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The Economic System of the Holy Quran

A translation of the Urdu leaflet Quran Ka Mo'ashi Nizaam by G.A Parwez


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Preface

In 1980 C. Gordon Tether, a prolific columnist, wrote about the plight of poor

people in the Third World in an article titled If the World belongs to everyone in the

Financial Times of London. We think it fit to print salient points of this to bring about

the current thinking of the reformists about global economic reforms.

Mr Maurice Strang, a high official of the United Nations certainly put the catamong the pigeons when he told fellow Canadians during a recent visit to Ottawa that

the time had come to start questioning the sovereign rights of countries to theresources that happen to be located within their borders.

What he was proposing was that the developing debate on the sacredconcepts of private property should now be extended to consider the proposition that

The world belongs to everyone that is to say, neither nation nor individuals areentitled to lay claim to a disproportionately large share of its riches.

There have been suggestions in oil consuming countries in recent months that

a situation where in the oil sheikhdoms of the Middle East with their miniaturepopulations command a large slice of the worlds fuel supplies is intolerable so

intolerable that some kind of international trustee system should be set up compulsorily, if it cannot be arranged on a voluntary basis to develop these reserves

in the interests of the world as a whole.Mr Strangs tour de force was concerned with pointing out that what is good

for the Arabs might well be held to be equally good for those other countries thatgeography has treated in particularly indulgent fashion in the resources sense. And he

went on to indicate that Canada with vast oil-coal and uranium reserves but less thanone percent of the worlds population might well be One of the first countries to be

challenged if it adopted a policy of narrow and defensive nationalism. By way of

justification, he pointed out that Values were changing and that just as the Once

sacred concept of private property had been eroded by the concept of benefiting thegreatest numbers so was the sovereign right of a country to its resources is now

being seriously questioned.

Needless to say, the idea is not going to go down at all well with those who

happen to be among the Haves rather than the Have nots. There is obviously

room for debate as to how far outsiders can be said to have a legitimate claim to

property or other assets created by a mans or a nations own efforts. Naturally, it is

not so easy to defend individual or national claims to sovereignty over an unduly large

share of what came naturally the land, the sea, the energy and other resourceslocated in the bowels of the earth.

Paying Tribute: Is it, for example right that because the Creator chose tolocate the great bulk of the worlds more accessible oil in the desert areas of the

Persian Gulf, the impoverished millions of the poor countries should now be having todevote a significant part of their grossly inadequate spending power to pay for the fuel

they need? Again is it fair that because prices of the finished products havemultiplied in the affluent West in recent years, the comparatively poor countries have

to part with their meagre incomes to buy these products at exorbitant prices?Ecologists have been arguing for some time that, if we want to ensure that the

onward march of affluence does not soon put our civilisation in peril, we shall have to

evolve global policies for the use of scant resources including land.


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Only in this way, they maintain and with considerable justification, can wemake sure that we get both balanced utilization and adequate conservation of the

resources that are indispensable to the survival, let alone the prosperity of the worldsrapidly increasing population.

What the U.N Chief is contending is that there is also a need in some senses

more urgent one for a parallel crusade. Its objective would be to bring about a more

equitable sharing out of the ownership of all natural resources at both national andinternational levels not only as an act of social justice but also to make the world a

more efficient and happier place to live in.

Over the past few years there has been a wind of change in economic thinking

moving towards the type shown in the above article. Many people in affluent

countries, who are now socially-conscious enough to think about the fate of the poor

countries, feel instinctively guilty about the extravagance, conspicuous consumption

and waste of scarce natural resources in the Western world. The Wests affluence,

after all, is bought with the sweat and sufferings of the worlds exploited poor. In the

words of ex British Prime Minister Edward Heath, it is the unacceptable ugly face ofnaked capitalism. The global capitalist system, whether in oil producing countries or

the oil consuming West, is harming the conditions of the Third Worlds poor.This sentiment is also extended to the issue of Third World debt. Recently

Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer British Government echoed the samefeelings that the world must attend to the needs of the poor. In 2002, he and the

International Monetary Funds managing director, Horst Koehler, announced that alaw should be passed that would allow countries drowning in debt to declare

bankruptcy, after which creditor countries would be forced to negotiate more lenient

repayment terms. However, this proposal was fiercely opposed by large banks in the

US and other wealthy countries that loan money to developing nations. This is

because any fiscal-monetary reforms by the United Nations Development Programme

would threaten the vital interests of multinationals based in the advanced capitalist

world.

One must ask the question now of whether there is any plausible alternative

system that would completely remove or at least significantly reduce the poverty we

see today. The answer is YES Islam provides an unambiguous Quranic

commandment: Lo! Allah enjoins Justice and Indemnification(Al-Adl wal-Ihsan)

(Al-Quran Sura 16, verse 90). Translated onto the economic plane, whileAl-Adl

(justice) requires a delicate and just balance amongst the production, consumption and

distribution relationship in the economy,Al-Ihsan (indemnification)enjoins a specialconcern for the economically downtrodden in the society. Hence, the basic objective

of the Islamic economic philosophy is the eradication of absolute poverty, feudalism,illiteracy, gross inequalities of income and wealth, widespread unemployment and

disease.

The most important element of wealth is landed property, which is not onlythe source of inequity, but also social tensions and moral degeneration in society.It is therefore essential for a society to take strong steps to regulate this

institution in a manner, which conforms to the Quranic concept of Trusteeship rather

than that of ownership as advocated above by the U.N.s high official Maurice Strang.

The concept of Trusteeship, or collective ownership, is fully elucidated in the Holy

Quran.

Mr Ghulam Ahmad Parwez (died 1985), founder of Tolu-e-Islam Movement,

Lahore, Pakistan and a renowned Islamic scholar, commentator and revolutionary


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reformer, authored almost forty-five voluminous books on various aspect of Islam. Hein particular wrote extensively on the subject of economic theory from the Quranic

Perspective. His voluminous workNizaam-e-Rububiyyat(System of the Developmentand provision of Universal Sustenance) is a masterpiece on Islamic Economics. He

wrote many essays on the subject, which were printed in pamphlets. One of his Urdu

pamphlets, Quran Ka Mo'ashi Nizaam (Economic System of Quran) has been

rendered beautifully and faithfully into English by Miss Saleena Karim, BSc (Hon), ofNottingham. We hope it will answer fully the question of how to bring justice and

equality in the disparaging world, and make it a paradise on earth.

Maqbool Mahmood Farhat

London


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Translators Note

My interest in Islam as a Deen began when I was around seventeen years old,

and my father introduced me to Parwezs work through Tolu-e-Islams monthly

magazines. What instantly attracted me to Tolu-e-Islams articles was the cogent and

cohesive manner in which they were written. Over the years I learned that Islam is notmerely a religion with the usual spiritual rhetoric. It is a System. It is the blueprint for

the development and organisation of humanity at the individual and the collectivelevel, encompassing morality as well as practicality. It is truly the one and only

Paragon.As I have become increasingly familiar with the English Exposition of the

Holy Quran (published by Tolu-e-Islam), and as I have learned the expoundedmeanings of Quranic terminology, my confidence in the veracity of Islam has

continued to grow. I am thankful that I no longer have blind faith.

A brief introduction to this booklet

The management of economics has always been in one form or another a

problematic issue of every society, affecting everyone. The same is true today, exceptthat it has become further complicated with the increasing interdependence of the

worlds nations. Economic management at the global level as well as at the nationallevel is now reaching a crisis point.

The Quran deals directly and conclusively with economics, providing asurprisingly simple solution to this complex issue. The Almighty has designed the

Quranic reforms in order to gradually reverse economic inequity and restore balance.These reforms are expounded skilfully by G.A Parwez in his booklet, Quran Ka

Mo'ashi Nizaam (Economic System of the Quran).

