The modern humanitarian principles of saving lives and alleviating poverty are divinely entrenched in the teachings of Islam; according to the Qur’an, saving a life is like saving the whole of humanity.1 Inspired by these teachings, acts of charity, concern for others and the provision of social welfare have played an integral role in Muslim societies for the last 1400 years. This document provides a brief historical overview of humanitarianism in the Muslim world and in doing so demonstrates the centrality of humanitarian principles in Islam.

Office
http://policy.islamic-relief.com

Citation
Arqub,M & Philips (2010). A Brief History of Humanitarism in The Muslim World. Islamic Relief Worldwide, Birmingham, UK