In Islam, philanthropy is a spectrum of activity, and these activities differ in their purpose and in the principles on which they operate. To fully understand philanthropy, it is vital to examine not only its purpose but its motive and outcomes. This book identifies three types of philanthropy within this spectrum: Philanthropy as relief (zakat), which seeks to alleviate human suffering; philanthropy as an improvement (waqf), which seeks to maximize individual human potential and is energized by a principle that seeks to progress individuals and their society; and philanthropy as reform (sadaqah), which seeks to solve social problems. Philanthropy as civic engagement seeks to build better community structures and services and is directed by civic responsibility.

This book explores philanthropy in Islam that covers the three primary spectra of activity: zakat, waqf, and sadaqah. Combining contributions from the Conference on Philanthropy for Humanitarian Aid under the joint organization of Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University and the International Research Centre of Islamic Economics and Finance, International Islamic University College in collaboration with the Islamic Research and Training Institute, this book will be of interest to students, policymakers, practitioners, and researchers in the areas of Islamic finance and Islamic economics. ​