Ukifungua Qur'ani na kupitia sura zake ukitafuta Sura inayohusu uchumi wa Kiislamu, hutaiona. Sura iliyo karibu zaidi ni Sura Al-Anfal (sura ya 8), ambayo ilipewa jina na kuteremshwa kuhusiana na mapato ya vita, na ina kanuni chache sana kuhusu ugawaji wa mapato hayo. Vivyo hivyo, Nabii Muhammad ﷺ hakutoa kauli maalum, hotuba, wala matangazo ya umma yaliyojitolea kikamilifu kwa kile tunachoweza kukiita leo muundo wa kiuchumi. Matini zenye marejeo ya masuala ya kiuchumi na kifedha ziliteremshwa katika kipindi cha miaka ishirini na tatu (maisha ya Muhammad ﷺ kama nabii). Mara nyingi marejeo ya maudhui ya kiuchumi hutolewa kuhusiana na tukio lililohitaji kanuni au hukumu fulani. Mfano mmoja ni kanuni inayohusu umiliki wa ardhi iliyotekwa, ambayo iliteremshwa pamoja na vita vya Khaibar. Kwa hiyo picha kamili ya mfumo wa kiuchumi inapaswa kujengwa kutokana na aya za Qur'ani, kauli za Nabii ﷺ, na hukumu za kesi mahsusi. Sehemu zifuatazo zinawasilisha na kuchambua kanuni nne kuu zinazoonekana kuwa muhimu katika kuendeleza mfumo wa kiuchumi katika Uislamu.

If you open the Quran and browse its chapters looking for a Surah on the Islamic economy, you will not be able to find any. The closest you will get is Surah Al-Anfal (chapter 8), which was named and revealed in relation to the proceeds of war and contains few rules on the distribution of the proceeds. Similarly, Prophet Mohammad did not issue specific statements, deliver speeches, or make public announcements totally dedicated to what we can call today an economic structure. The texts which include references to economic and financial issues were revealed over the course of twenty-three years (the life span of Mohammad as a prophet). Quite often a reference of economic substance may be made in relation to an incident that required a rule or judgment of some sort. One example is the rule related to the ownership of conquered land, which was revealed in conjunction with the battle of Khaibar.56 So the full picture of the economic system needs to be constructed from verses in the Quran, statements of the Prophet, and judgments on specific cases. The following subsections present and address four major principles deemed essential to the development of the economic system in Islam.

Dhana ya msingi katika kuendeleza mfumo wa kiuchumi katika Uislamu ni dhana ya mali inayojulikana kwa jina la Rizq katika istilahi za Kiislamu. Mali ni nini? Na nani ndiye mtoaji wa mali? Uislamu unashikilia kwamba kiasi cha mali anachopata binadamu yeyote katika maisha yake yote kimeamuliwa na Allah (SWT). Watu hujitahidi katika maisha haya ili kupata kile tu alichowapangia Allah (SWT). Katika juhudi zake za kutafuta mali, mwanadamu hana ujuzi wa kile ambacho Mungu anaweza kumgawia. Lakini mara tu anapopata kiasi chochote cha mali, ni lazima aamini kwamba mali hiyo amepewa na Allah (SWT).

Essential to the development of the economic system in Islam is the concept of wealth known as Rizq in Islamic terms. What is wealth? And who is the provider of wealth? Islam maintains that the amount of wealth acquired by any human throughout his life is determined by Allah. People strive in this life to acquire exactly what Allah has prescribed to them. In his endeavor to acquire wealth, man has no knowledge of what could be allocated to him by god. But once he acquires any amount of wealth, it is essential that he believes that this wealth had been allocated to him by Allah.

