Teachings of Islam Regarding Economics

on Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Islam is the religion that tells a human the complete code of life. It guides the human towards the perfect way to live a good life. Where it guides a person to offer prayers, fast and give charity, it also tells a person how to carry out relationships with humans, and how to go with dealings and transactions.

Islam has taught its followers to distribute wealth between them equally. It encourages the sharing of wealth, and that is why it introduced the institution of Zakat. Islam has made Zakat as one of the five pillars on which the building of Islam stands. If anyone of the pillars falls, the building cannot stand upright. Thus, Zakat is all about sharing the wealth from the rich to the poor. This allows wealth to be distributed equally among people, and it minimizes the huge financial gap between people of a country and allows them to live on equal grounds. A percentage amount is set, and every year, that percentage of the money needs to be given as Zakat. Islam treats all Muslims as a single family. It orders rich people to give charity so that money is distributed among the fellow beings and there is no need for an individual to beg.

Apart from that, Islam has also laid the foundation of honesty and fairness in business. It has encouraged the use of fair means to earn money and discouraged the use of all unfair means. It is not permitted for a businessperson to cheat his customers or sell them a product while hiding the defect. Islam also forbids interest and Usury. It emphasizes that man should own what he deserves. Islam also encouraged every individual to earn on his own and discourages the act of begging, saying that it lowers the self-respect of an individual. It is said that it is better for a person to go to the forest, cut wood, sell for his bread and butter, and give charity instead of begging himself. Begging is considered a much-hated act.

Apart from this, Islam has also mentioned rules regarding the laws of inheritance; it gives rights of inheritance to men and women. According to the teachings of Islam, specific proportions are set for the distribution of property and assets. There are identified proportions for men and women. The dead person’s will cannot be imposed on more than one third of his property.

Thus, Islam leaves every individual free to choose his way of income, except that it has set a few rules and regulations, and it is compulsory for every individual to abide by them. A man is at free will to choose his source of income, as far as he abides by the rules, and he has the authority to spend his money wherever he wants or invest it. Thus, the main purpose behind all this is to let every individual set his feet on the ground and be independent. It maintains the solidarity of Muslims and encourages morality.



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