اسلام اور ہندو مت میں زکوٰۃ و دان کے فلاحی اثرات کا تقابلی مطالعہ

A Comparative Study of the Welfare Impacts of Zakat in Islam and Dāna in Hinduism

Abstract

This study provides a critical, comparative examination of the welfare impacts of Zakat in Islam and Dāna in Hinduism, employing a strictly thematic and analytical framework. It investigates the metaphysical foundations, ethical principles, institutional histories, and socio-economic functions that shape both traditions. In Islam, Zakat emerges as a legally mandated mechanism integrating worship, social responsibility, and economic justice through structured redistribution and state-backed governance. In contrast, Hindu Dāna operates as a voluntary, virtue-oriented practice rooted in dharma, karma, and punya, emphasizing moral cultivation and community-based generosity rather than obligatory redistribution. The analysis highlights convergences in moral intent—altruism, purification, and communal welfare—while underscoring substantive differences in obligation, authority, institutionalization, and outcomes. Historically, Islamic societies developed centralized welfare institutions such as bayt al-māl and awqāf, whereas Hindu societies relied on temples, āśrams, and caste-linked charitable networks. The study evaluates their respective roles in poverty reduction, wealth circulation, social cohesion, and dignity preservation. A comparative outcome framework assesses structural (Islamic) versus cultural (Hindu) mechanisms, measuring redistribution efficiency, institutional sustainability, and beneficiary wellbeing. The synthesis argues that while both systems promote human welfare, Zakat functions as an economic policy instrument embedded in a normative legal structure, whereas Dāna serves as an ethical-spiritual practice embedded in social and ritual life. The study concludes by outlining policy-oriented possibilities for interfaith welfare cooperation, hybrid models combining obligatory and voluntary elements, and governance reforms enhancing transparency and inclusivity.