Ilikuwa muhimu kupandikiza dhana hii katika akili za Waislamu kwa sababu kadhaa. Kwanza, Uislamu ulitaka kudumisha kiwango kizuri cha unyenyekevu katika jamii, hasa miongoni mwa wale ambao wangekuwa matajiri na wenye mali nyingi. Kutambua kwamba mali hiyo imepewa na Allah (SWT) huondoa hisia ya kiburi na ubinafsi. Pili, Uislamu ulikuwa ukijenga ukarimu ndani ya jamii, ambao ungeonekana kuwa wa lazima kwa kuwashughulikia maskini. Tatu, Waislamu watatakiwa kutoa kwa hiari zaidi ya kile walichoamriwa na sheria za dola. Nne, dola ya Kiislamu ilikuwa karibu kukabiliwa na vita nyingi katika utoto wake, jambo lililohitaji msaada wa kifedha kutoka kwa wananchi wake.

It was important to engrave this concept in the minds of Muslims for several reasons. For one, Islam wanted to maintain a good level of humility in the society especially among those who would become rich and wealthy. Knowing that the wealth has been granted to them by Allah removes that sense of arrogance and self-centered feelings. Second, Islam was building generosity within the society, which would be deemed necessary for dealing with the poor. Third, Muslims will be required to spend voluntarily beyond what was required of them by the laws of the state. Fourth, the Islamic state was going to face multiple wars at its infancy, which required the financial support of its constituents.

Katika Qur'ani, kuna marejeo zaidi ya mia moja yanayothibitisha kwamba Rizq (riziki) hutolewa na Allah. Yafuatayo ni baadhi ya mifano ya marejeo haya. Katika Surat Ar-Rum, kuna rejeo la moja kwa moja kwamba Allah ndiye anayetoa riziki.57 "Allah ndiye aliyekuumba, kisha akakupa riziki, kisha atakufisha, kisha atakufufua (Siku ya Kiyama)." (Qur'ani 30:40). Mahali pengine58 imesema: "Enyi watu! Kumbukeni neema ya Allah juu yenu! Je, yuko muumbaji mwingine asiyekuwa Allah anayekupeni riziki kutoka mbinguni na ardhini? Hakuna mungu wa haki isipokuwa Yeye." (Qur'ani 35:3)

Kinyume na kanuni ya "uhaba wa rasilimali" ambayo ubepari unaitetea, Uislamu unaweka mbele kanuni ya "wingi wa rasilimali." Katika sehemu nyingi za Qur'ani, wazo kwamba Allah ameumba wingi wa rasilimali na ndani yake ameweka manufaa kwa watu linarudiwa mara kwa mara. Uislamu unataka kueneza imani kwamba rasilimali kuu duniani si chache, na kwamba Mwenyezi Mungu, Muumba, ameumba zaidi ya kutosha kwa watu wote kufurahia. Uislamu unataka kujenga mtazamo unaothamini wingi wa rasilimali na kukumbuka wakati wote kwamba rasilimali hizi zimetolewa na Mungu, Muumba, kwa namna ambayo watu wanaweza kuzitumia na kutengeneza kitu chema kutokana nazo.

Contrary to the “scarcity of resources” principle advocated by capitalism, Islam advances the principle of “abundance of resources.” In numerous locations in the Quran, the idea that Allah has created abundance of resources and created in them benefit for the people is repeated time and again. Islam wants to propagate the belief that the core resources in the world are not scarce, and that god has created more than enough for all the people to enjoy. Islam wants to create a mind-set which appreciates the abundance of resources and remembers at all times that these resources had been provided by god, the creator, in a manner that people can utilize them and make something good out of them.

