سهم الغارمين ودوره في تحقيق التكافل الاجتماعي

Abstract

This article discusses one of several ways of spending Zakat (alms money) in Islam: namely, the share of the Gharim (debtor or the one trapped with his/her liabilities to fulfill basic needs). It attempts to define the Gharim linguistically and theologically and talk about two types of debtors: the first type includes those who become Gharim, while serving personal interests. The second type includes individuals who become Gharim while serving public interests. The study reveals the preconditions under which the debtors are entitled to Zakat (alms money) and the sum they can receive. It also describes what Islam aims at achieving by giving alms money to debtors and the role this plays in guaranteeing social justice.