Mr Maqbool Mahmood Farhat, the Coordinator of London Bazm asked me

and my father Fazal Karim to render this booklet into English. It is not a literaltranslation, but a running one, since both my father and I strongly advocate the

importance of translating meaning for meaning over word for word. That said, we

have tried our best to keep as closely to the original wording as possible.

Although the translation of this booklet is being primarily credited to me I

could not have typed a single word without my father. We are a team; English is my

first language, and his is Urdu; we each make up for the others deficits, though to be

frank my Urdu is far weaker than is his English.

We hope that this translation does Mr Parwez justice.

Saleena Karim, Nottingham, UK24th March 2005

Please note that the original author (i.e. Parwez) is not responsible for anyambiguities etc. that may appear in this English rendering. All such responsibility

falls on the translator.


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Glossary of terms used in this booklet

The reader may find the following explanations of terms useful:

Allah: Arabic/Quranic reference to the One God Who is the Lord God,the Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe and everything

that is in it.Allah is not an exclusive name for a tribal deity ofMuslims as some Christians, Jews and other non-Muslims

erroneously believe. It is wrong to considerAllah as a name forGod as God has no name, only Attributes.

Deen: (orDin) A term with no exact English equivalent, a Way of

Life, and in the Islamic context, a social, political systembased on Quranic Values. Deen is generally translated

incorrectly in English as religion.

Eiman: According to the Holy Quran, the conviction that results from

full mental acceptance and intellectual satisfaction. This kind ofconviction gives one a feeling ofamn peace, inner

contentment. In addition, aMomin is one who accepts the truthand acts in such a way that it ensures his own peace and helps

him to safeguard the security of the rest of mankind. Amn,Eiman andMomin have a common root.

Haram: Unlawful, prohibited according to the Quran.

Kaba: Derived from the Arabic wordKaab, whichliterally means

cube. It is a cube shaped stone built structure wrapped in blackcloth. Into one corner of its wall the

ajr-e-Aswad(Black

stone) is laid. It was built by Abraham (PBUH) and his son

Ishmael (PBUH).

Kafir/Kufr: Kafr(v.) is to reject;Kafir(n.)is thus a rejecter, non-Muslim,

or non-believer according to the Holy Quran.

Momin: One who accepts the truth in such a way that it ensures his ownpeace and helps to safeguard the peace and security of the rest

of mankind.Almomin is one of the Attributes of AllahHimself. See alsoEiman.

Muhammad: (PBUH), the final Messenger of Allah.

Makkah: The holiest of the holy cities is situated in a depression

surrounded by barren stark hills. It is the birthplace of the lastMessenger Muhammad (PBUH)and abode of the descendents

of Ishmael, son of Abraham (PBUH).


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Nafs: It has many meanings, including intellect, Personality, or Self,which may be termed as mind, or psyche. Quran uses this word

for a specific thing called Human Personality, which inreligious parlance is referred to as the soul.

PBUH: When Muslims take the name of a Messenger in writing, they

usually add the salutation PBUH (Peace Be Upon Him). Thissalutation is not used in the Quran. It should be implicitly

understood that, as mentioned in SuraAs-Saaffaat(37:181), we

do convey Peace upon all the Messengers of Allah, and Praise

be to Allah, Sustainer of the Universe.

Quran: Holy Scripture of Muslims revealed by God Almighty to

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).Its literal meaning is collection,

recitation. The Holy Quran is the last of the Divine books.

Rabb: It is usually translated into English as the Lord, which does notconvey the real meaning and significance of the Arabic word.

It means one who provides nourishment, to process a thing withnew additions, alterations or changes so that it should reach its

goal, to bring a thing gradually to perfection. One of GodsAttributes means Nourisher, Cherisher and Sustainer.

Rabubiyat: The process by which Allah provides nourishment or

sustenance (derived fromRabb)

Razzakiyat: The process by which Allah provides nourishment or

subsistence (derived fromRizq).

Rasool: A person chosen by Almighty who receives Divine guidance

and delivers this message continuously, gently and softly to

mankind without the slightest change or modification. In this

pamphlet the use of this term has been restricted for

Muhammad (PBUH).

Rizq: The physical necessities of life according to the Quran;

subsistence.

Shariyat: Islamic Law, Way of Life. Shariyatis synonymous with Deen.

Shirk: The only unpardonable offence according to the Quran. It is the

association of partners with Allah (i.e. polytheism), whether itis anyone or anything in the human or physical world, or theobedience of laws that contradict those revealed in the Quran.

People who do so are calledMushrikeen.This includes creating

divisions within the Muslim community through sectarianism.

Wahi: Al-Wahiyo is a suggestion by a sign that is extremely quick and

fast. It also means to inform quickly, to whisper, and also to

write. Wahi (Revelation) therefore is the law that Allah has


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given everything in the universe to follow. Whilst animals haveno choice in following the law, humans can choose whether or

not to follow it. However, whilst everything else in the universereceives the Wahi directly from Allah, in humans He has only

communicated the Wahi directly to the Messengers (as

Revelation).

Note:

With reference to Quranic verses cited in this booklet: The Sura number is

written first followed by the verse number. For example, (4:6) means Sura No 4,

Verse 6.


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ECONOMIC SYSTEMOF THE HOLY QURAN

The Quran is not a book containing religious advice and counsel, nor does it

teach the rituals of worship. It contains a complete code and practical guide for every

aspect of human life, with which humanity can establish a system that creates the

right conditions for human development. At the present time in human history we areat the stage in which physical needs and means of development are prioritised. The

fact is that every (Quranic) code of ethics and civilisation, all precepts and counsels,prayers and rites ofShariyat, (Islamic law) rights and duties of an individual and

community, and all other matters pertaining to Deen, apply to livinghuman beings.The dead body (i.e. corpse) is neither aMomin (believer)nor aKafir(non believer),

neither an innocent nor a sinner. It is free of all responsibilities, duties and rights.According to the Holy Quran the living human is so precious that unjustly killing just

one innocent human being is as bad as killing the whole of humanity; and saving onelife is as good as saving the whole of humanity (5:32). This is why the Quran

prescribes the most severe punishment for a murderer (4:92-93). Clearly therefore if

human life possesses so much significance, then it is easy to imagine the importanceof meeting the needs required for living. The Holy Quran has termed the needs of life

as rizq (means of subsistence), which in everyday terms we call bread. Any studyrelating to the subject of bread is termed economics. How much importance the

Quran places of the issue of bread can be seen in the first Sura Al Fatihah (TheOpening)in which Muslims have been taught the prayer: Show us the straight way,

the way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace. (1:6-7)In SuraAl Nahl(The Bee), it is written that peace and ample sustenance are

rewards from Allah, whereas hunger and fear is the penalty (16:112). The privilegesof Adams paradise as described in the Quran include the cessation of hunger and

thirst, and no shortage of shelter and clothing (20:118). In addition every person will

receive sustenance in abundance (2:25; 7:19). In Sura Ta-Ha (O Addressee), it is

stated clearly: Whosoever turns away from Our laws, his sustenance will also benarrowed down. It is further stated that such a person will also be raised blind on the

Day of Judgement (20:124). In another place the Quran state that whosoever is blind

here on earth will be blind in the Hereafter as well (17:72). In SuraAl Maidah (The

Table Spread)it is written: Had the Jews and Christians followed the Torah and

Bible they would have been given abundant sustenance from earth and heaven (5:66)

i.e. the doors of blessings from earth and heaven would have been open to them

(7:96).

Prayer ofProphet Abraham (PBUH)

The significance of sustenance is also apparent from the prayer of Abraham

(PBUH). When he completed the construction of the building of the Kaba the FirstHouse of Allah on earth his first prayer to Allah was: O Sustainer, make this a city

of Peace (i.e. a place of sanctuary for the oppressed), and feed its people with fruits(i.e. grant the bounties of life in abundance) (2:126). Prophet Abrahams (PBUH)

prayer is repeated in Sura Ibrahim as well (14:37). The people of Makkah have beenreminded as to how Allah kept them in peace and security against all danger, and how

sustenance came to them from every direction (28:57; 106:4).


