Khidmat

Khidmat is a term used in Urdu and several other languages of the Indian subcontinent to denote service or acts of service. The word derives from خِدْمَة (khidmah) in Arabic, carried into Persian and Turkish, and then adopted into Urdu and Hindi. It can refer to service to God, to family, to the community, or to humanity at large, as well as to professional or voluntary work.

In religious and cultural contexts, khidmat often carries a moral or spiritual dimension. In Islamic thought, the idea of khidmat-e-khalq, meaning service to creation, is emphasized by many scholars and charitable movements as a virtuous activity. Sufi and reformist traditions likewise promote selfless service as a path of ethical living.

In everyday use, khidmat describes public service, volunteerism, and welfare-oriented activity. It is a common term in South Asia and among associated diaspora communities and appears in the names of charitable organizations, NGOs, and community groups that focus on humanitarian aid, education, health, and poverty alleviation. Because it is a generic concept rather than a single institution, many different groups may use Khidmat in their names to signal their service-oriented mission.

Overall, khidmat encapsulates the idea that helping others and contributing to the welfare of society is a valued and essential form of conduct within many South Asian cultural and religious contexts.