The Welfare Model of the State of Madinah and the Modern Welfare State: A Comparative Study in the Light of the Prophetic Sīrah

ریاستِ مدینہ کا فلاحی ماڈل اور جدید فلاحی ریاست: سیرت النبیﷺ کی روشنی میں تقابلی مطالعہ

Abstract

The welfare model of the State of Madinah represents a distinctive paradigm of governance in which social justice, human dignity, economic equity, social responsibility, and ethical governance were integrated under the guidance of the Qurʾān and Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. This study examines the concept of welfare in the State of Madinah in the light of the Prophetic Sīrah and comparatively analyzes it with the modern concept and historical development of the Welfare State. Employing a qualitative and analytical methodology, the study draws upon primary Islamic sources, including the Qurʾān and Hadith, classical works of Sīrah and Islamic political thought, and relevant modern literature on the Welfare State. The study finds that both models share several fundamental objectives, including poverty alleviation, social security, economic justice, protection of vulnerable groups, and public welfare. However, they differ significantly in their philosophical foundations and conceptual scope. While the modern Welfare State is primarily grounded in human reason, constitutionalism, social contract, and modern political and economic thought, the Madinah model is founded upon divine guidance, moral accountability, social solidarity, and holistic human well-being. The study argues that the contemporary relevance of the Madinah model lies not in mechanically reproducing its historical institutions, but in adapting its foundational principles, justice, transparency, accountability, social responsibility, human dignity, and equitable distribution of resources, within contemporary constitutional, administrative, and economic frameworks. It concludes that integrating these ethical and normative principles with modern institutional mechanisms can offer a balanced and sustainable framework for welfare, particularly in contemporary Muslim societies.