政二 B 邱科翰 (2) 補交

The Law of Generosity Combatting Coronavirus 

in Pakistan (節選)

政二 B 07114248 邱科翰

By Aysha Imtiaz, BBC Future

1 April 2020

Outside grocery stores in Karachi, a remarkable scene has been unfolding over the past two weeks. Instead of rushing home after shopping to avoid being exposed to coronavirus, many Pakistanis are pausing outside to offer food, money or other charity to the many people on the street with no “place” to shelter-in-place. These generous offers are often accompanied with a request to the recipient: “Pray that [the coronavirus] ends soon.”

Like many nations, Pakistan has imposed strict containment measures in response to the global coronavirus pandemic, including closing schools, banning public gatherings and shuttering all businesses that don’t sell groceries or medicine. But unlike some other countries that have ordered similar measures, the effects of a prolonged lockdown here could have much more dire economic – and potentially fatal – consequences.

Amid the pandemic, Pakistanis are bonding together to assist the less fortunate in a unique and inspiring way. Specifically, many are offering zakat, the traditional Muslim charity tax, for daily wage earners who have no paid leave, health insurance or financial safety net.

In Arabic, “zakat” translates to “that which purifies”, and, according to the Five Pillars of Islam, it is one of the most important religious duties for Muslims. This mandatory alms-giving is calculated at 2.5% of a person’s annual excess wealth. Strict parameters exist outlining the nisab,or threshold, beyond which a Muslim’s assets become liable for zakat, as well as who is eligible to receive it.

As the coronavirus spreads, many Pakistanis have been giving far more than the required 2.5% of zakat, while others who don’t earn enough to qualify for zakat are offering as much charity as they can – and so far, these donations are being mobilised swiftly.

Many donations go towards creating monthly raashan (ration) packets that provide daily wage earners and the less fortunate basic grocery items, such as lentils, ghee, flour, oil, sugar and tea. While they are typically distributed during Ramadan, they are now being doled out to daily wage workers affected by the economic repercussions of the pandemic. These days, they also include anti-bacterial soap.

Across Pakistan, appeals for donations are widely circulating on WhatsApp and social media. Women are playing a significant role by offering their houses as collection points for staple ingredients, such as flour, oil and lentils. Many have started circulating their personal phone numbers to mobilise more donations – a rare practice in Pakistan before the pandemic.

Volunteer organisations such as the Robin Hood Army have been busy distributing surplus food from restaurants and raashan packets to those in need. And groups like Edhi Foundation and Saylani Welfare Trust have helplines and WhatsApp numbers that people can message to inform them of families in need of food.

Sundus Rasheed, a host at a Karachi radio station, said of the city’s response to the pandemic, “Karachi walas (Karachiites) do a lot of personal giving, far beyond zakat. I personally don’t have savings, which is part of the zakat threshold, but before corona got a little worse, we [distributed] hygiene packs. I live near the port where there are lots of daily wage earners. We distributed 400 packs, just through people we knew. Now, it’s coming to a point where it’s not just a pre-emptive hygiene measure, but a matter of sustenance.”

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心得 : 

  此報導雖然聚焦在信德省首府卡拉奇這座城市上, 但它所描繪的現象 — 靠信仰驅動的自發性公民參與 — 在信德省與巴基斯坦各地皆可窺見。 在地方與社區的治理上, 如何凝聚在地居民的不同利益, 並誘發其主動投入, 向來是很大的問題。 卡拉奇的案例或許可以提供一些靈感。

  為了彌補社會安全網與其它公共設施及服務的不足, 卡拉奇的居民以信仰作為共同基礎, 透過網路組織並串連起自發性的援助網絡。 這在某種程度上也展現了卡拉奇內各社區與城市本身所具備的能力 : 從財源到物資都是靠志願捐助, 並未依靠政府補助金, 且援助網絡是由居民自發管理及運行。 在疫情肆虐的時間點, 這種民間發起的志願網絡不僅減緩了社會安全網的負擔, 也讓寶貴的資源能得到重分配。

  台灣可以從這種模式學到什麼嗎 ? 吾認為是可以的。 首先, 傳統上, 地方的廟宇是當地居民聚會的活動中樞, 也常臨近市集或道路等, 在部分鄉鎮仍是如此。 若能活化這些信仰中心, 融入在地文史保存與研究, 開發其它周邊應用 (如結合在地發展史的走讀旅行, 地方特色/創意市集等), 應有望成為地方創生的新核心。 再者, 在部分偏鄉, 若能以地方信仰中心為基礎, 融合長照, 公共運輸等, 應可達到樽節施工成本, 普及公共服務, 與切合居民生活習慣的多重功效。 信仰的力量在不同國家有不同發展與應用的可能, 如何借用這股力量, 是台灣在地方發展上可以多探究的。