اسلامی تعلیمات میں عمر رسیدہ افراد کی کفالت: ایک تجزیاتی و تحقیقی مطالعہ

Abstract

وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا

"And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment" [i].

Human life inevitably descends into a phase of physical frailty. The Islamic ethical and legal paradigm transforms this vulnerability into a stage of profound spiritual reverence. Modern capitalistic societies increasingly measure human worth through economic productivity. Aging bodies are thus marginalized. They are often relegated to the institutional isolation of Old Age Homes. The Prophetic mission established a radically different worldview. Caring for the elderly is framed not as a societal burden but as a direct gateway to divine mercy and societal sustenance. We analytically examine classical Islamic jurisprudence regarding the financial and physical maintenance (Nafaqah) owed to parents and aging relatives. A comparative lens is applied to contrast the traditional extended family structure with contemporary commercialized care facilities. Institutional care strips away emotional intimacy. It breeds psychological alienation and a profound sense of abandonment. The Islamic framework enforces the protection of human dignity within the sanctuary of the home. The Qur’an’an’s directive specifically places the elderly "with you" (indaka), fundamentally rejecting the concept of distant confinement. Exceptional circumstances, such as severe medical deterioration or complete destitution, do invite state intervention and specialized medical shelter under the principle of public interest (Maslaha). Yet, the core societal default remains the family unit. Reviving localized community support networks and proposing hybrid daycare models offers a pragmatic solution to contemporary economic pressures. True societal welfare depends entirely on preserving kinship ties and recognizing the elderly as the spiritual anchors of the Muslim household.

[i] Al-Isra 17:23