This article is concerned in part to inform the quest for an understanding of the perceptions which Muslim minorities have of Western welfare state provision, but its wider purpose is to explore the essence and the potential of the Islamic welfare state. Heuristic models constructed by social policy academics have provided insights into the influences of religion upon different kinds of welfare state, but no model exists by which specifically to understand Islamic welfare traditions. The article explains the Islamic tradition of Zakat; its significance as one of the central pillars of Muslim faith, and the principles through which it addresses the relief of poverty and the redistribution of wealth. Islamic conceptions of state and community are then explored and the ways in which Muslim faith and culture are adapting at both the global and community level. The article concludes with some speculative remarks about the scope for rapprochement between Western debates about the moral basis for welfare and Muslim perspectives on social justice.

The Muslim presence in Britain has over the past decade become a significant factor in political, social and cultural spheres. There are a number of important imperatives central to the presence of Muslims in Britain within the context of Muslim social and political mobilization and state responses. It would appear that a situation of conflict exists between the Muslim minority in Britain, increasingly becoming concerned about its future, and a secular non-Muslim society. Increasingly, Muslim activism has posed challenges to state policy on issues and areas of importance such as education, religion and political representation. The situation of Muslim communities in Britain can be seen in the context of an ongoing process of accommodation and compromise between minorities and the dominant mainstream. The images of Islam and Muslims in western discourses are also central to any understanding of the presence of Muslims in the broader context of the European Union. The Islamic concept of ummah is equally relevant in the discussion of a Muslim diaspora and Muslim citizenship. The article addresses issues that are central to the ongoing debate about the socioeconomic position and political activism of British Muslims.

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There is a growing demand for human organs for transplantation, particularly of the kidney among the UK's South Asian population which, due to problems with histocompatibility can only be met with a significant increase in the number of Asian donors. Specific attempts have only recently been made to attract donors from South Asian communities using 'ethnically-targeted mass media'. A recent pilot study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of these initiatives in providing information with regards to organ donation for the South Asian population. The findings show that detailed information related to transplantation activity had been learned only through the experience of people undergoing transplants within the community and has been transmitted through various informal networks rather than through the resources provided by the Department of Health. This paper provides an overview of who the South Asians are and how these community networks were established.

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