Analysis of the Concept of Khidmat and Community Welfare in Abu Ubaid's Economic Thought: Its Relevance to Modern Fiscal Policy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67429/a1rvy875Keywords:
Abu Ubaid, Khidmat, Islamic Fiscal Policy, Community Welfare, Public FinanceAbstract
This study analyzes the concepts of khidmat (public service and governance) and community welfare (al-maslahah al-ammah) in Abu Ubaid al-Qasim ibn Sallam's (774-838 CE) Kitab al-Amwal, examining their applicability to modern fiscal policy. Using a historical analytical and normative descriptive methodology, the research reviews Abu Ubaid's fiscal doctrines encompassing zakat administration, kharaj (land tax), jizyah, and fayʾ distribution and maps them against contemporary frameworks of redistributive taxation, social protection, and public expenditure theory. Findings demonstrate that his concept of khidmat embodies a state obligation toward equitable resource distribution and public welfare provision consistent with modern welfare state principles. His emphasis on fiscal justice, administrative transparency, and protection of the economically vulnerable anticipates key concerns of modern public finance, including fiscal sustainability, social spending efficiency, and inclusive growth. The study argues that Abu Ubaid's framework offers a normatively grounded and historically tested alternative to conventional fiscal philosophy, with policy implications for Muslim majority countries integrating Islamic values into national fiscal architecture. These findings contribute to the interdisciplinary dialogue between Islamic economic history and contemporary public finance scholarship.
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