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Introductory Principles

From the above it is clear how much emphasis the Quran places on the issue ofsustenance. In fact this issue is so important that the Quran has not confined guidance

thereof to a few mere injunctions. Rather it has provided a comprehensive practical

system. To better understand this system there are a few fundamental points that must

be identified. Overlooking these points results in complications such that a giveneconomic system ends up being proclaimed Islamic by one group, and Kufr(rejected)

by another.

To note the first point: the first nation to receive the guidance of the Holy

Quran was at the time governed by a system that was the exact opposite of the one the

Quran ordained. Obviously it was not possible to replace the existing system with the

Quranic one overnight. In order to achieve this objective a fundamental change had to

be made in the minds and hearts of the people in whose hands this System to be

established. The Quran brought about this change over a span of twenty-three years,

and thus took the people to the System gradually in phases, as was the objective.

Chaos can happen overnight, whereas it takes a long time and gradual approach forany revolution to be brought about. To understand the economic System of the Quran,

people must learn and develop in stages along with the establishment of the Systemitself and hence move towards the destination (and this is what happened during the

Rasools (PBUH) lifetime).It must also be noted that the final compiled form of the Quran that was given

to the Muslims is not in the chronological order of revelation i.e. the Sura revealedfirst has not ultimately been placed as the first and the last one to be revealed does not

appear at the end. An in-depth study of the Holy Book also reveals that not only is the

final sequence the best suited and ideal sequence, but that it was essential to arrange

the Suras in this particular sequence in order that the Book would serve forever as a

complete and practical code of guidance for humankind. Now a question arises thus:

if the Qurans present compiled order is not the same as the revelation order, then how

can we put the Suras in the relevant order linking them from start to finish so we

can learn how the Islamic System was implemented during the Rasools (PBUH)

lifetime? At first glance this seems a difficult issue, but in fact it isnt. If the Quran is

studied in depth and with insight, the Suras can be arranged from the first to the last

link and can bring us to our destination without difficulty or hesitation. I (Parwez)

have studied the Quran in this manner, and I can thus demonstrate how easy it is to

find the links in the following:

Milestone

Firstly, the Quran had clearly determined the milestone for the destination to

which it wants to eventually take us. This milestone has been described in the first

verse of SuraAl Fatiha with the words: AllHamd(Praise

1

) is for Allah, theSustainer of the worlds. (1:1)The reason for Allahs worthiness ofHamdis that He has provided everything

for the maintenance, growth and development of all creation. This is called

Rabubiyat-e-aalameeni (sustenance for all worlds, or universe), and none but Allah

could or ever will be able to make this provision (35:3). How theRabubiyat-e-

aalameeni operates in the external world (i.e. beyond the human context) is not an

issue we shall discuss here. Instead we shall draw our attention to what the Quran

states about living organisms on earth: There is no living thing on the face of the


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earth for whom means of sustenance has not been provided by Allah. (11:6) Withregards to humans Allah declares that He is responsible for providing sustenance for

humanity as well as for their children (6:152; 17:31; 29:60). At the same time He alsomakes it clear that this sustenance is not given directly (36:47). The responsibility of

providing sustenance is fulfilled at the hand of human beings. A human society that

fulfils this responsibility is termed an Islamic State and the System they abide by is

called the Economic System of the Quran. Such a State, which asserts that it has beenestablished in the name of Allah, is thus responsible for providing sustenance for

every individual in the society. Now we shall take a look at the verses and link them

together to see how the System gradually takes hold.

FIRST STAGE

Individual life

The Quranic System once it was revealed presented a challenge the

capitalist system that was already in effect in the Rasools time. In this capitalistsystem there were two classes: the exceedingly rich and the desperately poor. Firstly,

an appeal was made to the wealthy class to arrange for the provision of sustenance tothe poor and needy. They were warned that failure to do so would result in distressful

wrath from Allah (69:34-5; 76:8-10).

Individual appeal

We shall not discuss the consequences of ignoring the poor here, suffice to say

that the rich were told that if they did not change the present state of affairs then there

would be chaos. They would no longer have any respect and in their bewilderment

they would ask why this happened to them. In fact the fixed law of Nature would

answer this for them, by showing them that is their own misdeeds that led to their

downfall. At that time, they held in high regard those with an abundance of wealth

and greater socio-political influence. Whoever was in the minority was not considered

worthy of honour and respect; and no one would offer financial or other aid to anyone

whose business failed for whatever reason, nor would they encourage others to help

such a person (89:17-20).

Those who agreed to join the call for the Revolution alongside the Rasool

(PBUH) became known as the Jamaat-e-Momineen (Party of Believers). They were

also told that by agreeing to join the Revolution, they were shouldering a greatresponsibility. This responsibility included arranging sustenance for the poor, the

orphans, and captives, without expectation of thanks or a favour in return (76:8-9).They were warned that this was a very difficult path to take (90:11-16). Anyone who

did not act accordingly would falsify his or her claim to havingEiman (Conviction)

(107:1-3). Fulfilling the needs of the poor and destitute would be the test for thetruthfulness of their claim to havingEiman. The Quran calls this Sadaqah (usuallytranslated as giving alms).

Sadaqaat (alms)

One should take up and fulfil the needs of every poor person, helping others

over family and close ones if it applies (2:215; 30:38). Helping others in this way

should not be seen as doing them a favour; no one should be made to feel indebted


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through receiving this help; and nor should this help be given publicly for conceitedreasons. This should be done as an obligatory service to humanity.

Unfortunately common wisdom tells most people: Why should we spend ourmoney upon others without obliging them or attaining popularity in society? The

Quran explains that whatever is spent in this cause shall not go to waste. We should

understand this with the analogy that a farmer who sows his seeds in the soil will not

be wasting them. In return for every seed the farmer will get grain in hundreds. Thusfulfilling the duty ofSadaqaatwill provide the foundations for a society in which

human rights are protected and its people are spared from the disaster that arises from

human error (2:261-76; 14:31).

Reforms in goods and wealth

The Quran directed the wealthier Arabs to individually fulfil the needs of

others and at the same time provided instructions on how to bring in economic reform

(at the societal level).

These instructions include:

Do not devour othersproperty wrongfully (2:188; 4:29). Since religious leaders devour others property, do not give them

anything; thus encourage them to work to earn their living (9:34). Protect the property of the orphans (4:6; 6:153; 17:34). If women earn something, then men cannot unjustifiably take it for

themselves. A woman keeps whatever she earns and a man keeps

whatever he earns (4:32).

All matters pertaining to finance should be kept on written record.(2:282)

If a debtor is penniless give him or her time until it is easier to repaythe loan, and if he/she is not in a position to pay back the loan, then it

should be nullified (2:280).

One must prepare a will for the distribution of bequeathed property(2:180; 5:106) If it happens that the deceased did not set up a will, or

if the will does not fully account for all of his/her property, then the

estate should be distributed as per the directives outlined in the Quran

(4:7; 11-12). These directives ensure that the property is distributed

fairly.

In sales and purchases or financial relations between employer andemployees, it is imperative that all matters are dealt with fairly;

measures and weights should be exact, and merchandise sold to apurchaser must be of good quality for the price paid. Wages should

be given to employees as per rules and agreed terms (6:153; 7:85;

11:84; 17:35; 83:1-3).

Agricultural reform

The Arabs particularly in Makkah did not have agriculture within their

economic system. Hence emphasis was placed upon trade and business reforms.

