The Islamic Welfare State

THE ISLAMIC WELFARE STATE: MUSLIM CHARITY, HUMAN SECURITY, AND GOVERNMENT LEGITIMACY IN PAKISTAN, by Christopher Candland . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2024, 337pp. ISBN: 978-1009268431.

Reviewed by: Yousuf Farooq, The Islamic Foundation, UK 

The book under review serves as an extensive study of various themes relating to Muslim charities in Pakistan . It adopts a multidisciplinary approach and poses deep, yet relevant, questions regarding the role of the Pakistani government and the public sector in providing welfare for its citizens, the diverse Muslim charity sector and the welfare services it provides, and most importantly, it interrogates the meaning of ‘The Islamic Welfare state .’ The title of the book itself holds importance as the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, regularly invoked the concept of ‘The Islamic Welfare state’ in his election campaign and during his tenure as Prime Minister . Furthermore, many Pakistani politicians have advocated for the creation of an Islamic Welfare State.

The book is composed of twelve chapters that are organised into five thematic parts, each of which explores a different aspect of the core concepts of the book . By doing so, it provides an in-depth exploration of the theoretical underpinnings and the practical applications of charity work in Pakistan. The initial chapters of the book pave the way in that they provide the necessary background information to understand the fieldwork presented in the latter portion of the book, whereby the author carries out extensive research which provide insightful findings.