge therein, Allah
will make easy for him a path to Paradise. No people gather together in one of the Houses of
Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that Sakeenah
(tranquility) descends upon them, and mercy envelops them, and the angels surround them,
and Allah mentions them amongst those who are with Him. And whoever is slowed down by
his actions, will not be hastened forward by his lineage. Related by [Muslim] in these words,
Humanity is a family of Allah; so the most beloved of Allah is he who lives his family
wholeheartedly and maintains good behaviour with his fellow beings (Sho’b-ul-Eeman)
Safwan Bin Sulaim (May Allah Be Pleased With Him) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad
(On Whom Be Peace and Blessings of Allah) said:
The one who looks after a widow and a poor person is like the Mujahid in the cause of Allah,
or like the one who fasts all the day and stands (in prayer) all the night.
About charity, Prophet Muhammad (On whom Be Peace and Blessings of Allah) has stated,
And man’s helping his brother is Sadaqah (Charity). A drink of water he gives is Sadaqah.
Removing something harmful from the road is Sadaqah. (Al-Adab-Al-Mufrad)
Furthermore, Prophet Muhammad (On whom Be Peace and Blessings of Allah) has said,
You should be merciful to people on earth and Allah on high will be merciful to you (Abu
Dawood and Reyadh ul Muslimeen).
And in his last sermon, Prophet Muhammad (On whom Be Peace and Blessings of Allah) has
said,
O people, listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, offer your five daily prayers (Salah), fast
during the month of Ramadhan and give your wealth in Zakah. You’re all equal. Nobody has
superiority over another except by piety and good action.
Islam is essentially a religion of Peace and Love. It teaches love and compassion for all,
irrespective of their religious belief. The spirit of love is not confined to the world of human
beings, but is extended to the kingdom of animals as well. Man owes obligations to human
beings as well as animals. And the obligations of a person to person, is to identify the
problems and to solve them. Kindness is a divine attribute. To invoke Allah’s Mercy it is
imperative for a Muslim to show kindness to His creation. Prophet Muhammad (On whom Be
Peace and Blessings of Allah), in one of his sayings, has said,
Allah is merciful to kind people. Be kind to those on the earth, the one in the heavens will be
kind to you. (Tirmidhi)
Moreover, social work talks about making people aware of their potentials, capabilities, talents
etc. so that they’ll become self-sufficient and independent enough to take decisions important
in their life. Similarly Islam has never called upon Muslims to lead a life of dependence on
charity. Islam, likewise social work, also focuses on the innate strengths of an individual and
simultaneously endeavors to make his way out of all weaknesses and threats. It’s required, in
Islam, to ensure to secure honorable life for those who are unable to earn their living, it being
understood that such obligation is not the outcome of charity or condescension.
In a hadith,
A man came to the Prophet Muhammad (On whom Be Peace and Blessings of Allah) begging
for anything to live on. The Prophet gave him an axe and a rope and ordered to collect some
wood and sell it and live by its price. He further told the man to come back and report what
happened to him.
One more Hadith is there in which Prophet (On whom Be Peace and Blessings of Allah) says,
The man who makes a beggar earn, his livelihood instead of begging will go to the heavens.
(Abu Dawood)
By the above sayings, we get to know that Islam makes emphasis on one’s capacities and
values, and therefore provides a pure way for people to know their strengths and opportunities
so that they will not remain dependent on anyone and live a life full of dignity and honor.
Moreover, to love and care for each other is what Islam, in the lessons of Qur’an and Hadith,
teaches Muslims to exercise and regularly observe in their day to day life.
Islam unequivocally proscribes discrimination on the basis of color, caste, creed or position.
The concept of brotherhood or fraternity permeates all Islamic rituals, customs and community
living. Flowing from this is the concept of ‘justice’ – an inseparable part of social work values.
In Islam, this concept comes up repeatedly and forcefully. “When you judge between people,”
lays down the Holy Qur’an, “you should judge with a sense of justice” (Chapter 04, Verse 58).
The above command for Muslims is replicated in another Qur’anic verse,
Allah commands justice and good conduct and giving to relatives, and forbids immorality and
bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded. (Chapter
16, Verse 90)
The above verses and traditions (Hadith) talk about the meaning of justice and injustice in
Islam. In the above verses, there are two instructions for the believers on which depends the
first establishment of a just social order. In the first place they (believers) have been
commanded to deal out just in distributing the rights of their fellow beings. The claims of every
individual should be so determined as to ensure his moral, social, economic, legal, political
and personal rights. Secondly the believers have been ordered to do good to the fellow
creatures.
Being at the primary levels in the teachings of Islam; serving family, neighbors, travellers,
underprivileged, etc. and giving Sadaqah (charity) in the form of Zakah, donations etc. are the
attributes which constitute the highest levels in Islam or we would say the both qualities are
what Islam strongly commands Muslims to do on regular basis. At the secondary level, it is to
nurture the innate capacities of helpless and disadvantaged lot, and extend, in true fulfillment
and enjoyment, the rights of all individuals in society irrespective of their belief, and thus
implies the meaning and description of Social Work in Islam.
Author is an Independent Researcher and Professional Social Worker based in Srinagar,
Jammu and Kashmir

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UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL WORK IN ISLAM is added by Guest Author

(https://oracleopinions.com/author/sofi/) on November 15, 2017