However the Quranic directive with regards to earning included agriculture as well as

other trade: Give, from that which you have earned, and of the fruits of the earth (to

fulfil the needs of others). (2:267). To give to others in this way is described as the


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Right of Allah in the Quran (6:142). (This point shall be discussed further later). Ithas already been shown that with regards to alms (Sadaqaat) the Quran states that a

failure to fulfil the needs of the poor will ultimately lead to civil unrest, and positionsof honour and privilege shall become meaningless. Similarly with regards to

agriculture it is explained that if we fail to fulfil the Right of Allah to the poor and

needy, our crops will be burnt to ashes (18:32-44; 68:17-33), and our children too will

face severe disaster (2:266).

SECOND STAGE

Towards a collective life

In the first stage the emphasis of the instructions were focused on individuals.

During that period those who were convinced by the veracity of the call gathered

around the Messenger (i.e. the Rasool (PBUH)) and a new society started to emerge.

This marked the second stage of the Revolution. At this stage reforms shifted focus

from individual to the (collective) societal level. During the first stage, individualswere responsible for helping the needy at their own will and this was interpreted as

Sadaqaat. In the second stage however, Sadaqaathad to be collected at a societallevel.

Collective administration ofSadaqaat

Since the Rasool (PBUH) was the first Head of the Islamic State, it was his

responsibility to see to the collection of the Sadaqaat(9:103), and to distribute the

collections for the welfare of society as described in Sura Al Taubah (Atonement)

(9:60).

The beneficiaries of this expenditure are (and were): 1) the poor, 2) those who

cannot earn for any reason, 3) those employed to administer the Sadaqaat, 4) those

who wish to join the Divine order but cannot for financial reasons, 5) refugees of

oppression, 6) those in debt, those who fight in the cause of Allah, and 7) stranded

travellers. (Note: Today these items ofSadaqaatexpenditure have been mistaken for

Zakaat. The actual definition ofZakaatwill be elucidated later *).

In the first stage individuals had been directed to give a debtor time to repay a

loan, or nullify it if necessary (2:280). At this stage however the directive was: Give

credit to Allah (57:18; 73:20), i.e. When the Central Authority (i.e. the Rasool

(PBUH)) appeals for help, everyone should offer whatever they can afford. TheCentral Authority will spend this loan towards items for the peoples protection, and

later, when the society becomes established and strong, then whatever was given inloan to Allah will be returned completely (8:60). However if the people are miserly

(out of selfishness), then they will be destroyed; therefore, they were warned not to

purchase destruction with their own hand (2:195). So how will this destruction comeabout? They will be erased to be replaced by another nation which will be unlike them(47:38). Individual selfishness (sometimes called temptation by the Devil) will

influence them in thinking they would be better off keeping their money for

themselves in case they should need it (2:268). In reality however this is a delusion,

since if there is chaos in society, individual assets will neither help nor protect them;

they will be useless. Those who believe otherwise and their followers will face

disaster and destruction (4:37; 57:24; 92:8-9). It must be remembered that whatever

people give for the benefit of humanity will not only give them protection but will


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also enable them to grow and develop further (92:18). Humanitys present struggleand efforts and will inevitably enable not only physical growth and development, but

also that of the Self which is the ultimate goal. Growth and development of the Selfis termed Nearness to Allah because the attributes of Allah manifest (within human

limits) in human beings. This Nearness to Allah is not achieved through the

accumulation of wealth; rather it is achieved by Giving to Allah (34:37).

Reforms with regards to goods and wealth

There is no doubt that the normal joys of life such as building up wealth and

having a family (i.e. wife and children) is something that attracts just about

everybody. However if we allow these things to be prioritised over working for the

benefit of humanity, then both wealth and the family can become a hindrance (64:15).

Hence the Arabs were warned not to allow themselves to become the victims of their

own individual self-interest. If they believed that accumulating individual wealth

would make them self-sufficient regardless of the status of society, then they were

sadly mistaken. In reality they were bound for destruction (92:7-11). By heedingAllahs warning they would be successful (64:16-17).

Rights of the needy and the destitute

In the first stage, individuals had been directed to help the needy those who

never made a claim to assert their rights for themselves (i.e. this individual help wasgiven in goodwill). In the second stage however the directive was that these people

had a rightto make their claim and thus meet their needs (51:19; 70:24-25). The

Arabs were told that if they failed to give everyone their dues, then the Order

(government) would arrange to make it so.

Note that by the second stage, Sadaqaatwas no longer a form of goodwill (or

charity); it became a civil right. This is because a charitable action is damaging to

dignity (on both sides); the person who gives does so out of a feeling of obligation,

and the person who receives feels obliged in return. However, when a person receives

as a matter ofright, then neither does the receiver acquire an inferiority complex, nor

does the giver acquire a superiority complex.

Plunder

For the Arabs plunder was a big source of income, and it was customary intheir society for soldiers to keep whatever they seized from the enemy for themselves.

The Quran also brought a reform in this practice when it stated that plunder would notremain with individuals; it would have to be deposited with the Central Authority.

The Authority would apportion one part for distribution within society, and the rest

would be split between the soldiers (8:1; 8:41). With this reform not only did the issueof plunder become a societal affair (as opposed to an individual one), but themotivation for war also subsequently changed. Before the reform the motivating

factor for individuals fighting in war was to acquire as much plunder as possible. Now

however the motivation changed into the protection of human rights. In Quranic

terminology this is called Qital fi sabeelillah i.e. war in the path of Allah. It should

be noted that whatever is done in the interests of humanity, without expectation of

wages, remuneration or reward is classified asfi sabeelillah (in the path of Allah).


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Accumulation of wealth

Wealth serves its purpose only when it is in a mobile state. The very worddaulat(used for wealth) in fact means the state of mobility. Greedy individuals

however tend to hoard money instead of keeping it mobile, and consequently the

entire economic system turns upside-down. The Quran has emphatically stated that

accumulating and hoarding wealth is a heinous crime. This wealth will ultimatelyfuel the fire of Hell and the hoarders will be scorched and burnt from it (9:34-35).

These flames will engulf the hearts of such people (104:2-7). Despite their efforts to

escape from it, it will pull them and destroy everything like the flow of lava from a

volcano (70:5-18).

The Quran also emphasised that the flow of wealth should not be restricted to

the rich class alone. It should be circulated throughout the body of society, as blood

circulates through the human body (59:7).

Riba (capital interest) is like a war against the Quranic System

After issuing many severe warnings against accumulating wealth, the Holy

Quran issued a commandment that totally uprooted the motive for continuing thepractice. Money is merely a means of exchange for essential commodities. It does not

produce anything by itself. To illustrate this point, if one hundred dollars are kept in abox and taken out after ten years, the amount remains the same i.e. it does not grow.

Obviously if the capacity of money is such that it remains the same over time, thenaccumulating it and hoarding it is foolishness. However if that hundred dollars are

loaned on an interest basis, then it will bring moremoney with it upon its return.

Hence your money has produced more money. Money that is made from money rather

than by labour is termed as riba in the Quran. The Quran has clearly stated that riba is

unlawful (haram) and a serious crime; indeed it is regarded as a rebellion against the

Islamic System. The Holy Quran has warned those who establish a capitalist (riba)

system (in spite of the Qurans warning) that they will face war from Gods side

(2:275-79). Essentially it is written that under the system ofriba, there is no doubt

that the wealth of some individuals will increase but in the long term the result will be

that the wealth of the majority will decline to a point where causes economic disaster.

The affluent members of society, in wrongfully plundering the fruits of others labour,

not only become incapable of working for themselves, but end up with a lack of social

conscience (i.e. they do not concern themselves with the plight of other less fortunate

people). The rest of the people meanwhile become increasingly destitute, having beendeprived of the fruits of their own labour; and as a result, they start with having hatred

against humanity and seek vengeance (e.g. a symptom of this is rising crime) and inthe end everyone pays the price (3:129-30).

