At the Annual General Meeting of the Global Council of Zoroastrians Trust (GCZT) held in Mumbai on 2^nd February 2025, I was requested to speak on the topic: ‘The Importance Of Giving.’ It was a relevant topic considering several factors. As a community, especially in India, we seem to have lost our ethos of giving, and worse, we seem to be harbouring a false sense of entitlement – often demanding without deserving. Also, there is way too much dependence on our charitable institutions whose financial resources are being stretched too thin. The culture of giving back to the community what one receives from the community, seems to be fading.

It’s often asked whether our numerous charitable institutions have been a boon or a bane for our community? In our opinion it is a boon for the old, infirm and incapacitated, but a bane for all others. Charity should be an enabler for those requiring a kickstart in life, not a disabling crutch promoting dependence.

It is important to realise that ‘giving’ is not just about money. Being philanthropic, is not about giving of one’s wealth. It also includes giving of one’s time, experience, expertise and voluntary effort. Long before the Parsi Sethia’s established charity funds, Parsis practiced community living and good neighborliness. The practice of ‘each one care for another one’ needs to be revived.

Ideas Of Philanthropy

Ideas of philanthropy have varied with the customs of people, with changing needs and with the development of the human mind and desire to make life happier for others. The Greek and the early Roman concept of philanthropy consisted in doing kindly acts ‘towards people’, not just towards the poor, going much beyond alms-giving. The Greek ethic of general kindliness was “do not overlook an un-hired body; kindle a fire; give a share of water; tell the way; advise truthfully.”

Under the Islamic faith, charity forms one of the basic obligations. Zakat is a compulsory poor-tax which a Muslim must pay not only on the surplus of the year, but also on the value of his total movable assets. Other Islamic forms of charities include khairat and sadqa. In the early centuries, zakat was highly organized through the institutions of baitulmal or the treasury. Every Muslim was required to send his zakat to the baitulmal with such instructions as he desired for the disbursement of the fund.

The Giving Pledge

In August 2010, forty of America’s wealthiest people made a commitment to give the majority of their wealth to address society’s most pressing problems. Created by Warren Buffett, Melinda French Gates, and Bill Gates, the Giving Pledge came to life following a series of conversations with philanthropists about how they could set a new standard of generosity among the ultra-wealthy.

While originally focused on the United States, the Giving Pledge quickly saw interest from philanthropists around the world, including in India. As a community we need to give this movement some serious thought. The Giving Pledge included multiple options: Donating at least 10% of one’s income until one retires; Donating a fixed percentage of one’s wealth, say 1% or 2%; Donating all income above a set amount until one retires; and Donating 1% of one’s spending money to students and the unemployed.

As a community we need to popularise such giving pledges in a strategic and systematic manner. Even if one’s income is Rs. 50,000/- a month, at the rate of just 1%, one can consider setting aside Rs. 500/- monthly to support a deserving individual or association.

Religious Precept

The name ‘Parsi’ is synonymous with ‘charity’, thanks to the emphasis of this ethos in Zoroastrian scriptures. The Zoroastrian religion is more than a religion – it is a scientific and rational explanation of existence, of reality as a whole, of our place in it, our duties while in this life, and the higher destiny we can achieve by establishing our conduct, in accordance with the eternal and immutable Law of Nature or ‘Asha’.

Zoroastrians consider poverty, ignorance, suffering and want as an affliction of evil. To remove poverty, deficiency, disease and human suffering is not only a religious duty and part of Zoroastrian culture, but an act of spiritual merit, depriving ‘evil’ of sustenance. In the Yatha Ahu Vairyo prayer itself, every Zoroastrian affirms that the person who helps the poor and needy, in a sense, helps Ahura Mazda in negating evil.

It is believed that Zarathushtra had his first vision of Ahura Mazda on Roj Dae-pa-Meher, Mah Ardibehest and according to the Zarathusht Nameh, Zarathushtra asked Ahura Mazda a question (the very first question) and in the answer that he received from Ahura Mazda, one may find an excellent summary of what truly is the Zoroastrian way of life and living. The question was, “Who is the best person among all people in the world?” Ahura Mazda answered, “He who walks on the path of Asha (Righteousness); is charitable; is just; reveres fire; water and is caring even towards animals”.

Five things, according to the Pahlavi Dinkard, were considered worthy of merit – Truthfulness; Charity; Skill; Endeavour and Giving encouragement to others in good deeds. In the Handarz literature, Aturpat Mahraspand, the high priest at the court of the Sasanian king, Shapur II, speaks of three kinds of charity – 1. To give without being asked or requested to give; 2. To give immediately on being asked or requested to give; and 3. To give at the promised time, if one has promised. Aturpat (Adarbad) adds that charity is good when one expects nothing from the receiver in return and entertains no such expectation. Good charity, according to him, is never done for publicity, show or personal gain.

Thousands of years have passed since Prophet Zarathushtra walked this planet, but his small yet dedicated band of followers remember to the last breath, his timeless message, “Happiness comes to him who seeks happiness for others.” (Yasna 43.1).

Give Wisely

American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, in ‘The Gospel of Wealth’, has a word of caution for what he calls ‘indiscriminate charity’. He believed, “It were better for mankind that the millions of the rich were thrown into the sea than so spent as to encourage the slothful, the drunken, the unworthy. Of every thousand dollars spent in so-called charity today, it is probable that nine hundred and fifty dollars is unwisely spent – so spent, indeed, as to produce the very evils which it hopes to mitigate or cure… In bestowing charity, the main consideration should be to help those who will help themselves; to provide part of the means by which those who desire to improve, may do so; to give those who desire to rise, the means by which they may rise; to assist only to the extent that is required, rarely or never to do all… Neither the individual nor the race is improved by almsgiving, for in alms giving, more injury is probably done by rewarding vice than by relieving virtue.”

Benefits Of Giving

Before concluding, it may not be amiss to briefly emphasize on the benefits of giving. Indeed, giving of one’s time, talent or treasure provides a range of benefits including increased happiness and well-being, a sense of purpose, stronger community ties, personal growth, and the positive impact of alleviating suffering for those in need. Essentially, giving back to the community can contribute to a more fulfilling life for the giver as well as the recipient.