Payment of Zakat to Non-Muslims in the Light of Islamic Shariah

This study revisited the literature to find answer to an important question that whether Zakat could or could not be paid to the non Muslims? There are different arguments in favor of giving the Zakat to the needy Dhimmies (non Muslims) in an Islamic State.  After reviewing Islamic teachings, laid down in holy Quran and Sunnah, the practices of pious Caliphs, in the Islamic History, views of different Islamic schools of thought and the opinion of modern Islamic jurists, the study found that Quran and Sunnah allowed the payment of zakat to the Al-Muallaf-al-Qulub (poor non-Muslims and those, whose hearts are to be inclined). However, there are differences in the opinion of various Islamic schools of thought. For example, according to Maliki and Zaidi schools of jurisprudence it is lawful to give Zakat to the non-Muslims, where as Shyafee school of thought hold opposite opinion and does not allow the payment of Zakat to the non-Muslims. The modern Islamic jurists Muhammad Shaltut, Mustafa Al-Zarka, Taha Jabir, Syed Abual Aa la Maududi, Imam Khumany of Shia School of thought etc, argue that since modern states have become welfare states, it is therefore allowed to use zakat for the well-being of citizens including the non-Muslims. The recommendations given in this study are multidimensional that we will not only help the poor non-Muslims but also complement to eradicate poverty and reduce income inequality in Muslim countries

A Study of the Impact of the Mentoring Process on Primary Teachers Professional Development in District Lasbella, Balochistan

Teacher Education plays a vital role in the development of quality education and implementing the change process at classroom level. The Primary Education Directorate, Government of Balochistan, with the cooperation of the Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development has implemented the Primary Teacher Mentoring Program (PTMP) in eighteen districts of Balochistan. It is a new initiative in primary teacher education by the Government of Balochistan. This investigation is a qualitative case study focusing on the impact of the mentoring process on primary teachers' professional development in the District Lasbella, Balochistan. In this study the major sources for data collection were interviews, observations, informal talks, and documentation reviews. The obtained data has been analyzed and it has been found that the PTMP is a needs-oriented and indigenous model of mentoring process in which limited resources and contextual situation have been considered. It provides a built-in mechanism of on-going professional development support to the teachers. It is a cluster-based support, where 30-40 teachers of the cluster along with a mentor gather for two days in a month and discuss their classroom & school related teaching learning issues & concerns and sort them out. The mentoring process seems to have created a collaborative learning environment, which has reduced isolated teachers' culture, enhanced their content and pedagogical knowledge and developed teachers as reflective practitioners. Certain challenges are associated with the PTMP, which affect the performance of mentors and mentees and consequently impinge negatively upon overall achievement of the PTMP. These challenges are weak organizational / physical infrastructure & resource constraints, workload of Teaching Learning Resource Team (TLRT), weak feedback and monitoring system, limited school-based follow-up & support, non-cooperation of some district officials & headteachers, and rigid government rules and regulations. However, there are certain possibilities within the program design that may overcome some above-mentioned difficulties in near future. These are: (a) decentralization policy of the PTMP; (b) PED will be in a position to put more time and energy in the consolidation of the program in the year 2000; and (c) more PDTs may join the PED to enhance its institutional capacity building.