It may be noted that the Holy Quran has not simply defined riba as money

made from giving a loan with interest to a needy person. It has categorically stated:that any situation in which someone invests money with the intent of getting morethan the original investment also falls under the definition ofriba (30:34). In present

day terminology we know this as commercial interest, and it includes sleeping

partners in business, crop-sharing tenancies and leasing properties. The Quran

provides a fundamental Principle to avoid riba, and this is that people must be paid

for labour and not for their capital (53:59). This is because return for capital in

whatever form it may be is in fact riba. By declaring riba to be unlawful, the Quran

eliminated the motive for accumulating wealth.


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Next step pertaining to land

In the human economy, the problem of land has been made unnecessarily

complicated, whereas in reality the issue is so obvious and clear that it needs neither

the mind of Plato nor the logic of Aristotle to understand it. Allah calls Himself both

Al-Hai (usually translated as the Alive) and alsoAl Qayyum (usually translated asthe Self-Subsisting). These two Attributes of Allah refer to the fact that he has given

life as well as the means to sustain it, respectively. To maintain life, light heat, air,

water and food are required. He made these things available before humans were

created. Light, heat, air and water are usually readily available on earth; as for food,

Allah states that its reserves are in the earth in other words, it is produced from the

earth by means of labour: And We have provided the means of subsistence (on

earth), for you and for those (i.e. all other living things) for whose sustenance you are

not responsible (15:20). Note that the Quran has used the word maeshatfor

sustenance. It is stated: Eat it (yourselves) and feed your livestock (20:54). At yet

another place the Book has called thisMataannlakum wa le-an aa-mekum (79:33;80:32), which means Provision for you and your livestock.

Earlier it was mentioned that land and other means of sustenance existed onearth before humans were even created. Taking this account, how then can anyone

stake an individual claim on anything, when it is clear that all these resources weremade freely available to sustain life? Today someone might say: I purchased this

land from such and such person, or I inherited this property from my father. If wewere to trace this sequence of events back and reach the person who first claimed this

land as his/her own, who did he/she purchase or inherit this land from? The obvious

answer is that he/she in fact obtained this property unlawfully in which case, how

then can his/her descendants justify their lawful possession of the property? The fact

of the matter is that if anyone self-appoints himself as the owner of any particular

means of sustenance one that was intended to be freely available for all then it is a

major offence against humanity.

Up until the revelation of the Quran, this offensive creed of ownership and

inheritance had been deemed perfectly acceptable as part of a long-running tradition.

The Holy Quran put forth a sound argument in order to erase this erroneous concept

from the human mind. It addresses the Believers thus:Howwallazi fissamae Ilahun

wa filarde Ilahun It is He Who is Allah in heaven and Allah on earth; and He is full

of Wisdom and Knowledge. (43:84) In other words, When you accept the authority

of Allah in the heavens, wont you acknowledge the same is true over the land too?At another place the Quran states: Wa Howallaho fis samawate wa fil ardAnd He is

Allah in the heavens and on earth. (6:3). He has explicitly stated that it is overtlyshirk(polytheist) to accept one god over heaven and another on earth (21:21-22). In

SuraAl Nahlit is stated: Take not two gods: for He is just One Allah To Him

belongs whatever is in the heavens and on earth (16:51-52). It is for this reasonthat we cannot human beings on a par with Allah by giving them ownership of land(2:22). The true owner can only be that one Who created it and made it the source of

sustenance for all living things (29:60-61).

After giving these clear arguments, Allah challenges the non-believers thus:

Say (to them, O Rasool!) To whom does the earth and all things therein belong?

(23:84). The non-believers assuming they base their reply on intellect, knowledge

and study of the earth will have to concede that everything belongs to Allah (23:85).

Then, Allah tells the Rasool to ask them: If you have realised this, then why do you


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avoid facing the reality that no human has the right to claim ownership of land?(23:85). If everyone recognises Allah as the true sovereign of the land, then He

promises that the produce of the land will be lawful and good for everyone to eat;otherwise everyone will be following in the footsteps of the evil one, who has

whispered that they can become the owner of sustenance and thus deluded them.

(2:168).

Compensation of labour

It has been mentioned earlier that there is a difference between the availability

of land versus other forms of sustenance (i.e. light, heat, air and water). Whereas most

types of sustenance already exist in a useable form, food has to be produced from the

land by means of labour. At different places the Holy Quran has eloquently stated that

an individuals share in the produce acquired from land is determined by the amount

of labour the individual has spent in the process of production; the rest is the Right of

Allah. In manmade systems an individual takes land on a crop-sharing basis from a

landlord; one part of the produce is retained by the tiller, or farm worker, and the restis given to the landlord, given that the landlord is the owner of the land. Similarly, in

an Islamic System, the same rule applies; the tiller takes his/her share and gives theowner i.e. Allah the rest. In SuraAl Waqiah (56:63-74), this arrangement has

been described in a very eloquent manner. This is given below (in expositional form,not literal) and deserves full attention:

For this purpose, you must think carefully over this System according to

which your growth and development takes place. Does this happen according to

Divine Law or by the laws framed by you? For example in the cultivation of crops,

how much is the role played by you and how much of it is down to Divine Law? You

prepare the land and sow the seed. Who turns the seed into a crop? Is it you or our

Laws?

Once the crop has grown, who protects it? It is possible that any calamity

might occur and the flourishing crop may be destroyed, leaving you to lament

helplessly: What a disaster has befallen us! We have been totally deprived. Not only

has the grain been lost, our labour and seed have gone to waste.

Then consider the water upon which not only your farming but your very

survival depends. Do you make the rain fall from the clouds or does Our Law of

sustenance perform it?

(Clouds develop from seawater which is so saline that it can neither be usedfor drinking nor for irrigating crops). If the rain water remained saline, what could

you have done? It is strange that you dont consider such simple, straight, and clearmatters and thus draw the correct conclusion. Why dont you appreciate the System

that Allah has set for (human) growth and development?

Similarly, consider fire and the numerous purposes it serves when it is kindled.(These include purposes that may not be immediately obvious. For instance) thissource of heat

2is concealed and packed in branches and stems of green trees.

After this, the Quran asks the reader to seriously ponder over the universal

mechanisms that are engaged in producing the means of sustenance and to think about

who is responsible for initiating them. How much of it is controlled by humans, and

how much is controlled by Allah? However we look at it, we can only draw the

conclusion that our only contribution is our labour; the rest is down to the Divine


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System. Hence our rightful share to the sustenance produced can only be in proportionto the amount of labour we put in. We cannot make a claim as absolute owners of the

entire produce. All these means of sustenance exist by themselves. These are neithermade nor purchased by us.

These examples are given in the Quran to serve as a reminder that Allah has

made them as a means of sustenance for destitute people.

In short, it means that labour is the responsibility of the humans and the meansof production are the responsibility of Allah. Thus humans can keep the share of the

fruits of their labour, and give the rest to Allah. Now a question arises as to how we

should consign Allahs share to Him. The answer is that we must deliver this share to

those who are lost and hungry (56:73). When the Islamic government ensures that

the means of sustenance reach the poorest members of society, then it has fulfilled the

directive give the rest to Allah. This fact is shown in verses (27:21; 67:30; 80:24-

32).

Subsequent to the revelation of the Quran, the newly-formed Islamic

government took practical action to limit the amount of land owned by the affluent

class (which up until that point had become excessive). The obvious standard was toallocate only enough land to individuals in order to provide the means of sustenance

for themselves and their families. This is how the Quran initiated the scheme toabolish private ownership of the land.

Control of land possession

In SuraAl Rad(The Thunder), it is said that a thought struck the mind of the

Rasool (PBUH): Would the Revolution for which he had spent so many years come to

fruition during his lifetime? Allah replied: (It doesnt matter) whether We shall show

you part of what We promised them (within your life-time), or whether We take you

from this world (before it is accomplished) your duty is (simply) to make (the

Message) reach them: it is Our part to call them to account. Dont they see that We

gradually reduce (their control of) the land from its outlying borders? (Where) Allah

judges, there is none that can hinder it: and We will call them to account very soon.

