The Role of Mosque in Building Resilient Communities: Widening Development Agendas (Islam and Global Studies)

Though the importance of religious networks in disaster preparedness and relief is increasingly recognized, there are few rigorous studies based on fieldwork in Muslim majority countries. Abdur Rehman Cheema combines deep experience of practical humanitarian action with scholarly reflection. He discusses both the actual and the potential contribution of mosques and imams to disaster management in Pakistan, judiciously balancing the restraints imposed by fatalistic interpretations of Islam against its power to inspire altruism and commitment. Jonathan Benthall, University College London, UK This book is about the role of the mosque in the aftermath of the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan. Disasters give rise to a situation where people from different parts of the world, quite unfamiliar with each other, come into contact to save lives, provide necessities such as food and shelter, rebuild homes and enable community recovery. During these challenging times, community-based religious institutions such as churches, mosques and temples are a practical choice for reaching people living nearby to fulfil their needs. The book shows the contributions of the mosque as a physical, spiritual and social place for improving the knowledge and practice of disaster risk reduction and management including the COVID-19 pandemic. It also illuminates the widening role of religion in development. The book reinforces the case for broader engagement with all community-based religious institutions. The book is of interest to academics in diverse fields including development studies, disaster studies, sociology, anthropology, religion, Asian studies, emergency and disaster management. It will also of interest to the professional staff of disaster management authorities, public sector, bilateral and multilateral aid allocation and implementing agencies and those of humanitarian organizations. Abdur Rehman Cheema is an economist and development professional with PhD in Development Studies (Massey University, 2012). He has served in academia, non-profit, national and international organizations. He has held Charles Wallace Fellowship and University of Oxford fellowship. Currently, he is working for the UNDP at the Federal Sustainable Development Goals Support Unit, Ministry of Planning, Development, Reform and Special Initiatives, Pakistan Secretariat, Islamabad. Preface Acknowledgements Praise for The Role of Mosque in Building Resilient Communities Contents Abbreviations List of Figures List of Tables 1 Why a Book on the Role of the Mosque in Disasters? 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Central Questions and Methods 1.3 Disaster Management Cycle in Pakistan 1.4 Development, Natural Hazards, Pakistan and This Book 1.5 The Organisation of the Book References 2 Disasters and Religious Institutions 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Religious Views and Approaches 2.3 Religion Survived the Onslaught of Various Ideological and Political Challenges 2.4 Challenges to Engagement with Religious Institutions 2.4.1 Similarities Between Goals of Religious and Secular Organisations 2.4.2 Sensitivity 2.4.3 Proselytising, Discrimination and Neutrality 2.4.4 Case Study of Samoa 2.4.5 Disaster Risk Perception 2.4.6 Different Views of Disasters 2.4.7 Opportunities for Psychosocial Support, Spiritual Healing, Resilience and Charity 2.5 Introducing the Mosque 2.5.1 Is the Mosque an “Organisation” or an “Institution”? 2.5.2 Is the Mosque a “Faith” Institution or a “Religious” Institution? 2.6 Political Controversy About the Role of the Mosque 2.7 The Multi-faceted Role of the Mosque in Pakistan 2.7.1 Water Conservation 2.7.2 Fighting Blindness 2.7.3 Fighting Poverty 2.7.4 Campaigning on Birth Control 2.7.5 Fighting COVID-19 with Mosques 2.8 Potential Role of Community-Based Religious Institutions Regarding “connect and Convince” Functions 2.9 Conclusion References 3 Disaster Management in Pakistan 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Approaches to Disasters Since the 1935 Quetta Earthquake 3.3 Pre-2005 Disaster Management Policies 3.4 Pre-2005 Disaster Management Structure 3.4.1 Government 3.4.2 Private Sector 3.4.3 Civil Society 3.5 Pre-2005 Emergency Response System 3.6 Influence of Local Government Ordinance 2001 3.7 Key Challenges of the Pre-2005 Arrangements 3.8 Interim Disaster Management Policy and Structure 3.8.1 Federal Relief Commission 3.8.2 Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority 3.9 Post-2005 Disaster Management Policy 3.10 Post-2005 Disaster Management Structure 3.10.1 Government: Federal Level 3.10.2 Government: Provincial Level 3.10.3 Government: District, Tehsil and Union Council Levels 3.11 Post-2005 Emergency Response System 3.12 Role of Other Government Institutions in the Post-2005 Disaster Management Policy and Structure 3.13 Key Challenges of the Post-2005 Arrangements 3.14 Conclusion References 4 The Role of the Mosque in the Aftermath of the 2005 Earthquake and Its Future Potential 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Introducing the Research Site 4.2.1 Banda-1 4.2.2 Banda-2 4.2.3 Banda-3 4.2.4 Imams and Their Recruitment 4.3 The Roles of Mosques in Disaster Management 4.3.1 Mosques’ Roles During Response and Relief 4.3.2 Mosques’ Roles During Recovery, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation 4.3.3 Mosques’ Roles in Influencing Disaster Preparedness Through Affecting Disaster-Risk Perception 4.4 Mosques and Women in the Post-2005 Earthquake Period 4.5 Interaction of the Mosque with Other Key Actors 4.5.1 Government 4.5.2 Private Sector 4.6 The Overall Role of the Mosque in Disaster Management 4.7 Other Roles of the Mosque 4.7.1 Social and Economic Roles of the Mosque 4.7.2 Educational, Health Support, Political Empowerment and Advocacy Roles 4.7.3 Role of Religious Institutions Helping Their Followers and Followers of Other Religions 4.8 Conclusion References 5 Opportunities and Challenges of Engagement with the Mosque as a Community-Based Religious Institution 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Contribution to Knowledge About the Role of Religious Institutions 5.2.1 The Centrality of Religious Institutions to Communities 5.2.2 The Need for Partnership Between Outside Organisations and Community-Based Religious Institutions in the Face of Disasters 5.2.3 Religious Institutions and Gender Issues 5.2.4 Moving Beyond Political Sensitivities Associated with the Mosque 5.2.5 The Influence of Religiosity on Disaster Risk Perceptions 5.2.6 The Role of the Mosque in Supporting Livelihood Recovery 5.3 Conclusion 5.4 Improving Disaster Management in Pakistan 5.4.1 The Organisational Structure of Disaster Management 5.5 At Crossroads: Religion, International Humanitarian Actors and Mitigating Impacts of Extreme Events on the Lives of People References Bibliography Index