Economic Philosophy of Islam
Thoughts on Economics 1
Thoughts on Economics
Vol. 18, No. 02
Economic Philosophy of Islam:
A Comparative Conceptual Study
SarwarMd. Saifullah Khaled
Abstract: The Article discusses Philosophers’ views on religion and the conceptual issuesof Land, Labour, Capital and their remunerations in the traditional materialistic methods pursued in the West. Here an attempt is made to discover the unjust and exploitative nature of Rent, Wage and Profit, concealed in the very mechanism of Capitalism and Socialism.This is done in the light of Al Qur’an and Sunna with an objective to show that Islam provides a better and humanitarian method of remunerations distribution among the participants ofproduction on the basis of brotherly relations between the employersand the employees.
“YâSîn. By the wise Qur’an, Verily! thou art of those sent on a straight path, a revelation of the Mighty, the Merciful, that thou mayst warn a folk whose fathers were not warned, so they are heedless”36/1-6.
Introduction
“He it is who showeth you His portents1, and sendeth down for your provision from the sky. None payeth heed save him who turneth (unto Him) repentant. …. He casteth the spirit of His command upon whom He will of His slaves that He may warn of the Day of Meeting.”40/13,14.Here provision means rain, because all kinds of provisions that are given to mankind in earth depend upon rain. From among His numerous examples, by citing this single example, Allah says the people: by meditating deeply upon this single arrangement you willrealize that whatever impression has been presented before you in the holy Qur’an about the universe is the final universal philosophy.2
The title of the Article warrants a wide range of discussion on the subject, but the author his analysis to the most relevant aspects of the topic without going into their details. Section I of the paper presents the Philosophers’ views on Religion together with some verses from Al Qur’an and quotations from Hadiths. Section II gives an idea about the concepts of Land, Labor and Capital. In section III is given an idea about Rent, Wage, Profitwitha cursory glance at some Qur’anic verses onInterest (i.e., Usury) which Islam disapproves. Some concluding observations are made in section IV.
Section I
Philosophers on Religions
Philosophers differ in their opinion on religions: some on their interpretations and others on their legitimacy; even the Muslim philosophers differ on the interpretations of their own religion– Islam.
01. Karl Marx:An extreme view is the denial of the legitimacy of any Religion whatsoever, put forth by Karl Marx, among others. He said that, “The struggle against religion is …. the fight against the other world of which religion is the spiritual aroma.
“Religious distressis at the same time the expression of real distress and the protest against real distress.
“Religion is the sign of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people.”3
Such an idea about religion emanates from the view that ‘matter is the ultimate truth, and matter is uncreated. From this point of view it is logical to come to the idea that the final sequel of life is death, there is no creator of life or any such matter to think of, and there is no life on the next world or there is no Hereafter to talk about. God, Hereafter, Soul etceteraare the addiction to opium as powerful instruments of capitalistic exploitation. According to this philosophy human being is like an animal; so Human Values are non-existent. As an explanation to the logical and operational significance of this angle of vision,in personal and social life of human being,Lenin clearly asserted that: For the Communists there is no Objective Morality to talk about; any sort of program is logical in the way of overthrowing all sorts of established ruling powers by force and attack. The duty of the communists is to go forth with a ceaseless struggle against God – the Arch Enemy of mankind.’4Allah’s simple reply is: “O mankind! Verily the promise of Allah is true. So let not the life of the world beguile you, and let not the (avowed) beguiler beguile you with regard to Allah.”35/5 Allah goes farther: “O mankind! Ye are the poor in your relation to Allah. And Allah! He is the Absolute, the Owner of Praise. If He will, He can be rid of youand bring (instead of you) some new creation. That is not a hard thing for Allah.”35/15-17 “They measure not Allah His rightful measure. Verily Allah is Strong, Almighty.”22/74
02.Bertrand Russell says:“Our use of the term ‘the Dark Age’ to cover the period from 600 to 1000 marks our undue concentration on Western Europe. In China, this period includes the time of Tang dynasty, the greatest age of Chinese poetry and in many other ways a most remarkable epoch. From India to Spain, the brilliant civilization of Islam flourished”.5
The tale of Chinese excellence of that period was probably not unknown to HazratMohammad (s) who advised Muslims to go to far distant China in search of knowledge.Such an advice concurs with the message of Allah: “Have they not traveled in the land, and have they hearts wherewith to feel and ears wherewith to hear? For indeed it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts, which are within the bosoms, that grow blind.”22/46HazratMohammad (s)’s advice:‘Search for knowledge even if you are to go to remote China’ confirms the view that ‘If we make an in-depth search, it is in Al Qur’an itself where we would find the confirmation of free will of mankind.’6
