Charitable Work and Its Role in Developing Family and Society
Charitable Work and Its Role in Developing Family and Society
Charitable work represents a profound human value embodied in giving and contributing in all its forms. It is a civilized, vibrant behavior that can only thrive in societies with advanced levels of culture, awareness, and responsibility. It plays a significant and positive role in developing and advancing communities. Through voluntary charitable institutions, individuals are provided with opportunities to contribute to essential social and economic development processes.
Charitable work also fosters a sense of responsibility among participants, making them feel capable of giving, sharing expertise, and providing guidance in their areas of strength.
Voluntary charitable services have played a major role in the advancement of many civilizations and societies, spreading ideas across eras. As a non-profit endeavor, not a profession, it is undertaken by individuals for the benefit of society as a whole. It takes various forms, from traditional customs of self-help to social responses during times of hardship, relief efforts, conflict resolution, and alleviating the effects of poverty.
Islam and Charitable Work
Islam has firmly established charitable work through Quranic verses and noble prophetic traditions that reinforce its value. For instance, Allah says: "Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous" (Al-Baqarah: 177). This verse emphasizes the connection between voluntary work, worship, and earning Allah’s pleasure.
This is further affirmed by numerous prophetic traditions highlighting the virtues of charitable work. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever relieves a believer’s distress from the distresses of this world, Allah will relieve him from a distress on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever makes things easy for one in difficulty, Allah will make things easy for him in this world and the Hereafter. Whoever conceals a Muslim’s faults, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter. Allah is in the aid of His servant as long as the servant is in the aid of his brother.”
The life of the Prophet (peace be upon him), his companions, and their followers exemplified acts of charity, responding to these texts. Islamic history is rich with charitable deeds, ranging from caring for the needy, orphans, and students of knowledge to supporting those seeking marriage, debtors, building roads, and providing rest stops for travelers. These efforts even extended to caring for animals.
The Concept of Civil Society
Charitable work has gained significant importance in the social and intellectual context, deriving its value from its connection to the broader concept of civil society, where its functions and roles vary in social movements and community development programs.
As highlighted earlier, charitable work, being free of profit motives, prioritizes altruism over self-interest and giving over gain in addressing societal challenges. Volunteers contribute time, money, and effort across various charitable and voluntary fields without expecting equivalent returns.
The deeply rooted social, particularly religious, values in Arab-Islamic society have played a fundamental role in fostering the spirit of charitable work. Islam uniquely intertwines helping others through volunteering with the concept of charity (sadaqah). Thus, charitable work harmonizes charity and volunteering. Many wonder about the difference between voluntary and charitable work, especially since the concept and applications of charitable work in Islamic heritage encompass all meanings and practices associated with voluntary work.
Family Development
The family is the cornerstone of society, and its strength and well-being ensure societal stability. Caring for families is a fundamental aspect of charitable work. Supporting impoverished families involves empowering and developing them by identifying local production resources within their environment, enhancing these resources, and transforming them into productive mechanisms through training and providing tools. This enables families to shift from being dependent to productive, contributing to the economy through buying, selling, and utilizing goods and services.
It’s crucial to emphasize that families need more than just production tools and training. They require guidance and counseling to adapt, develop their capabilities, and manage family affairs, particularly in raising children and youth (both boys and girls) in terms of education, health, and well-being. They also need support in managing production tools, handling income, and making sound financial decisions. This can be achieved through training programs, courses, and regular guidance visits by social workers.
Utilizing Human Resources
Charitable work plays a vital role in development by leveraging human resources. It provides opportunities for all community members to contribute to essential social and economic development processes across time and place. Voluntary work fosters a sense of responsibility among participants, empowering them to give, share expertise, and provide guidance in their areas of expertise.
