From feeding to flourishing: an al-Fārābīan examination of sustainability, empowerment, and Tawhidic ethics in urban community food initiatives

Abdul Razak, Dzuljastri and Mhd. Sarif, Suhaimi and Zainudin, Dolhadi and Yahya, Rohaziah (2026) From feeding to flourishing: an al-Fārābīan examination of sustainability, empowerment, and Tawhidic ethics in urban community food initiatives. Journal of Islamic Management Studies, 9 (1). pp. 35-46. E-ISSN 2600-7126

PDF - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (274kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Urban hunger has intensified despite substantial economic growth, with global data revealing a sharp rise in food insecurity driven by climate disruptions, economic volatility, and systemic inequalities. In large metropolitan areas, B40 communities face acute challenges accessing nutritious food, dignified employment, and stable livelihoods, despite the presence of charitable efforts such as soup kitchens, rumah makan, and food banks. While these initiatives provide immediate relief, mounting evidence shows that feeding alone is insufficient to address entrenched poverty. Drawing on al-Fārābī’s philosophical vision of the virtuous city and the Tawhidic principles of niyyah, barakah, and maṣlaḥah, this study explores how urban community food initiatives sustain themselves through adaptive fundraising, volunteer mobilisation, and spiritually grounded motivations. Using a qualitative case study involving donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries of the mKitchen initiative, the research investigates how charitable food systems transition from short-term relief toward empowerment pathways such as micro-entrepreneurship, skills development, and social cohesion. The findings underscore that long-term solutions require a synthesis of compassion, structural reform, and ethical stewardship. Ultimately, sustainable food assistance must become a platform for human capability-building, economic inclusion, and community flourishing aligned with al-Fārābī’s conception of a just and purposeful society

Item Type:	Article (Journal)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Urban hunger, Al-Fārābīan ethics, Community food systems
Subjects:	BPH Islamic Economics > BPH72 Economic development. Growth. Sustainable development. Sustainability BPH Islamic Economics > BPH830.3 Social systems. Urban groups. Cities and towns. Sustainable urban development BPL Islamic education > BPL27 Aims and objectives of education. Sustainable education H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > HF5001 Business. Business Administration > HF5387 Business ethics
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	International Institute for Halal Research and Training (INHART) Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences > Department of Business Administration
Depositing User:	Dr Suhaimi Mhd Sarif
Date Deposited:	12 Feb 2026 16:18
Last Modified:	12 Feb 2026 16:18
Queue Number:	2026-02-Q2130
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/127414

Actions (login required)

View Item