Operationalizing PARSHI (Zakat)

8/14/2019 Operationalizing PARSHI (Zakat)

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www.cdss.ingeniousbd.org

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Operationalizing Parshi (Neighbourhood) Model

A Practical Way ForwardDr. S. M. Ali Akkas

Email: [email protected], [email protected]: www.cdss.ingeniousbd.org

1. Introduction

In a situation of almost ineffective public management of Zakah by Zakah Board

in Bangladesh, institutionalizing collection and disbursement of Zakah at private level

was emphasized in a seminar organized by Zakah Forum in July 2000. In that seminar

Parshi (neighborhood model) a concept of Islamic community development - was

also presented, discussed and agreed upon for implementation on a pilot scheme basis.

The present author was requested in that seminar to develop a detail modus operandi

of the Parshi concept to fit to the requirements of its implementation as a pilot

scheme. This paper is a response to that exigency bringing forward a workabledesign that can be thought of for experimentation. Section-2 deals with who should

take the initiative? Section-3 illustrates how the program should be approached.

Section-4 outlines different steps to be undertaken for implementing the PARSHI

Model and its institutionalisation. Section-5 shows the need for engaging an action

research team to continuously observe and provide instructions in field level operation

of such an initiative.

2. Who Should Take the Initiative?

Since institutionalisation of Zakah by the state authority under the present socio-

political context is not encouraging in Bangladesh, initiative should come from

private level who believe in and do have the commitment to the role as vicegerent of

Allah. Fortunately Zakah Forum has come up with that commitment. There are

initiatives particularly by the Masjid Council for Community Advancement (MCCA)

which are utilising Zakah money by undertaking some important social welfare

activities. It has based some areas of Manikgang and implementing a number of

programs including religious teaching, education, health and sanitation and income

generating activities. This program needs to be continuously observed and monitored

and seen how this can bring Zakah into picture and made it an integral part of self-

engineered local process of Islamic community development.

The first five verses of Suratul Baqara tell clearly about who should take the

initiative and why. The fifth verse categorically says about persons taking initiativewho will surely prosper. The translation of the verses read as follows:

A.L.M.

This is the Book, in it is the guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fearGod;

Who believe in Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what Wehave provided for them;

And who believe in revelation sent to thee, and sent before thy time, and (intheir hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter.

They are on (true) guidance, from their Lord, and it is these who willprosper.


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Whoever possesses the above qualities can join their hands in taking the initiative.

Not necessarily that initiators must be the persons with nisab level income. Anybody

who wants to contribute (including Zakah) to the cause of Allah out of his or her

income can be member of the Zakah Forum.

Community development institution building falls under category of action

research. A research body should in any way be involved with the process. WhileMCCA may continue to implement the program as it is, Centre for Development

Studies and Services (CDSS) may take the responsibility in taking care of

implementation status of only those initiatives undertaken on pilot basis. Accordingly,

CDSS may be provided with monetary supports for its technical inputs from Zakah

Fund. Terms of Reference for the CDSS should be carefully developed and agreed

upon by the Zakah Forum, and CDSS may be assigned the task as per TOR.

3. How the Program should be approached

The program would be more than establishing charitable centres covering area of population that forms neighbourhood. Basis of the program would be the notable

sayings of the Prophet (S.M) that those who go to bed leaving their neighbours unfed

are not Muslims. This will be an initiative, which will work for a hunger-free

community able to discharge their duty as vicegerents of God. The program

components may include Zakah assistance to eligible persons with a view to build

enabling environment for them so that they are able to lead a sustainable livelihood.

Assistance, capacity building, socioeconomic and religious orientations for

discharging the responsibility as vicegerent would be some of the important functions

of the program. It would be ideal if the neighbourhood community can be based

centring a mosque.

4. PARSHI The Neighbourhood Model

4.1 An Overview

PARSHI is a Bengali word, which means neighbours. In Islam taking care of

neighbours has great religious importance. If family is the first tier of Islamic society

then neighbourhood should be the second tier. Normally PARSHI comprises

approximately forty families surrounding a Muslim. PARSHI can be used to mean in

broader sense as well. Then it would mean next locality, village, Union Parishad,Thana, District, Division, Province or even a country. From the viewpoint of Zakah

administration and its management the wider meaning of PARSHI has great

implication.

So far as program components are concerned, PARSHI may consist of the

following program objectives as outlined in Fig-5.


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These program objectives clearly spell out nature and dimensions of theneighbourhood model. Along with establishing salat(prayer) andzakah (assistance),

caring (rearing, raising, resourcefulness), organisation building for economic

wellbeing (societal, savings), promoting human virtues (honesty, humanism) and

undertaking income generation activities (i.e., investment) are major activities of the

model.

3.1 Institution of Zakah at Private Level The Zakah Forum

There should be an institution of Zakah at private level. The persons intending to

pay Zakah at private level in an organized manner should run this. The Zakah payers

should have the belief and understanding that payment of Zakah individually does not

correspond to the Quranic injunction of establishing Zakah. Moreover, the Zakah

payer should have the feeling that taking care of economically unsound neighbors is a

religious obligation. People with this mind can then think for institutionalizing Zakah

at private level. Memorandum of Understanding of the institution should spell out that

the institution would be a comprehensive platform taking care of specific socio-

economic and religious activities which will build a model for hunger-free Muslim

community capable of discharging responsibility as vicegerent of God. Fortunately,

there are people in Bangladesh who believe in this concept and have set up an

institution of Zakah, which is called Zakah Forum.

