Islamic Economy in Jurisprudence (Book): Difference between revisions

'''Islamic Economy in Jurisprudence''' (اقتصاد اسلامی در فقه) is a Persian book written by Sayyid Mohammad Mehdi Ghaffari Sattar, intended to describe the Islamic economic system from a jurisprudential perspective. In three chapters, the author addresses topics such as economic schools of thought, their differences and impacts, the elucidation of economic principles from the perspective of Islam, the application of jurisprudential rules in economics, stating the position of ownership (Malikiyyah), labor, and production, and the role of these matters in the poverty and wealth of society, as well as elucidating the position and foundations of the Resistance Economy (Iqtisad-e Muqawamati) within the Islamic economy.

He considers resolving economic problems as a necessary prerequisite (Muqaddamah Wajib) known as serving the Islamic society. In his belief, discovering the Islamic economic system is possible through the process of independent reasoning (Ijtihad). According to the author, general and specific jurisprudential rules will help create the frameworks of the Islamic economic system. In his view, the Resistance Economy will lead to the growth and strengthening of the Islamic society from an economic standpoint.

Considering verses from the Quran, including [[Verse 89 of Surah al-Nahl]] and [[Verse 20 of Surah al-Muzzammil]], and also relying on certain narrations, the author believes that solving economic issues and problems is a prerequisite for an obligation (Wajib) known as serving the Islamic society (pp. 19-25). In his belief, a specific school of economics is not delineated in Islamic sources; but by bringing together a collection of rulings, rights, and concepts, one can discover the general principles and fundamental theories regarding the Islamic economic school. According to him, Islamic economics is not a one-sided and purely economic perspective. Relying on the theory of [[Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr]] and the [[sphere of the permissible|rule of the sphere of the permissible]] (Qa'idah Mintaqah al-Faragh), he believes that one of the most important ways of founding the Islamic economic system is the government and sovereignty (Hakimiyyah). He then points out that Islamic economics strives to adopt a method that is both realistic and ethical (pp. 33-43).

In the author's belief, the method of discovering the economic system in Islam is possible through the pathway of *Ijtihad*; because establishing a connection between particular and secondary matters (Umur Juz'i wa Far'i) that take on the color and scent of time and place, and the fixed rulings of the school of thought (Maktab), will only be possible within the process of *Ijtihad*. Therefore, through *Ijtihad*, we must derive the rulings from the sources and express the theoretical design of the economic system based on the foundations of goals, values, strategies, and rulings (pp. 49-61).

According to the author, the No-Harm rule applies in economics in two ways: first, any ruling and law that causes harm and loss to individuals and society must be annulled; and second, all laws regarding business, production, etc., must be formulated according to this rule, otherwise that law lacks religious validity. He believes that according to the Rule of Negation of Authority, any kind of economic domination by disbelievers over Muslims is negated, such as not creating a right of pre-emption (Haqq al-Shuf'ah) for disbelievers and not accepting the trusteeship (Tawliyyah) of disbelievers over Muslim endowments (Mawqufat) (pp. 87-91). Based on the rule of destruction, which is derived from [[Verse 194 of Surah al-Baqarah]], the author considers wasting the properties of others without their permission as one of the instances of transgression (Ta'addi), which must be taken from the transgressor in the exact same amount (pp. 91-92). He also enumerates the rules of acquisition and dominion among the factors that create ownership, which jurists have documented according to verses and narrations (pp. 92-93).

Under the heading of the role of the producer in the economy, the author of the book, while referring to narrations about the importance of production and business (pp. 94-101), states the types of production in jurisprudential and narrational sources. Relying on narrations and jurisprudential books, he divides production into three types: forbidden (Haram), reprehensible (Makruh), and permissible (Mubah). The forbidden businesses mentioned in the book are: intrinsically impure substances (A'yan Najisah), instruments of amusement (Lahw) and gambling, selling weapons to the enemy, sculpting, singing (Ghina'), teaching magic and sorcery, renting out a house or animal for a forbidden act, and backbiting (Ghibah) (pp. 101-111). Money changing (Sarrafi), selling shrouds, hoarding food (Ihtikar), butchery, weaving, and cupping (Hijamah) are enumerated as reprehensible businesses in the book (pp. 111-115). The author considers awareness of the rulings of trade, cancellation of a contract (Iqalah), refraining from swearing oaths in buying and selling, etc., as part of the etiquettes of production that must be observed by producers (pp. 115-120). At the end of the second section of the book, the author considers agriculture and farming, animal husbandry, and trade and commerce as instances of production emphasized by narrations, for which a reward has been promised (pp. 129-139).

In the final chapter of the book, the author examines the foundations and position of the Resistance Economy within the Islamic economy. According to him, economic jurisprudence is an important part of Islamic jurisprudence that encompasses public and state properties (meaning Zakat, Anfal, Khums, and taxes); the religious means of acquiring ownership, generalizing, and protecting wealth (reviving dead lands or *Ihya' al-Mawat*, acquisition or *Hiyazah*, hunting, inheritance, slaughtering, endowment or *Waqf*, etc.); and commerce and other economic contracts (sale, trade, *Mudharabah*, etc.). He then proceeds to examine the position and the result of implementing each of these items in the Resistance Economy (pp. 157-173).