Abstract
According to Britannica on line Encyclopedia ”A welfare state is a form of government in which the state protects and promotes the economic and social wellbeing of citizens, based upon the principles of equal opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for citizens unable to avail themselves of the minimal provisions for a good life. The first and foremost policy of a welfare state is to provide basic facilities equally to all its citizens. Post-modern world is trying to gain a selective mechanism to reinstate the system of welfare as a political and economic theory. Most of Western welfare states establish ideas of Marxism, while the Islamic welfare state is based on teachings of Quran and Sunnah. The major difference between a western welfare state and an Islamic welfare state is based on the economic factor. Western theory of a welfare state is the theory of economic progress, while in an Islamic welfare state, the economic factor is just a part of a comprehensive system. According to some critics, the idea of an Islamic welfare state is obsolete because they believe that the codes and conducts used to establish an Islamic welfare state are no longer active. They think that Islamic laws the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are no longer applicable to modern societies today. The aim of this research is to explore the differences between an Islamic and a Western welfare state and their socio-economic patterns, besides providing an answer to critics of the concept of Islamic welfare state. This study also focuses on the approach of orientalists and their critique on Islamic state theory and practice. This research is qualitative. Data has been collected through comprehensive research, that involved reading of research journals, History and other relevant material.
Wing Commander Dr. Nasir Majeed. (2019) Concept of Welfare State in Islam and in Western Welfare States: A Comparative Study, AFKĀR (Journal of Islamic & Religious Studies) , Volume 3, Issue 2.
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