Bertrand Russell says: “Ueberweg, rather amusingly, undertakes to defend Averroes (Ibn Rushd) (1126-98) against the charge of unorthodoxy – a matter, one would say, for the Muslims to decide. Ueberweg points out that, according to the mystics every text of the Koran had 7 or 70 or 700 layers of interpretations, the literal meaning being only for the ignorant vulgar. It would seem to follow that a philosopher’s teaching could not possibly conflict with the Koran; for among 700 interpretations there would surely be at least one that would fit what the philosopher had to say. The view of the mystics that the populace should take the Koran literally but wise people need not do so, was hardly likely to win popular acceptance.”7
Al Qur’an reveals that:“[Moses] said, Allah forbideth that I should be among the ignorant.”2/67 “but only men of understanding really learn.”3/7 “As for these similitudes, I coin them for mankind, but none will grasp their meaning save the wise.”29/43 “and say, O my Benefactor! Increase me in knowledge.”20/114 “Verily in the creation of the heavens and earth, and the difference of night and day, and the ships which run upon the sea with that which is of use to men, and water which Allah sendeth down from the sky, thereby reviving the earth after death, and dispersing all kinds of beasts therein, and (in) the ordinance of the winds, and the clouds obedient between heaven and earth: are signs for people who have wisdom.”2/164
03. Al Ghazzali says:“You may say ‘What then, is the meaning of faith (yaqin), its strength, and its weakness, since it should first be understood before it can be sought and studied?’ Then you should know that the word (yaqin) is a homonymous term which two different groups of people apply to two distinct meanings. To the philosophers (nuzzar) and scholastic theologians (mutakallimun) the term yaqin signifies lack of doubt [i.e., certainty]. In one of his sermonsAli said, ‘my conscience is pledge to God although I am a leader. He would go after quantity not knowing that little knowing of the right kind is better than a great deal of it which diverts man [from God].e is IHe is rooted in ignorance and is the victim of diabolic madness. Through this ignorance blood is shed, and through his juridical opinions unlawful adultery is rendered lawful. He is not capable of dispensing with the problems which have been submitted to him and is not equal to the task which has been delegated to his care’. Ali also said: ‘Hold fast to knowledge when you hear it, and mix it not with jesting lest it be rejected”8Hazrat Mohammad (s) says: “I have been directed to fulfill the founding of best customs and practices.”9
04. Remarks
(i) Islamic Scholar and Philosopher of Bangladesh Abul Hashim says: ‘Today, even the communists who have rejected the conceptions relating to Allah as an addiction or mania, have succeeded in projecting rockets to the moon. But how could they do it? It is by acquiring accurate knowledge about some laws of nature. They could not succeed by revolting against all discovered laws of nature; rather they succeeded by unconditional surrender to them. The laws of nature are the expressed will of Allah working in nature. Therefore, the significance to confess the laws of nature is to surrender to the will of Allah.Some may formally agree with this view or consciously be unable to understand the significance of this, but as a result of giving acceptance to the laws of nature or in other words giving consent to the will of Allah, its retribution will be just. But this alone may not be the appropriate cause of its success, whatever huge and astonishing that success may be.
Today’s world is seated at a very high position of material progress but the question as to how its acquired wealth may be put in to maximum use is still unresolved.The fact is that the greatness of mankind lies on establishing sovereignty in the earth on the one hand, and confessing unconditionally the slavery of the creator on the other – from such realization we can achieve a direction to an appropriate answer to that question.’10
(ii)In Al Qur’an the digit 7 is homonymous. The literal meaning of the digit is confined to seven only. When Allah says:“Say (O Muhammad): Who is the Benefactor of the seven heavens, and Benefactor of the Tremendous Throne?”23/86 Here ‘Seven Heavens does not mean seven Heavens alone; rather it means numerous Heavens’.11 Allah farther says: “Light upon light, Allah guideth unto His light whom He will. And Allah speaketh to mankind in allegories, for Allah is Knower of all things.”24/35
Such sayings of Allah, no doubt, leddifferent scholars to give similar but a bit different interpretation of Qur’anic verses which have never led them to distract from the faith that: “Allah is Knower of all things.”24/35 Perhaps basing his belief on this, Ueberweg made the comment mentioned above – it is difficult to accept that he made the comment ‘amusingly’. Allah farther says: “And hath made of service unto you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth; it is all from Him. Lo! Herein verily are portents for people who reflect.”45/13 Al Qur’an is not a book of amusement rather a book to ‘reflect’. Al Qur’an reveals:“And He it is Who hath set for you the stars that ye may guide your course by them amid the darkness of the land and the sea. I have detailed My revelations for a people who have knowledge.6/97Hazrat Ali said that: Knowledge is of two kinds: native and acquired,/But no acquired knowledge is of any use/If there is no native knowledge,/Just as the light of the sun is useless/When the light of the eyes is shut off.12 If any one tries to mean the word ‘darkness’ used here as the darkness of the ‘age’ and the ‘stars’ as Qur’anic verses to ‘a people who have knowledge’, perhaps it will not be too much13 despite the accuracy of their literal meanings. After frustrating theThamûd’s plot to kill their believing brother Sâlih by a counter plot by Allah:“See, yonder are their dwellings empty and ruins because they did wrong. Verily! herein is indeed a portent for a people who have knowledge.”27/52 “As for these similitude’s, I coin them for mankind, but none will grasp their meaning save the wise.”29/43 “How many a portent is there in the heavens and the earth which they pass by with face averted”!12/105We must reflect and understand. “Verily! Religion with Allah is Al Islam. Those who (formerly) received the Scripture differed only after knowledge came unto them, through transgression among themselves.”3/19Hazrat Mohammad (s) says: ‘I am leaving behind two things for you, if you follow them you will never be at a loss – these are: the Scripture of Allah and His messenger’s Sunnah’. [Hadith: Meshkat]
