The Islamic Well-Being Index for Muslim Majority Countries (IWI-MMC) aims to assess the well-being of countries in a scientific manner. The Index is based on principles derived from the Qur’an and Sunnah to comprise the essential elements of the Maqasid al-Shar‘iah (Higher objectives of Islamic Law), as developed by Imams Abu Hamid Ghazali (d.1111) and Shatibi (1320-1388 CE), namely the protection of Self (nafs), Religion (deen), Intellect (aql), Progeny (nasl)/lineage (nasb) or Family, and Wealth (maal). Imam Ghazali had noted that “The objective of the Shari’ah is to produce the well-being of all mankind.”
The concept of ‘’Islamic Well-Being’ is reflected in Qur’anic passages. Achieving God’s ‘good pleasure’ (al-Fajr 89:28) and ‘blessedness’ (al-R’ad 13:29), are interpreted as ‘well-being.’ It leads to a ‘goodly return’ and entry to ‘His Heaven,’ which are synonymous and the seeker’s ultimate success (falah).
The index and its methodology was originally published in 2013 for IWI 1.0-2013 in the IAIS Malaysia flagship journal, Islam and Civilisational Renewal. The article has received strong global interest with over 12,700 reads on ResearchGate website. The IWI 2.0-2021 was published as “An Enhanced Islamic Well-Being Index for Muslim Countries” in the ICR Volume 12(2). Presentation of the latest IWI index 3.0-2022 recently appeared in an article in the Australasian Muslim Times https://www.amust.com.au/2022/07/islamic-well-being-index-2022-maldives-tops-indonesia-and-malaysia/
The current Index methodology benefited with improvements in computing the Index by adopting advices from Islamic scholars, including Mohammed Hashim Kamali, Jasser Auda, Ahmad Syafi’i Maarif, Feisal Abdul Rauf and Recep Senturk, who deliberated on how to define Islamic Statehood using a Maqasid al-Shari‘ah approach. Their book discussing outcomes of these deliberations, was published in 2015 as “Defining Islamic Statehood: Measuring and Indexing Contemporary Muslim States.” The IWI 1.0-2013 represents a base level for measuring country improvements or declines, and reflects average conditions of Muslim citizens from each country at that time.
The IWI-MMC offers a scorecard that highlights leader and laggard countries and provides practical insights for countries that aspire to move to a higher state. The IWI Indicators provide a way to spot problems, set targets, track trends, understand outcomes, and identify best policy practices. Good data and fact-based analyses based on this work can help government officials refine their policy agendas and facilitate communications with key stakeholders. Support of the internationally-renown International Institute for Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) Malaysia and its CEO, Dato’ Professor Mohammed Hashim Kamali, are gratefully acknowledged as providing an institutional platform for the Index.