(13:41-42)

In SuraAl Anbiya it is written: For a long time We gave them and their

ancestors the means of sustenance (i.e. land from which to produce it); (but with the

lapse of time they thought that no one would ever take it away from them); Dont they

see that We gradually reduce (their control of) the land? Can they really expect to win

(in the long term)? (21:44) Hence the Quran indicates that any power that is acquiredfrom land ownership will eventually be abolished.

This is how Allah has advanced the second stage of establishing the System.

THIRD STAGE

Accomplishment of the work

We are now in the third stage of this programme. Now the Islamic State has

been established, and it is fulfilling Allahs promise ofRabubiyat e aalamini (i.e. to

provide sustenance to all).


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Justification for establishing the Islamic State

The justification for establishing the Islamic State is given in SuraAl Hajj(The Pilgrimage), where it is stated: (TheMomineen are the) ones who, if We

establish them (i.e. the Islamic State) in the land, will fulfil the responsibility of

establishing the system ofSalaatand Zakaat (22:41). (At this point, we will not go

into the issue ofSalaat; instead we shall keep the focus onZakaatsince this isspecific to economics).

The Quran has said that it is the responsibility of the Islamic State to provide

Zakaat. This requires some close attention. The generally understood definition of

Zakaat(as mentioned earlier *) is that the government takes a fixed percentage of

wealth from the rich, and then allocates these funds to areas wherever it deems fit.

However this is not the definition ofZakaatgiven in the Quran at all. Neither does the

Quran mention that the government makes such a collection, nor does it mention how

the government distributes these funds. Instead the Quranic verse (22:41) clearly

states that the duty of the Islamic government is togiveZakaat, not take it (to do with

as it pleases). In reality, to giveZakaat means that the Islamic government fulfilsAllahs responsibility in effect ofRabubiyatandRazzakiyat.

3How the Islamic

government fulfils this responsibility is given in the Quran in great detail, and this iscalled the Economic System of the Quran.

Covenant with Allah

It must be understood that whoever wishes to become a member of the Islamic

Society (i.e. when he becomes a Muslim) he must sign an agreement, the wording of

which is: Allah has purchased from the believers their persons and their goods; for

theirs (in return) is the Garden (of Paradise) (9:111). In short, this means that

whoever wishes to become a member of this society must pledge his goods and his

life to Allah (and thus swears allegiance to Allah), and in return Allah promises him

paradise. Obviously in practice, this contract is made with the Islamic State (48:10),

and hence aMomins life and possession end up under the custody of the Islamic

System. In return he gets a heavenly life on earth as well as in the Hereafter, as Allah

has promised several times in the Quran. Therefore in the Islamic System there is no

individual ownership of any goods since it remains Allahs property (24:33).

Variance of capability

The Quran accepts that different individuals possess different abilities in

earning their livelihood both in terms of talent type and capacity to work (We willnot go into how these differences between individuals develop and how they can be

minimised here). At this stage we will accept that these differences exist, so our aim is

merely to project the Quranic viewpoint in this regard. The Quran states that due tovariations in individuals abilities, different affairs of society are accomplished easily(43:32). However it also warns that people must not allow different abilities to create

economic inequality in the society. The Quran has therefore explicitly stated in Sura

Al Nahlthat whilst differences exist in the abilities of individuals, this does not mean

that those who possess a higher capability to earn should be allowed to keep their

extra earnings as their own property. They must return any surplus earnings to benefit

other (less well-off) assisting members of the community without whom they would

not have earned a surplus in the first place. Many people oppose this concept and say:


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How strange is this? This allows superiors and subordinates alike to become equal.People who say this are deluded with the notion that the higher capability they have is

their own creation (i.e. they fail to see that were endowed with their talents by Allah).However this capability is not their own creation; it is a gift given by Allah, and it is

one they receive for free (16:53, 16:71).

Qaroonism (capitalism)

The Quran shows that Qaroon (whom the Book refers to as a representative of

capitalism) was also deluded by the same above notion when he said: This (wealth)

has been given to me because of a certain knowledge which I have. (28:78) In other

words, he is saying: My material goods and wealth are mine by virtue of my own

knowledge and capability. Why should I give it to others? The Quran says that the

same mentality is the main root of evil and chaos (39:49). At yet another place the

Book says a person of this mentality never seems realise that one day he will have to

answer to Allah regarding the bounties he received (and kept for himself) on earth

(102:8). Instead, he deludes others as well as himself by saying: I give a smallamount out of my wealth to charity in the name of Allah. I am sure that in return I will

receive the same bounties in the Hereafter that I have received on earth. However,the Quran warns that this type of thinking is kufr(rejection) and it results in a severe

penalty (41:50).

Qul-alafaw (Surplus to your needs)

Further to the above warning, the Holy Quran provides a directive that deals

with the issue of wealth absolutely and permanently. It is stated in Sura Al Baqarah

(The Cow): They ask you (O Rasool) how much (of their income) they should spend

(for the benefit of others). Say: all that is surplus to your needs (2:219). The

remaining portion in its entirety must be used to fulfil the needs of others. The Quran

also states that whenever there is another whose needs are more pressing than yours,

then you should prioritise meeting their needs over your own (59:9).

Due to the Qul-al afaw directive, surplus wealth no longer remained with

anyone, and thus the problems and disaster that arose from economic inequality came

to an end. The difference between the creditor and the debtor, the landlord and the

tenant, the industrialist and the labourer, and the rich and the poor was eliminated.

Thus in the words of renowned Islamic philosopher and thinker, Sir Muhammad

Iqbal:

Mahmood and Ayaz stood together in the same row,There remained neither any benefactor nor any beneficiary;

The subordinates, the superiors, the impoverished and the rich became one,

When they reached You, then they all became one.

(* Where Mahmood and Ayaz are the symbolic representatives of the king and

slave, or the high and the low class, respectively)

The land issue

As we have seen earlier, the Quran makes it explicitly clear that the issue of

private ownership on the land does not come into question. This is because the land is


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the source of sustenance for all human beings (and in fact, all living things) (55:10).Therefore, there must be an arrangement in which this resource of sustenance is left

equally open to fulfil the needs of all. (41:40) This is the gift from Allah to all ofhumanity; and since it is a gift, no one has the right to put up a barrier and divide it

into sections to designate yours and mine (17:20). The streams of sustenance are

supposed to flow like running water so that everyone can fulfil their needs without

any obstructions. Unfortunately there are those who divert the flow to indulgethemselves. They claim to be the upholders ofDeen, but in practice they belie it.

Their prayers are thrown back in their faces. Note the thought-provoking manner in

which the Quran describes this fact: Have you noticed the one who belies the Deen?

This is the one who turns the orphan away. He neither arranges nor encourages

meeting the needs of the needy. He thinks that by performing prayers he has fulfilled

the duties of the Deen. This however is a delusion. For such worshippers, their

prayers end in disaster they are unaware of the reality ofSalaatand remain ignorant

of its aims and objectives. They think that to fulfil Salaatis simply to perform the

physical act of prayer, and that is sufficient for them. Hence they withhold the means

of sustenance instead of letting it flow like a running stream (107:1-7). If this is notbelying the Deen, then what is?

