Raising Awareness About Autism and Empowering Individuals with Autism The Potential of Zakat

Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to study whether Muslim philanthropy is Autism Aware. The purpose of this paper is to assess the potentials of Zakat Funds in the provision of health care services of autistic children and funding autism research. 

Design/methodology/approach – This is mainly a desk review of academic, peer-reviewed literature as well as reports published by international organizations and information provided online by governments and non-government organizations.

Findings – A family with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) needs to deploy human and financial resources for the remaining lifetime of the child. Many poor and middle-class families are unable to meet such huge economic burden. Also, ASD research is lacking due to the dearth of research funds. As philanthropic institution, zakat institutions can potentially respond to the autism issue in terms of funding autism research as well as health care delivery to autistic individuals.

Originality/value – In recent years, in the discourse of Muslim value-based public and social policy, Zakat has emerged as one of the important topics. However, no research has been produced on the potentials of zakat in solving autism issue to the best of the researchers’ knowledge.