A.T.M. Nurun Nabi :
The Islami economy aims at establishing a society where no man shall exploit another. ‘Live and let live’ is the basic objective of Islam contrary to the theory of Herbert Spencer who prescribed survival of the fittest and elimination of the unfit.
The Quran says in Verse No.5 of Sura An Nisa, “Give not unto the disable your wealth, which Allah has given you to maintain, but feed and cloth them from it, and speak kindly with them. The said verse grants private ownership of property, and at the same time the poor people’s right to live. The Prophet Muhammad (Sm) said, feed the hungry, clothe the bare-bodied and release the prisoners. The third part of the statement disapproves arrest of the innocent people, meaning economic freedom is tangled with political freedom.
Regarding the definitions of economy, the economists hold more or less similar views. Economics is the science of production and distribution, as the very purpose is the welfare of the people.
A careful study of the books on Islami economy will reveal that Islami economy has lasting benefits. Imam Abu Hanifa has said that the state in the greater interest of many reserves the right to forfeit any property owned by any individual or any organization. No compensation shall be paid.
The second Calip of Islam Hazrat Omar (Ra) confiscated the date garden given to Hazrat Belal by the Prophet Muhammad, because he neglected its production. If a piece of land or factory is left idle, that creates adverse impact on the state economy. Hazrat Ali (Ra) said, who so reclaims fallen land, it belongs to him.
Islam gives importance to both merit and labour. If a right person is not appointed at right place, justice is denied. That is why the Quran says in Sura Ar Rahman, Verse No. 9, “Keep up the balance with justice and make not the balance deficient.”
The Prophet said; workers are part of production and therefore they are part of profits apart from wages.
German Philosopher Karl Marx said in his famous book Communist Manifesto, every man will work according to his ability and be paid according to the production. When the society will reach its next stage, every man will get according to his need. Gradually the state will wither away and a classless society will be established. But he fact is that the state has been stronger and communism rather withered away.
When Islam patrons the principle of ‘live and let live’, Herbert Spencer advocated for survival of the fittest and the elimination of the unfit. The capitalists and the feudalists do not physically eliminate the poor from the society, but exploit them. Rather there have been many reforms in order to prevent return of communism.
About the fall of communism, the analysts say that Karl Marx did not attach importance to religion, rather declared war against it. He curtailed political freedom also for which people feared to say what they need.
In contrast, Islam stresses on both economic emancipation and spiritual salvation. Economic emancipation means end of exploitation of a man by another and end of injustice. Islam urges fixing of remuneration of an individual based on merit and contribution. There is no room for favoritism, nepotism and parochialism in Islam.
Islam does not recommend for accumulation of wealth in the hands of few, and at the same time does not oppose earning wealth in a proper way. Zakat is an important wing of state revenue for rehabilitation of the poor. Distribution of lungi, sari and panjabi does not qualify proper way of paying Zakat. The Prophet Muhammad appointed officials to collect Zakat from the rich. The money so collected shall be used by the State for the welfare of the poor.
Karl Marx wrote that the workers are entitled to the surplus value. He was of the view that the workers produce wealth with their hard work, but the capitalists do not give them the profit. Marx held that the difference between the costs of the finished goods and their sale price is profit. The process of earning profit is called the Theory of Surplus Value. It should go to the workers, whereas Islam decrees that part of profit should go to the workers, as they are part of production. Contrarily, the capitalists consume the whole profit as investment is theirs.
The under noted verses clear the very objectives of the Islami economy.
1. Sura An Nisa, Verse No.5: “Give not unto the disable your wealth, which Allah has given you to maintain, but feed and clothe them from it, and speak kindly with them.”
2. Sura Bani Israel, Verse No.35. “Fill the measure when you measure and weigh with a right balance “
3. Sura An Am, Verse No. 135. “Say (O Muhammad): O my people! Work according to your ability. I too am working.
4. Sura Ar Rahman, Verse No.9. “And keep up the balance with justice and make not the measure deficient.”
5. Abu Dhar Giffari, one of the trusted lieutenants of the Prophet Muhammad (Sm), called for social revolution against accumulation of wealth in the hands of few and rise of feudalism.
(The writer is a senior journalist).