The land belongs to Allah

The Quran has used the historical example of the people of Thamud, the

inhabitants of Petra, to elucidate the issue of land in a most eloquent manner. It statesthat cattle-rearing was the means of livelihood of the people of Thamud. There were

open grazing lands and water springs available to them, but the leaders of that nation

had kept them under their individual control. Hence cattle belonging to the lower

classes used to remain hungry and thirsty. Saleh (PBUH) came to them as a

Messenger, and he raised his voice against the oppression and violence being

committed by the leaders. When the leaders finally asked him what it was he wanted,

he answered that he wanted them to realise that the land belongs to Allah, i.e. that it

belonged to no human, and the same was true for the cattle. Therefore these animals

had to have the freedom to graze on the Allahs land. What right did anyone have to

fix up boundaries on arzullah (Allahs land) and prevent his creatures from crossing

them? (7:73; 11:64) The leaders asked that if this was the case, then how could the

issue be resolved? Prophet Saleh (PBUH) replied that the answer was simple: Fix the

turns of the animals so that all of them irrespective of who they belong to shall all

have their turn to drink. (26:155; 91:13) By using the expression fix the turns, it isclear that the water springs belong to no one and thus all have an equal right to access

it.Now what is the meaning of Allahs land? This is not a manmade concept or

theory. It is the practical founding precept of the Qurans economic system: i.e. the

land is the means of livelihood for all humankind, and it cannot become anyonespersonal property. Believing in this precept in theory (i.e. purely in principle) butallowing private ownership of land in practice, isshirkand kufrin Quranic terms and

belies the Deen. Again in the words of Iqbal:

What is hidden of Allahs land is obvious

But what is not apparent in reality is Rejection


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Opposition to this system

As we have seen, the Quran presents an economic system for the prosperityand welfare of mankind. Any number of terms could be used to describe this system

but I choose to call itNizam-e-Rabubiyat(System of Sustenance). This is the same

system that every Messenger has presented to his people in his time, and each time he

was met with fierce opposition from the mutrafeen economic parasites, which intodays terminology are the capitalists. The Quran states: Never did it happen that we

sent a Messenger to a nation, without facing opposition from the wealthy class

(capitalists) (34:34). From this two things become clear:

1) The system presented by the Messengers was contrary to capitalism,and hence the capitalist class opposed it

2) The conflict between the Divine Order and the capitalist system isnot unique to our time, i.e. it is not merely an issue that has arisen

recently. It has been so since the beginning. The Quran also tells us

that if any group takes up this Divine System and dedicates itself toimplementing it, then they will be successful no matter how much

money the capitalists spend to try and thwart them.

The Quran describes this fact in SuraAl Anfal(Spoils of war, Plunder)(expositional account given): The opponents of this system will spend huge amounts

of their wealth to try and hinder people coming towards the path of Allah. They willcontinue to spend it like water in their evil efforts; but their wealth will serve no

purpose. They will end up regretting their wasted expenditure, because ultimately

they will face defeat (8:36). Furthermore, spiritual leaders and priests also devour

the money spent in raising obstacles in the path of Allah, but this will not bring them

fruitful results (9:34). These mutaffifeen (dealers in fraud) who collect their own dues

completely but never pay others their dues, will be removed easily from the path of

Allah (83:1-4). Thus when humankind rises for the establishment ofRabubiyat-e-

alamini (the provision of sustenance for the universal growth and development of

humanity) (83:5-6), the root of these mutaffifeen will be severed (6:45).

AlHamdulillah (Praise be to Allah)

We shall bring in the first half of the above verse (6:45) shortly, but the second

half is the invitation that also appears as the first line in the Quran:Al Hamdulillah-e-Rabbil alameen which translates as: AllHamd(praise) is due to Allah because of

HisRabubiyat-e-alameeni (provision of sustenance to all creatures). As far ashumanity is concerned however, His provision of sustenance (Rabubiyat) is not direct.

Instead this process is established by human hands. On the same note it cannot be

established until the root of the oppressors is severed. Until this is done neither canRabubiyat-e-alameeni be established nor can humans feel the spontaneous urge toutter the wordsAl Hamdulillah-e-Rabbil alameen in awe of Him.

Now we bring in the first half of the verse to view it in full: The last remnant

of the wrong-doers was cut off. Praise be to Allah, the Sustainer of the worlds (6:45).

This was the climax of the uprising that responded to the call for the Revolution. This

is how they will proclaim theHamdof Allah the Nourisher of humanity (10:10).


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Guidance ofWahi

Of course the economic system of the Quran cannot be established without theguidance of Allahs Wahi (Revelation). This is not a mere statement of belief, rather it

is a sound reality to which we must pay close attention. Just as any human issue must

be dealt with taking all of humanity into account, so must the economic system also

be handled taking humankind into consideration as a whole.Allahs Wahi provides a complete and comprehensive set of Permanent Values

(for every aspect of life) which, once implemented, will benefit the individual as well

as the collective society. It could be said that it is a complete comprehensive formula,

and only when it is implemented in totality will it bring about expected results. If

some parts (or indeed a single part) are left out of the formula, then the expected

results will not come about.

The same is true for the economics issue. If one tries to resolve an issue in

isolation from the rest of the from all other issues (i.e. without taking them into

consideration), then it is liable to become complicated and thus problematic. For

instance, if the Quranic economic system which has been outlined earlier isintroduced as is into a society of idlers and thieves, then what will the result be? Or

if abundance of food and wealth gets into the hands of a morally depraved nation (thatrevels in the luxuries and pleasures of life), then it is easy to imagine how much chaos

will ensue. According to the Quran: And how many populations We destroyed,which (once) revelled in their life (of ease and plenty)! Now those habitations of

theirs, after them, are deserted (28:58).There is no philosophy, or code of life (that deems humans simply as physical

machines), that can deal even with the issue of providing sustenance for humanity, let

alone other issues. Thus there is no code of life (other than the Wahi) that enables the

human caravan to reach its destination. The Quran is a complete code of life for

mankind, and the economic system is just one facet of it. The entire Deen is based on

the principle that human life is not limited to merely the physical body; besides the

body, human life also has something else which is the Self (nafs) or human

Personality.

Human Personality

If the human Self is made to grow and develop properly, then in the life after

death he is in a position to continue evolving. A persons Self grows and develops

when he leads his life in accordance with the Permanent Values given by the DivineRevelation. One of the Permanent Values asserts that the more one gives for the

growth and development of others, the more his own Personality will grow anddevelop. The Quran states thus: Those who spend their wealth (for the benefit of

others) to grow in purity (92:18), i.e. the one who gives his material possessions to

benefit society ultimately develops his Personality. The famous psychologist of thepresent age Eric Fromm describes this fact in his own eloquent way when he says:The aim of life should not be to have, but to be. This is a condensed version of the

Quranic explanation of the link between giving material possessions to society and

development of the human Personality. The goal of life is thus fixed as to be which

is contrary to to have. Note that as the level human knowledge increases, the

truthfulness of the Quranic precepts become manifest (41:53). Hence it is clear that

the economic system of the Quran can be established only be people who believe in


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the Values given through the Wahi and have Conviction of life after death (This iscalledEiman bil Aakhirat believing in the Hereafter).

Believing in the Hereafter

The Quran has stated thatEeta-e-Zakaat(provision of sustenance for growth

and development of others) can only be done by those who believe in the Hereafter(27:3, 31:4). Anyone who doesnt believe in the Hereafter cannot provideZakaat

(41:7). Whoever believes purely in a worldly existence (and that life ends at death)

will also believe that leading a pleasant life is the only goal. For this type of

individual what incentive can there be to do any hard work, retain only what he needs

and give the rest for the benefit of others? If there is an external reason that compels

him to do so, it may remain with him for a while (as long as the external reason

exists) but eventually it will disappear, and he will revert to capitalism. Ultimately a

capitalist does not believe in the Hereafter. This is the reason that Qaroon (the

representative of capitalism) is told that he must give up the inhuman false system and

replace with a system in which he can only keep what he needs and thus enable him tobe prosperous in the Hereafter (28:77). At the same time however, there are those (the

Momineen) who willingly rise to promote the Economic System of the Quran, andthey pray: O ourRabb! Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter

(2:201). In my bookNizam-e-Rabubiyat, I elucidate in detail the reasons why thesystems of communism and socialism can never succeed, because the proponents of

these systems do not have Conviction in the Wahi, and they dont believe in theHereafter. They do not have the foundation upon which to build as great a system as

Islam. Even the Muslims will see success only if they have a strong Conviction in the

veracity of the Wahi and the certainty of life in the Hereafter. To achieve this

objective, a psychological change has to be brought about in the minds of the

Muslims, because at present theirEiman is nothing more than a formality.

