Tag: IslamicEconomics

Islamic Economics and Economics as a System of Power

The paper begins by addressing the post-colonial emergence of Islamic economics, which sought to establish an independent discourse based on interest-free commerce, moral behavioral norms eschewing self-interest, and the pursuit of social justice. Despite these ideal goals, the field has faced severe criticisms from scholars such as Prof. Timur Kuran, Prof. Akram Khan, and Prof. Syed Tahir for failing to develop a unique value set, an original methodology, or the analytical power necessary to solve modern economic problems.

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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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Measuring What Truly Matters: A Maqasid al Shariah Approach to Reforming Gross Domestic Product

When economic policy is guided solely by GDP, these ethical imperatives may be undermined. For example, a country may pursue industrial expansion that increases GDP but harms public health, violating hifz al nafs. Liberalization of entertainment sectors may boost GDP but erode moral and family values, violating hifz al din and hifz al nasl. Financial expansion through interest-based lending may raise GDP but undermine fairness and risk sharing, violating hifz al mal.

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The Dual Structure of Islamic Economics: Economics of Religion and Religious Economics

Islamic economics is fundamentally a normative field, dedicated to the in-depth study of the normative principles outlined in the Qur’an and the Sunna (religious economics). In its empirical research, it probes into the economic behaviours and values of Muslims. As a result, it extensively utilizes economic tools to comprehend Muslim behaviour, integrating the economics of religion as one method of exploration.  In reconciling normative (what should be) and positive (what is) economics, the discipline also emphasizes facilitating the transition from the current state to an ideal one, aiming to transform ‘what is’ into ‘what should be’. This agenda is central to Islamic economics, as it is to religious economics.

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Methodology of Economics: Secular Versus Islamic

The author asserts that Islamic economics is currently the result of applying Islamic rules and injunctions (Fiqh) to the secular economic framework, and is not yet a separate discipline that fully replaces secular economics. The author notes that methodology is a messy and confusing area in both fields. He highlights that in Islamic economics, it is often wrongly treated as a research design or work plan. The author explains that economics is usually called ‘science’ and is seen to be built for achieving its objectives on some perception of rationality. Methodology is the ‘theory of theories’; in the field of economics it refers to the “process economists use to authenticate the knowledge about economic phenomena”.

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Zakah Driven Islamic Economy and Interest Driven Capitalism

Entrepreneurs may have less or more capital than they plan to invest. Owners of surplus capital may withhold it or may make it available to investors. This may be based on profit sharing ratio or interest. In the Islamic system, charge of Zakah assisted by expected share in profit motivates the owners of capital to get it invested while in a capitalist system, interest motivates the capitalist creditors to lend capital for earning interest.

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Integration of Tawhidic Epistemology in ESG

Halal ESG shaped by Tawhidic epistemology is not merely an alternative model; it is a civilizational intervention—calling for harmony between the sacred and the temporal, between environmental responsibility and metaphysical awareness, between economic development and divine accountability. It is this synthesis—rooted in Tawhid, driven by Ummatic consciousness, and aspiring toward Ummatic excellence—that will enable halal industries to become ethical vanguards in a fractured world.

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Islamic Economics: A Short History

The earlier scholars provided application of Islamic juristic principles to derive and apply the Islamic teachings related to commerce, entrepreneurship and consumption. Muslim scholarship initially focused on public finance and its administration to deal with the practical problems of the newly formed state which expanded rapidly and required sound legal and administrative framework to legislate economic activities centred around agriculture and trade.

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The Role of Integrated Value Mediation in ESG Frameworks: Transforming Circular Agriculture within an Islamic Economic Context

The global momentum behind sustainable development has elevated ESG principles to a central position in both corporate and public sector strategies. The Global Sustainable Investment Review (2020) reports that assets managed under sustainable investment strategies reached USD 35.3 trillion, representing over one-third of total professionally managed assets worldwide. Despite this impressive shift, the practical implementation of ESG is beset by challenges, with the agricultural sector particularly affected due to its central role in food security, economic development, and environmental stewardship. Conflicts over land rights, water resources, environmental impacts, and social inequalities are common and often impede progress toward sustainability and inclusivity.

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