Reconceptualising Al-Gharimin in Islamic Social Finance: From Classical Debt Relief to A Maqasid-Driven Personal Financing Framework

This study reconceptualises the classical notion of al-gharimin (debtors) by bridging its juristic foundations with contemporary practices in Islamic social finance. Drawing upon classical tafsir and fiqh literature, al-gharimin is traditionally defined as individuals burdened with debt arising from legitimate needs, encompassing both personal hardship and public welfare obligations. However, this classical framework remains primarily relief-oriented, focusing on the settlement of existing debts rather than addressing the broader dynamics of financial vulnerability in modern contexts. Using a qualitative approach based on semi-structured interviews with key zakat institutions in Malaysia, this study finds that the operational interpretation of al-gharimin has evolved significantly. Contemporary practices extend beyond actual indebtedness to include anticipated financial distress arising from essential needs such as healthcare, disaster recovery, and basic living expenses. Despite this expansion, zakat interventions remain largely assistance-based, characterised by one-off disbursements that do not adequately address long-term financial sustainability. Building on these findings, the study proposes a Maqasid-Driven Personal Financing Framework that repositions al-gharimin as a dynamic indicator of financial vulnerability rather than a static debt category. By integrating the principles of Maqasid al-Shariah into eligibility assessment, financing structures, monitoring mechanisms, and outcome evaluation, the framework offers a structured alternative to conventional debt-based personal financing. This study contributes to the literature by providing a theoretically grounded and empirically informed reconceptualisation of al-gharimin, offering a novel pathway for transforming zakat institutions into proactive agents of financial empowerment and socio-economic sustainability.

Al-Gharimin; Islamic social finance; Zakat institutions

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