3.2 Attempting Institutionalisation of the PARSHI Model

Motivated by the spirit of discharging the responsibility of Muslim as vicegerent

of Allah in this world, one or few Zakah payers may select their own area preferably

centring a mosque to start the operation. Selecting an area around prospective Zakah

payer(s)s own habitation satisfies the necessary condition of forming a PARSHI. In

essence this is a self-imposed responsibility motivated by the worldview of Islamic

philosophy. An effective motivation that establishing Zakah is a compulsory religious

obligation should be the starting task.

Abbreviating PARSHI/The ProgramObjectives

ProgramComponents:

Prayer 1. Establishing Salat

Assistance 2. Establishing Zakah

RearingRaisingResourcefulness

3. Caring

SocietalSavings

4. Socioeconomic uplift

HonestyHumanism

5. Promotion of HumanQualities

PARSHI

Investment6. Income Generation

through Growth

Promotion

Fig-5:NeighborhoodM

odel


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Formation of Local PARSHI

Institutionalisation of the Parshi should start first on experimental basis. Initially

interested Zakah payers (shahib-e-mal) may form local Parshi within a mosque

command area. Imam of the mosque or a Zakah payer may assume the leadership of

the Parshi. Each and every adult, male and female, should eventually be made

member of the Parshi. But initial members ofParshi would comprise with only ofthose who perform salat five times a day. Praying five times a day shall be the

necessary condition for being a member of the Parshi. For the Muslims having

income above nisab level i.e.,sahib-e-mal they can be members of the Parshi if the

person subscribes the view that paying Zakah is a religious obligation and the person

is ready to pay Zakah. Parshi may be divided into number of sub Parshis or Parshi

Mahallas with one or few sahib-e-mal in each Mahalla taking care of certain number

of below poverty level households. Therefore, Parshi Mahalla would be the lowest

unit under Parshi taking care of all the socio-religious and economic wellbeing of the

Mahalla.

Conducting Baseline Survey of the Parshi

After formation of the Parshi a baseline survey will be conducted to identify and

assess Zakah payers and amount of Zakah to be collected along with people with

below nisab level income and their poverty gaps. The survey will be a comprehensive

one to collect complete demographic data of all households in the Parshi area, practice

of their religion, their education status, and their health and sanitation conditions. On

the basis of the baseline survey Parshi Mahallas would be formed phase by phase.

Orientation on the Role of Muslim as Vicegerent

During or after Juma congregation on each Friday, orientation program can be

organized to provide religious discourse on the necessity for establishing Salat and

Zakah, infaq fi sabilillah, and responsibility as vicegerent towards building Islamic

society (ummah) around a Muslim. This should be followed by motivational programs

with a view to introduce with Parshi concept, its necessity and modus operandi.

Making Mosque a Centre of all Parshi AffairsNone of the aspects of human life is beyond boundary of Islam - a concept to be

clarified to each member of the Parshi. Social, economic and cultural life of the Parshi

members must be organized in the light of the sayings of the Holy Quran. A true

model of Islamic community is to be built up within the Parshi area as a model case.

The Parshi should develop within a very short period time as a society, which is

educated, prosperous, hunger-free and peaceful in terms of social security, tranquility

and cohesion.


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Making Zakah a vehicle for Comprehensive Parshi Development Program

Mechanism of paying Zakah would be associated with a comprehensive Parshi

development program. This will help build up capital base of the below nisab level

people so that they can come out of poverty quickly and can lead a prosperouseconomic life helpful to carryout the role of vicegerent in a meaningful way.

1. Conclusion

The foregoing analysis confirms that Zakah can be an effective tool for poverty

alleviation. This could be more effective if it would be a part of government

interventions through macroeconomic policies. In the absence of such environment

Zakah collection and disbursement may be organized at private level as a part of

broader program as outlined in the PARSHI model. This is certainly a preliminary

thought and requires refinement, elaboration and giving concrete shape through

debates and action research. The practical process of refinement of the idea would bethrough lessons learnt from field level application.


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Mosque

Parshi 3 Parshi 4

Parshi 1Parshi 2

PARSHI

Pilot Program 1

To be run by CDSS in

association with MCCA

initiall for 3 ears

Zakah Forum Activities

Other Activities

P Prayer 1. EstablishingSalat

A Assistance 2. EstablishingZakah

R RearingRaising

Resourcefulness3. Caring

S SocietalSavings

4. Socioeconomicuplift

H HonestyHumanism

Human Rights

5. Promotion ofHuman Qualities

I Investment

6. IncomeGeneration

through Growth

Promotion

PARSHI Program

ComponentsFormation of Local PARSHI

Conducting BaselineSurvey of the Parshi

Orientation on the Role ofMuslim as Vicegerent

Making Mosque a Centre ofall Parshi Affairs

Making Zakah a vehicle forcomprehensive ParshiDevelopment Program

Program Steps

Program

Mana ement

Operationalizing PARSHI (Zakat)

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