As the third pillar of Islam, zakāt has a long tradition in South Asia. Ever since the Muslim conquest of the Indian subcontinent from the eighth to the twelfth centuries, women have been either donors or recipients of zakāt and other types of donations.
Women as donors of charitable funds
It has always been normal practice for wealthy and influential people such as Muslim elites, local nawwābs, and landowners (sing. zamīndār) to help the poor. The e…