Work and Wealth
Western tradition regards work
and labor as a cost incurred by those who want to consume the goods thus made
available to them. The natural condition of mankind is considered to be
one in which the earth will not satisfy human needs except when human beings
work to make it do so.
It is neither a logical nor an
inevitable corollary of this view that less work is preferable to more.
Even in this tradition, it is logically possible that some work is much more
agreeable than others, and perhaps so much so that some work ceases to be a
cost incurred in satisfying wants.
It is, however, usual for this
point to be ignored, particularly since an assumption common to economists from
the nineteenth century onwards - and most explicit in the ideas of
utilitarianism - is that efficiency and disagreeableness increase together, and
that paid labor cannot be expected to offer much intrinsic satisfaction.
The concept of work in Islam
(called ‘amal) is far broader and has different
characteristics and objectives than that understood in the Western economic
tradition. In Islam, work ethic is defined by the Quran itself, which
mentions the word ‘amal in 360 verses.
A closely related concept of fi’l (also
translated as work) is mentioned in an additional 109 verses. All these
verses stress the need for work and action by human beings. It is based
on this emphasis on work that Islam is considered as the ideology of practice
and the practice of ideology, a religion of action, and “the par axis of the
believers.”[1]
The Quran considers idleness -
or squandering of time in pursuit of unproductive and non-beneficial work - as
the manifestation of lack of faith and of unbelief.[2] Man is called upon to
utilize “time” in pursuit of work by declaring that God has made the day as
means of seeking sustenance.
A person who through hard work
seeks God’s “bounty” - which includes all appropriate means of earning one’s
livelihood - is most highly praised. All able-bodied persons are exhorted
to work in order to earn their living. No one who is physically and
mentally able is allowed to become a liability on one’s family or the state
through idleness.
The work which everyone is
required to perform must be “good” or “beneficial” (al-’amal al-salih), but
no work is considered as inconsequential in terms of its rewards or punishments
in this world and in the next. One will have to reap whatever rewards or
retributions are done as a result of his work. (Quran 99:6-8).
Work, therefore, is regarded not
only as a right but a duty and an obligation. Islam extends to the
individual the right to choose the type of work he desires, but along with this
freedom comes the obligation to consider the needs of the society as well as
the selection of the type of work permitted by the Shariah.
Since all class distinctions are
negated by Islam, no line of work permissible by the Shariah is
considered demeaning by Islam, which countenances only diversification on the
basis of natural talents, skills and technology, or personal
inclinations.
Based on its concepts of justice
and contracts, Islam makes it an obligation for the worker to perform the tasks
which he has contracted to the best of his ability, but since individuals are
endowed with different abilities and talents, their productivities will
differ. Justice, however, demands that return to work of every individual
must be commensurate with his productivity.
While Islam, in no uncertain
terms, is against idleness and socially unproductive work, it maintains that
those who are physically or mentally unable to work still retain a right to
what the society produces.[3] This conclusion is based
on the property-rights principle of invariant claim to ownership which maintains
that all human beings have a right in the resources which God has provided for
mankind.
Since the source of physical and
mental abilities of human beings, due to which some members of the society are
able to possess more than others, is also God, the right of ownership of those
less able to the original resources remains valid; just as God’s original right
of ownership of resources is not negated when they, along with the creative
labor of individuals, are transformed into products, property and wealth.
Earlier, it was mentioned that
laboring and owning are central to the Islamic concept of property
rights. Islam encourages man to utilize, to the fullest possible sense,
all the resources that God has created and entrusted to man for his use responsibly.
Non-utilization of these resources for his benefit and for that of the society
is tantamount to ungratefulness to God’s provision of these resources as is
irresponsibility and extravagance.
Wealth is considered an
important means by which man can pave the way for the attainment of his
ultimate objective. Islam refers to wealth as “good”, an object of
delight and pleasure, and a support for the community.[4] Conversely, involuntary
poverty is considered as undesirable. This particular conception of
wealth, however, is qualified in terms of earning, possession and disposition
of wealth.
The earning of wealth is
qualified through the emphasis on the fact that wealth is only a means for the
achievement of man’s ultimate objective and not an end in itself. It must
be earned through “good”, “productive” and “beneficial” work. This type
of work is specified by the Shariah which defines the methods
of earning wealth lawfully, not only are lawful methods of earning wealth
specified, but also the types of economic activity which are prohibited are
outlined.
The Shariahspecifies non-permissible professions
and trade and economic activity which may lead to unlawfully acquired
wealth. Even within each profession, the Shariahspecifies
proper and improper practices. Unlawfully acquired or accumulated wealth
for its own sake is condemned as “corruption” and retrogression to the basis of
all human negative qualities, i.e., greed.
Islam considers wealth as the
life-blood of the community which must be constantly in circulation; therefore,
its possession excludes the right of hoarding (Quran 9:34-35). The
implication is that lawfully earned wealth must be invested within the
community to improve its economic well-being. Investing wealth is not
only measured by the monetary gain associated with it, but also by the benefit
which accrues to the society.
The needs of the society, therefore, must
be a consideration for the owner of wealth.Disposition of wealth is
subjected to the rules of the Shariah as well. The first
and foremost among these rules is the recognition of the rights of others in
this wealth, resulting from the principle of invariant claim to ownership.[5] Also
among these rules are the levies whose amounts are specified and those levies
whose amounts are left to the determination by the wealth owner.
All these levies fall due when
wealth exceeds a specific minimum amount called nisab. After
these obligations are met, the remainder of wealth belongs to the owner but
must be used in accordance with the rules of the Shariah. Among
these are rules which forbid extravagance, opulence, waste or general abuse of
wealth.[6] It
cannot be used to harm others or to acquire political powers to corrupt the
polity.
While Islam considers lawfully
acquired wealth as subject to the protection of the Shariah, it
regards the wealth owner as a trustee who holds his wealth as a trust on behalf
of God and the community. Hence, his inability to use his wealth properly
provides the basis for the forfeiture of his right to his wealth.
Extravagance, waste and general abuse of wealth is the basis upon which the
community can consider him a “safih”, a person of weak
understanding and one in possession of “weak intellect”; and a person who along
with his own financial and moral loss is damaging the interest of the
community.
There is a principle (hajr)according
to which such a person’s wealth is made the ward of the community, or it’s
legitimate representatives, which may limit his right to use only a part of his
property to meet his basic needs (Quran 4:5). That wealth, therefore, is
considered “good” and a “support” for the community in attainment, possession,
and disposition of which all rules of the Shariah are
observed.
Source: www.islamreligion.com
Footnotes:
[1] Esposito,
John, L. (ed.), (1980), Islam and Development, Syracuse University Press.
[2] Al-Tahawi,
Ibrahim, (1974) Al-Iqtisad Al-Islami, Majma’ Al-Buhuth al-Islamiyah.
[3] Quran
2:110, 2:254; 9:60; 73:20; 51:19; 17:26; 17:29; 9:34-36; and 51:19.
[4] Quran
29:61; 14:32; 16:14; 45:13; 22:36-37; 2:180 and 215; 62:10; 73:20; 16:6; 17:70;
and 7:32.
[5] Al-Liban
(1967).
[6] Quran
2:190; 2:195; 9:34.
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