Charity

In the Qur’anic verses and Islamic hadiths, human values rank such a high status that religious leaders have also emphasized to respect these values. Altruism and serving humans - in all religions and denominations - have also been emphasized by religious leaders theoretically and practically. Paying attention to such values can play an important role in the solidarity of human societies and the peaceful life of different ethnic groups and nationalities. Human values have also been considered by Iranian writers and mystics, some of whom have reflected those valuable lessons in their Persian poems and texts. Despite blind prejudices, “Religious Enlightenment” requires that those life-giving and altruistic teachings be discussed by scholars.

Volunteerism is widespread in the translation sector, but the practices associated with it and its ethical import have so far received very little critical attention. This article critiques one of the most high profile beneficiaries of volunteer translation, Translators without Borders, which presents itself as a charity but operates as a corporate concern, with a leadership composed primarily of major industry players. TWB adopts an asset-centred, platform-based, top-down model that offers massive scaling possibilities and reflects a corporate vision of the translation community. It provides a clear example of the wider shift from artisanal to industrial to platform economy as it plays out in the translation field. To demonstrate the potential for volunteer translation to be situated within a more solidary and equitable context and provide an example of one possible alternative to the platform-based paradigm, we discuss the practices of another humanitarian NGO, Solidarités International, which runs a paid internship programme and adopts a small-scale, peer-based, horizontal model with a strong focus on early-career translators. We ask who ultimately benefits from the exploitation of free labour and focus on identifying practices that enhance or jeopardize the professionalization and stature of the translators involved. We further discuss how the linguistic assets produced by volunteer translators can generate saleable intellectual property and how this can lead to conflicts of interest and support patterns of inequality in the wider social context.

In the Sabab-e-Nuzūl of verse 8 of Surah Al-Insān, it is stated that the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) gave their food for three consecutive days while they were fasting and in need of that food. Apparently, the way of giving alms here is extremist and moderation is not observed in it. Therefore, there is a contradiction between the quality of food by the Infallibles (AS) and the verse Make not thy hand tied (like a niggard’s) to thy neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach, so that thou become blameworthy and destitute. (Isrāʼ/29) It is necessary to investigate this suspicion in order to protect the infallibility of Abrār. Therefore, this research has analyzed the mentioned conflict from two perspectives with a descriptive-analytical method: 1- The difference of context in the two verses 2- The difference in the existential capacity of human beings and the relativity of concepts. In the end, it is stated that the context of the word in Surah Al-Insān is praise and it cannot be contrary to verse 29 of Isrāʼ, in which moderation in almsgiving is recommended. Also based on the verse "On no soul doth Allah place a burden greater than it can bear." (Baqarah/286) and the differences in the existential capacity of human beings, the range of moderation in charity is different for each human being. Therefore, in the method of feeding, Abrār has observed moderation, but moderation at its highest level.