To the best of my ability, I have described the process of the Quranic

Economic System in sequence, from the point of initiation to its completion.

Obviously the establishment of this system is possible only in an Islamic State (i.e.

one that runs its entire affairs within the framework of the Quranic Principles).

Whenever and wherever an Islamic State is established, the preliminary parliament

must take the existing (social/intellectual) condition of its people into account when it

decides which link of the sequence it shall implement first within its constitution so

that the government (fully fledged Divine Order) can establish itself successfully.

Obviously the more short-sighted member of society may insist on getting straight tothe final stage of the programme but in reality taking short-cuts would render the

Islamic State a fantasy. On the other hand, there will be some who cannot visualizethe full implications of the Quranic Code of Life, and will thus deem it as being

impractical and against human nature (just as todays covert proponents of capitalism

tend to say).Therefore, it will be necessary for the true proponents of the System toinsist on taking gradual steps towards its establishment, whilst keeping the final goalas their ultimate aim. The Economic System of the Quran was established for the first

time (i.e. during the Rasools (PBUH) lifetime) in this fashion, and so it can be now

as well. However there is a difference between then and now: when the Rasool

(PBUH) made the call for the Revolution, he was alone (as the first Muslim); the rest

were non-believers. Now, the people in a contemporary Islamic country are all

Muslims, so they can be told: This is the System of the Quran and you profess Eiman

on its veracity, so you should not have any objection on establishing the System. One


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would expect that this should be a fairly straightforward easy thing to do, but in factthe very same situation may actually be problematic.

As it has been stated earlier, the Rasool (PBUH) was the first Muslim. Thosewho embraced Islam thereafter, did so after much contemplation and gaining proper

understanding. They pondered over every aspect of the Deen and thus became

Muslims after fully satisfying their hearts and minds. Hence when they were

instructed to establish the System, they did so willingly, since they were alreadyfamiliar with it. They had full Conviction in its beneficence and veracity. In todays

world however, there is not a single piece of land where Muslims have taken Islam

with the same kind of Conviction that existed during the Rasools (PBUH) time.

Hence if any state wishes to introduce this System, its Muslim population will

(according to the Quran) have to be re-educated to become Muslims afresh (4:136).

Capitalists and religious leaders will form an opposition front because they believe in

the Islam that was created during the period when the Caliphate was transformed into

monarchy. As far as they are concerned, the authenticity of this Islam comes from the

tradition of the ancestors. Any Muslim State that overcomes these forces (i.e.

capitalism and theocracy) will be the one that successfully establishes the System.However if it fails to do so then any other nation will adopt it. The Quran has already

stated: If you turn back (from the Path), He will substitute you with another peoplewho will not be like you (47:38).

Following from this point, it must be stressed here that when some people saythat Russia or China has begun to adopt this System, then they mistaken, if not

deluded. Neither have these nations initiated the System, nor can it work with them.Marx said that the solution of humankinds economic problem lies in the fundamental

principle: from each according to his/her ability, to each according to his/her need.

However he couldnt find an incentive for which people would be willing to act upon

this principle. Therefore he decided to adopt socialism in place of communism; and as

a result people ended up bound in shackles tighter than those of capitalism. When a

belief-system doesnt teach belief in God or in Permanent Values, in human

Personality or the Hereafter, how canNizam-e-Rabubiyatbe established? Such a

system has no premise. Sir Iqbalwrote:

If you wish to create a global social system,

Can you provide a firm foundation for it?

Just as with other systems, this System cannot be established via todays

conventional Islam which itself is the product of capitalism. It can only beestablished through the Quran.


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End Notes:

1Hamdis usually translated as Praise, but this is a very simplistic translation.

In factHamdis the expression of the deep, intense feeling of appreciation invoked

spontaneously when one sees an exceptionally beautiful and unique thing. The

intention of utteringHamd(i.e. to sayAl Hamdulillah) is to acknowledge the

greatness of whoever created the given object of admiration. There are, however,certain requirements or conditions imperative for the object which is being

appreciated.

1. The thing which is being appreciated must be perceptible. Anythingwhich cannot be seen or felt cannot be appreciated by our senses or

feelings, e.g., an artist cannot be appreciated without seeing his

painting.

2. The object of admiration should be the product of a deliberate,conscious act. Anything which just happens on its own or by chance is

not worthy ofHamd. For instance, the Arabs did not use the word

Hamdfor a person who was born beautiful; for this they used the word

Madah. If a machine is producing beautiful articles, the machine is not

worthy ofHamd, butMadah. Similar is the case of a dancing peacock.The peacock deserves appreciation butHamdis due only to his creator

Allah.3. The person who is appreciating the given object should be doing so on

his own, voluntarily and not under any compulsion or pretension, nothypocritically or to please someone; the feelings of appreciation should

come forth abruptly, instantly and spontaneously.4. The person appreciating the object must have definite knowledge about

it. Appreciation cannot be expressed on the basis of knowledge which

is vague, hearsay or even slightly doubtful i.e. it cannot come out of

blind faith, deception or whimsical feelings.Madah can be used forimaginary things but notHamd.

5. Things which are being appreciated because of their rare beauty,complete harmony and exceptional attraction, must have attained

absolute perfection. They must be beneficial for humanity and their

benefits should be tangible (Taj). A piece of art which is not complete

or not beneficial to mankind does not deserveHamd.

SoHamdis the expression of such feelings with the requirements and

conditions mentioned above. Even if one element is missing, it would not deserve

HamdbutMadah. The Quran has used the wordHamdwhile appreciating all the

Attributes or Creative Works ofAllah; not even once the wordMadah is used (13:13;

13:18; 17:/44; 6:45; 64:1). In fact the wordHamdis used exclusively for Allah. Inorder to appreciate all that is created byAllah, humans have been given knowledge

about it (2:31). This enables him to explore the universe further by doing research,and at the same time remains under the guidance ofWahi. This enables him to reach

the most exalted position,Maqam-e-Mahmood (17:79), without duress or any fear. Itis a position worth all the praise and appreciation, something that the Rasool (PBUH)

attained and becameAhmadandMuhammad(48:29), i.e., one who is worthy ofconstant and continuous praise and appreciation (Taj).


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From the above therefore, it is evident thatHamddoes not come as a faith butas an expression of appreciation. It is only after deep reflection and extensive research

that one can proclaim:Al-Hamd-o-lillah. (This note is adapted fromExposition ofthe Holy Quran, English edition)

2The source of heat seems to be a reference to carbon the fuel which

would provide the heat upon combustion. To quote the English Exposition of theQuran produced by Tolu-e-Islam Trust online: Now say who it is that conserves this

heat energy inside the trees (56:72)). The general translation (Yusuf Ali) for this

verse is: Is it ye who grow the tree which feeds the fire, or do We grow it? (56:72)

3 To giveZakaat means that the Islamic government fulfils Allahs

responsibility in effect ofRabubiyatandRazzakiyat.This is because Allah expects

that if a government establishes itselfin His name, then it must also fulfil the

responsibilities that He promised to fulfil for the benefit of humankind.

END


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References:

Lane, E.W, Arabic-English Lexicon on CD-ROM. (2003). Thesaurus Islamicus

Foundation

Parwez, G.A. Islam: A Challenge to Religion (1968) (online version athttp://www.tolueislam.com). Idara-e-Tolu-e-Islam

Parwez, G.A. Exposition of the Holy Quran (1990) (online version at

http://www.tolueislam.com). Idara-e-Tolu-e-Islam

Parwez, G.A. Kitab-ul-Taqdeer (Book of Destiny), English translation (1997) (onlineversion at http://www.tolueislam.com). Translated by Khalid M. Sayyed. Idara-e-

Tolu-e-Islam

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