Informal congregational social workers and promotion of social welfare in sermons: a study of Shia women religious scholars of Pakistan

ABSTRACT

The promotion of social welfare is dependent on the three-fold partnership between the state, private bodies, and community groups including formal and informal social workers. This paper evaluates how Shia women’s religious scholars are providing guidance for social welfare during sermon delivery in congregations. A qualitative design was used to interview five Shia women scholars, who also define themselves as informal congregational social workers, across different cities of Pakistan. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview guide and analyzed through the thematic content analysis approach. Four themes were found: (1) Women’s Status, Rights and Protection of the Disadvantaged, (2) Care Ethics, Social Justice, and Community Service, (3) Universal Charity and Religious Taxes, and (4) Development of a Spiritual Capital for Sustenance of Social Welfare. There is a role for diverse Muslim sects, and other religions, in pluralistic societies to coordinate and strengthen social welfare using religious ethics. Professional social workers can benefit from partnering with congregational social workers to promote commitment and allegiance to social welfare.

KEYWORDS:

• Social welfare
• congregational social work
• congregational sermons
• Shia women

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to the scholar participants for their willingness to take part in this research and the generous time they gave me. I am also thankful to Aney Zaidi, Amber Ali, Noor us Sabah, Alimah Syeda Jehanara Naqvi, and Alimah Huma Taqvi for assistance in data collection and reviewing findings for data validation. Finally, I am grateful to the Editors and Reviewers of this Journal for essential revision which has helped to make my paper more valuable to readers across the globe.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. The Ahlebait is a term used to refer to the family of the Prophet Muhammad from the descendants of his daughter Hazrat Fatima.

2. Hazrat is a prefix that is used to denote honor and respect.

3. Participants of the study mentioned delivering sermons to Pakistani populations living abroad including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Kuwait.

4. Fiqa-e-Jaffriya is the largest sect of Shia Islam. This sect follows the traditions and jurisprudence of the 12 descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, from the lineage of his daughter Hazrat Fatima.

5. An Imambargah is a Shia mosque, also known for holding mourning and remembrance assemblies for the martyrs of the Prophet Muhammad’s family.

6. Some of the elderly companions who fought for the protection of the Ahlebait in the battle of Kerbala, despite their advanced age and infirmity, included Muslim ibn Awsaja al-Asadi, Habib ibn Madhahir, and Burayr ibn Khuzayr al-Hamadani.

7. The Mehdi is perceived by Shias to be one of the Ahlebait, currently in occultation, who will return to the world to spread justice and equality.

8. There are three main taxes paid by Shias: (i) Zakat- which is a compulsory tax consisting of 2.5% of the total savings, (ii) Sadaqah- which is a voluntary charity of any amount and can also constitute payment in kind (like clothes and food), and (iii) Khums- which is a compulsory tax consisting of one-fifth of total wealth.

9. Syed members of the community are not permitted to use Sadqah; however, they can use Khums.

10. Syed refers to people who can trace their lineage back to the Prophet Muhammad.

11. The Majalis system and other religious congregations require a lot of informal and unpaid assistance in diverse occupations of cleaning, management, maintenance, planning, cooking, and security.