THING FOR A MOMENT Part 1

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Ultimately, Islam seeks to create a system where justice, not profit reigns supreme. Islamic economics has two primary goals: to combat poverty and provide for a just and equitable distribution of wealth. The Islamic state does this through a variety of voluntary and mandatory mechanisms. For example, Zakah, a powerful redistributive tool, transfers money from the hands of the rich to the hands of the poor through charity. The abolition of riba prevents unfair lending schemes which penalize the poor. In addition, the state is required to provide each citizen with a minimum standard of living. As the Prophet (sws) said: ‘Any ruler who is responsible for the affairs of Muslims but does not strive sincerely for their well-being will not enter Paradise with them’ (Muslim, vol. 1, p. 126). Yet, at the same time, Islam achieves balance and maintains economic freedom by securing the individual’s right to private property.