Moral Reflections on Economics, Vol 6, Issue 3

March 2026 issue (Vol 6, Issue 3) of Moral Reflections on Economics features

• “Fasting in Ramadan and UN Sustainable Development Goals” by Salman Ahmed Shaikh.

• “The Erosion of Value: A Macroeconomic Analysis of Inflation”  by Ahmed Mohamed.

• Highlights of World Inequality Report 2026 by Muhammad Hammad.

• Book review of “Islamization of Human Sciences” by Prof. Mohd. Yusof Hussain.

• Research paper in focus on “Islamic Economics and Economics as a System of Power” by Dr. Adem Levent and Dr. Fahriye Afacan.

• Regular sections of reflections, market news, economic and financial indicators and call for papers.

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Fasting in Ramadan and UN Sustainable Development Goals

Fasting in the month of Ramadan compels all individuals to practice self-restraint and control consistently for the entire month. It has the potential to share the emotional and physiological reality of what is it like to be not eating food. It builds thankfulness that at least by sunset, one can break the fast. But, it also compels one to think that what if one is hungry and not able to eat because of lack of affordability. This experience has the potential for bringing greater commitment in a person to share and to avoid waste. In the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), it is encouraged to facilitate people in breaking the fast. The spirit of sharing the food is a trait to be practiced year-round.

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Highlights of Al-Baraka Forum 2026

The AlBaraka Forum held the 6th AlBaraka Forum Regional Conference on 19 & 20 January 2026 at the Pearl Continental Hotel, Karachi, under the theme “Islamic Economy in the Digital Age: Innovation within the Framework of Compliance”. On this occasion, H.E. Mr. Yousef Hassan Khalawi, Secretary General of AlBaraka Forum for Islamic Economy, assured that Islamic finance now has the potential to be on the same stage as conventional banking, as both enter the digital age at the same moment, asking the question: “Will we follow the same trend for the last fifty years? No. From today, by entering this age, either you choose to be innovative, or again, you will be number two, always like before.”

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Breaking Bad: How Health Shocks Prompt Crime

The study identifies two primary economic mechanisms: a loss of human capital leading to illegal revenue seeking and a decrease in survival probability which reduces the perceived long-term cost of punishment. While the paper is technically robust within its econometric framework, it operates within a strictly secular, rational-choice paradigm that fails to account for the metaphysical and moral dimensions of human behaviour during crisis.

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Iqtisaduna (Our economics)

The book begins with an incisive academic criticism of dialectical materialism, the philosophical backbone of Marxist thought. Al-Sadr argues that history is an incredibly complex phenomenon that cannot be reduced to a single driving force, such as the economic factor or the means of production. He asserts that various other elements, including religious convictions, political structures, and social dynamics, play primary and often independent roles in shaping human destiny. He challenges the foundational logic of materialism by pointing out that it cannot explain the “first push” of the universe or human development without acknowledging a non-material or Divine cause. For al-Sadr, the materialist view is a narrow lens that fails to capture the multidimensional nature of human existence.

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Highlights of Resisting the Rule of the Rich Report by Oxfam

The number of billionaires has surpassed 3,000, with their wealth reaching a record $18.3 trillion in November 2025, an 81% increase since March 2020. This concentration of wealth is exacerbating global inequality, with the 10 richest billionaires holding over $2.4 trillion. The super-rich are profiting from crises like trade tensions, wars, and climate change, while over 2 billion people face food insecurity. The richest 1% own 43.8% of global wealth, while the poorest half hold just 0.52%. This inequality is undermining democracy and perpetuating poverty.

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Money and Inflation

We often hear the term ‘inflation’ to describe a general increase in prices, this rise is typically caused by one of two factors. First, it can occur due to a change in the purchasing power of what the money symbolizes, often triggered by a deliberate reduction in the quantity of wealth it represents. This is the essence of monetary manipulation. Second, prices may rise due to a fall in purchasing power without any change in the quantity of the money itself. For instance, if gold becomes naturally cheaper because of a new supply, an Islamic Dinar made of 4.25 grams of gold will naturally buy less.

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Pricing Benchmark, Money Market Instruments and Monetary Policy

Islamic banks currently use the same interbank offered rate in pricing their products. By and large, they provide debt based financing rather than equity based modes of financing. Thus, the promise of egalitarian distribution and inclusivity remains unrealized in practice at the moment. From a more pragmatic view to achieve the promise of Islamic economics, it is important to transform the way Islamic banking and finance is conducted in the contemporary monetary system. One way to achieve that is to link the payoffs to the saving deficient and saving surplus units through real sector economic payoffs. This article gives a review of literature on this issue and the next section presents an alternate proposal to achieve the aim of having a distinct system of financial intermediation which is less reliant on debt based financing and which is closely aligned with the real sector of the economy.

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Moral Reflections on Economics, Vol 6, Issue 2

February 2026 issue (Vol 6, Issue 2) of Moral Reflections on Economics features

• “Pricing Benchmark, Money Market Instruments and Monetary Policy” by Salman Ahmed Shaikh.

• “Money and Inflation”  by Hifz ur Rab.

• Highlights of Oxfam Report on “Resisting the Rule of the Rich” by Muhammad Hammad.

• Book review of “Iqtisaduna” by Baqir Us Sadr.

• Research paper in focus on “Breaking Bad: How Health Shocks Prompt Crime” by Steffen Andersen, Elin Colmsjö, Gianpaolo Parise, Kim Peijnenburg.

• Regular sections of reflections, market news, economic and financial indicators and call for papers.

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Environmental Sustainability in the Prophetic Sunnah: A Foresight Perspective

The author argues that the Sunnah presented a forward-thinking model long before the modern concept of sustainability emerged. This model emphasizes resource preservation, responsible consumption, and the protection of future generations’ rights. Unlike modern secular models, the Sunnah is argued to provide a holistic framework that integrates spiritual, moral, and practical dimensions into environmental care. The author argues that environmental protection is an inherent part of the higher objectives of Islamic law (Maqasid al-Shariah), specifically the preservation of the five essentials: religion, life, intellect, progeny, and wealth.

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