Islamic welfare system dealing with the poor in rural area

• Main Author: Zakiyah Zakiyah
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: IAIN Salatiga 2011-06-01
• Series: Indonesian Journal of Islam and Muslim Societies
• Subjects: Islam; Welfare system; Poor; Empowerment
• Online Access: http://ijims.iainsalatiga.ac.id/index.php/ijims/article/view/42

This paper try to review the practice of Islamic welfare system (such as zaka, waqf, shadaqa, infaq, hibah and qurban) dealing with poor people in rural area. Then, this study looks at four main issues, namely how the structure of the commitee, the management of such system, fund rising strategy, and people accessibility to this welfare system. In order to deal with this, it is used some frameworks namely; firstly, the welfare strategy as proposed by Spicker (1995) including economic production, redistribution, and solidarity. Secondly, the concept of welfare offered by Azmi (1991), Midgley (1997), and Zastrow (2004). This research took place in North and South Wonorejo, a village located in Magelang district, Central Java. Finding of this research shows that this scheme has operated conventionaly and has not contributed much on enhancing people welfare. There is no formal institution that organizes all element of such scheme. As the social welfare institution, this system ideally offers program, benefits and services that help people meets those social, economic, educational and health needs. However, there is no specific program for the poor people offered by the committee of the Islamic welfare scheme.   Studi ini berusaha mengkaji praktik system kesejahteraan dalam Islam (seperti zakat, wakaf, shadaqah, infak, hibah dan qurban) dalam hubungannya dengan masyarakat miskin di wilayah pedesaan. Kajian melihat empat persoalan utama, yakni bagaimana struktur panitia, pengelolaan sistem kesejahteraan, strategi pengumpulan dana, dan akses masyarakat terhadap sistem tersebut. Untuk menjawab persoalan ini, kajian mempergunakan kerangka kerja antara lain strategi kesejahteraan sebagaimana diusulkan Spicker (1995) termasuk produksi, redsitribusi, dan solidaritas ekonomi, dan konsep kesejahteraan sebagaimana dikemukakan Azmi (1991), Midgley (1997), dan Zastrow (2004). Kajian ini dilakukan di Desa Wonorejo Utara dan Selatan, Magelang, Jawa Tengah. Kajian ini menemukan antara lain: skema kesejahteraan masih dilakukan secara konvensional dan tidak banyak berkontribusi terhadap kesejahteraan masyarakat. Tidak ada lembaga resmi yang mengorganisir semua unsur dalam skema tersebut. Sebagai lembaga kesejahteraan sosial, sistem ini idealnya menawarkan program, manfaat dan layanan yang menolong masyarakat dalam memenuhi kebutuhan-kebutuhan ekonomi, sosial, pendidikan dan kesehatan. Namun demikian, tidak ada program khusus bagi masyarakat miskin yang ditawarkan oleh pengelola skema kesejahteraan Islam.