Section II
Concept of Land, Labour and Capital
01. The Concept of Land
“The soil (and this, economically speaking, includes water) in the virgin state in which it supply man with necessaries or the means of subsistence ready to hand, exists independently of him, and is the universal subject of human labor. All those things which labor merely separate from immediate connection with their environment, subjects of labor spontaneously provided by Nature. Such are fish which we catch and take from their element, water, timber which we fell in the virgin forest and ores which we extract from their veins.”13 In short, land is “by which are to be understood, economically, all conditions of labor furnished by Nature independently of man.”14Who the creator of land is, as defined such, who is the owner of land and for whom has it been created? Al Qur’an gives the answer: “Allah is who created the heavens and the earth, and that is between them.”32/4 “Unto Him belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, whatsoever is between them and whatsoever beneath the sod.”20/6 “And hath made of service unto you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth; it is all from Him.”45/13 Allah also says: “And thou (Mohammad) seest the earth barren, but when I send down water thereon, it doth thrill and swell and put forth every lovely kind (of growth).22/5
(i) Land under Feudalism/Capitalism
“Landlords’ right has its origin in robbery15. The landlords like all other men, love to reap where they never sowed, and demand a rent even for the natural produce of the earth. In general the relationship of large and small landed property is like that of big and small capital. But in addition, there are special circumstances which lead inevitably to the accumulation of large landed property and to the absorption of small property by it. The final consequence is thus the abolition of the distinction between capitalist and landowner, so that there remain altogether only two classes of the population – the working class and the class of capitalists. This huckstering with landed property, the transformation of landed property into commodity, constitutes the final overthrow of the old and the final consummation of the money aristocracy.”16Allah warns: “Deemed ye then that I had created you for naught, and that ye would not be returned unto Me? Now Allah be exalted, the True Owner!”23/115-116 Allah, the True Owner, advices mankind: “He it is Who hath made the earth easy of access unto you, so wander in the boundless region thereof and eat of His providence.”67/15 This indicates that every Human being has right on land.
(ii) Land under Socialism
Under socialism “the workers of industry, agriculture, transport and other sectors of the economy themselves become the joint owners of the means and results of production”.17Therefore unlike feudalism/capitalism, all means of agricultural production i.e., livestock, farms and all sorts of farming instruments, including land, like other means of production are socialized. Allah says: “Whoso desireth the life of the world and its pomp, I shall repay their deeds herein, and therein they will not be wronged. …. (All) that they contrive here is in vain and (all) that they are wont to do is fruitless.”11/15-16The fall of the materialistic and atheist socialist world bears its testimony.
(iii) Land under Islam
Land in Islam may be categorized as 1) land without owner and 2) land owned by someone.
The first category of land cannot be used under the private ownership; private ownership of such land is illegal even for the Muslim ruler. Such land will stay like ‘Wakf’ property for common welfare. Likewise mines which are linked with everyday life of common people, whether these are near or far from human habitation, cannot be the property of any individual or Zaminder. These landed properties will lie under the management of the state for the welfare of the common people. Land which is fallow and barren, according to Sharia, may become the private property of those who with their own effort, either Muslim or non-Muslim, make such land cultivable with the permission of the state. Hazrat Mohammad (s) says: ‘A person, who will make the land cultivable which was lying fallow and uncultivable, will be the owner of that piece of land.’ The un-owned land which is cultivable but not of any use to urban or rural people will be the property of Baitulmal. Donation of land to people on behalf of the state is connected with it.
For the second category of land, which is owned by the Muslims and of those who have come into terms with the Muslim ruler but have not been converted into Islam, they will retain their ownership of land under the condition that they will pay land revenue to the state; in this case the Muslim ruler will have no right to interfere in the ownership of such land. Another alternative is that the Muslim ruler will confiscate the entire land and distribute it among the previous owners or others on the basis of lease or tenure; in this case Baitulmal will be the owner of the land rather than any private individual.18