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Another concept that embodies the elements of cooperation and mutual help is al-nahd or
nihd, which refers to the contributions made by a group of people for their expenses according
to their number. This term is normally used for the contribution of food and drink. It is
explicitly mentioned by Al-Bukhari in relation to the practice of the Companions of the
Prophet (PBUH) whereby they collected and shared their food during their journey or due to
the shortage of food supplies. This practice is acknowledged by the Prophet (PBUH), as
evident in several hadith, one of which is translated as follows:
“When the people of Ashʻari tribe ran short of food during the holy battles, or the food of their
families in Medina ran short, they would collect all their remaining food in one sheet and then
distribute it among themselves equally by measuring it with a bowl. So, these people are from
me, and I am from them.” (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Faraidh, Vol. 8, Book 80, no. 725).
The sharing of resources in nihd may be analogous to the contribution to the Takaful fund.
Another similarity between nihd and Takaful is that the amount of food or compensation that
is given to the recipient is not equal to the amount of his/her contribution. However, the
difference between the amount of contribution and the amount of benefit is not riba because
the objective of nihd and Takaful is for charity and cooperation.
Finally, the concept and institution of waqf also provide support for the idea of mutual help.
Waqf refers to Islamic charitable endowment in which a property is given away for the benefit
of the public or specific beneficiaries by freezing its corpus from being transferred to others
while its usufruct is dedicated permanently to the recipients. Waqf has been established in
Muslim communities for different purposes, which are determined by the founder (waqif).
Even though the waqif permanently loses his ownership over the waqf property according to
the majority of the Muslim jurists, he could still share some of its benefits with the
beneficiaries. This feature makes waqf seem to be an appropriate basis for the application of
Takaful.
The above illustrations support the general concept of Takaful to mutually compensate the
losses suffered by a member of a group or society. Takaful conforms to the Islamic principles
on the protection of public interest (maslahah). Takaful embodies the elements of
cooperation, mutual indemnity and shared responsibility, which are promoted by the Shari'ah
and supported by several related practices mentioned above. Since Takaful also shares some
similarities with these practices which are approved by Islamic law, the same recognition
should be given to Takaful.