Islam and poverty reduction strategies: attempts at dealing with poverty in the Ghanaian Muslim community

bibliographic database
Line

Periodical article

Title:	Islam and poverty reduction strategies: attempts at dealing with poverty in the Ghanaian Muslim community
Author:	Ammah, Rabiatu
Year:	2007
Periodical:	The Ghana Bulletin of Theology (ISSN 0855-7942)
Volume:	2
Period:	July
Pages:	3-20
Language:	English
Notes:	biblio. refs.
Geographic terms:	Ghana West Africa
Subjects:	poverty reduction Islam ethics Economics, Commerce Poverty--Religious aspects--Islam
Abstract:	The author examines poverty in Ghana's Muslim community against the backdrop of Islam's position on development and poverty. First, he provides background information on the problem of hunger and poverty in Africa within the global economic system. Next, he discusses Islam's understanding of development and the ethical bases for it, and highlights its position on work, wealth acquisition and redistribution with emphasis on the social responsibility of the Muslim individual and Muslim bodies or civil societies to implement humane welfare policies. He shows the importance of the institutions of 'zakat' and 'sadaqa' and others in the fight against poverty in Ghana, paying particular attention to the NGO Islamic Council for Development and Humanitarian Services (ICODEHS). He concludes that the reasons for poverty in Ghana's Muslim community are multifaceted and structural, but also self-inflicted through the lifestyle and attitude of the general Muslim community. Notes, ref., sum. [ASC Leiden abstract]