Katika Surat An-Nahl (sura ya 16), Qur'ani inataja rasilimali nyingi za mali na inakumbusha kwamba rasilimali hizi ziliumbwa awali na Allah. Katika aya ya 5 hadi 8, inasema:

In Surah Al-Nahl (chapter 16), the Quran enumerates many of the wealth resources and reminds of the fact that these resources were originally created by Allah. In verses 5-8, it says,

Na wanyama wa mifugo, Yeye amewaumba kwa ajili yenu; ndani yao mna joto (nguo za joto), na manufaa mengi, na katika wao mnakula. Na ndani yao mna uzuri kwenu, mnapowarudisha nyumbani jioni, na mnapowapeleka malishoni asubuhi. Nao hubeba mizigo yenu hadi nchi ambayo msingeweza kuifikia isipokuwa kwa taabu kubwa kwenu nafsi zenu. Hakika Mola wenu Mlezi ni Mwingi wa Upole, Mwenye Kurehemu. Naye ameumba farasi, nyumbu na punda, ili mpande na kwa mapambo. Na Yeye huumba mambo mengine ambayo hamyajui. Katikati ya mzunguko wa uzalishaji, watu huwa wanasahau kwamba wanyama wenyewe wanaowafuga (ng'ombe, kondoo, farasi, ngamia) walikuwepo duniani kabla ya mwanadamu, na wameumbwa kwa namna ambayo mwanadamu anaweza kuwafuga wanyama hawa na kunufaika na manufaa yaliyomo ndani yao. Ili kuthamini manufaa ya asili ya wanyama hawa, mtu anaweza kuwalinganisha na wanyama wengine wa porini, ambao hawawezi kutumiwa kwa chakula au usafiri, kwa mfano simba, chui, mbwa mwitu, fisi, na wengine.

And the cattle, He has created them for you; in them there is warmth (warm clothing), and numerous benefits, and of them you eat. And wherein is beauty for you, when you bring them home in the evening, and as you lead them forth to pasture in the morning. And they carry your loads to a land that you could not reach except with great trouble to yourselves. Truly, your Lord is full of Kindness, Most Merciful. And He has created horses, mules and donkeys, for you to ride and as an adornment. And He creates other things of which you have no knowledge In the midst of the production cycle, people tend to forget that the very animals they raise (cattle, sheep, horses, camels) had existed in this world independent of man, and they have been created in a manner that man can tame these animals and utilize the benefits in them. In order to appreciate the inherent benefits of these animals, one can compare them with other animals in the wild, which cannot be utilized for food or transportation, for example, the lions, tigers, wolves, hyenas, and others.

Mtazamo wa Uislamu kuhusu umaskini unafupishwa vyema zaidi na kauli isemayo: "Kama umaskini ungekuwa mtu, ningeumaliza." Kauli hii ilitolewa na Umar bin Al-Khattab, khalifa wa pili katika Uislamu, na ikarudiwa na Ali bin Abi Talib, khalifa wa nne. Uislamu, katika kipindi chote cha ufunuo wake, ulijenga msimamo thabiti wa kutovumilia umaskini na njaa. Abu Dhar Al-Ghifari, mmoja wa Maswahaba wa Mtume ﷺ, anasimuliwa kuwa alisema: "Ninashangazwa zaidi na maskini ambaye hapati chakula nyumbani kwake, lakini hatoki akiwa na upanga mkononi mwake." Kauli za Umar bin Al-Khattab, Ali bin Abi Talib na Abu Dhar zinaonyesha kiwango cha kutovumilia umaskini na njaa katika Uislamu. Mtazamo huu unatokana moja kwa moja na msingi wa fikra uliowekwa na Mtume Muhammad ﷺ na Qur'ani.

The Islamic view on poverty is best summarized by the statement “If poverty were a man, I would kill it.” This statement was made by Umar Bin Al-Khattab, the second caliph in Islam, and repeated by Ali Bin Abi Talib, the fourth caliph. Islam, over the course of its revelation, developed a categorical intolerance to poverty and hunger. Abu Dhar Al-Ghafari, one of the companions of the Prophet, is reported to have said, “I am most shocked by a poor man who cannot find food at home and does not come out with his sword in his hands.” The statements of Umar Bin Al-Khattab, Ali Bin Abi Talib, and Abu Dhar signify the level of intolerance for poverty and hunger in Islam. This view stems sequence from the fundamental thought established by Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and the Quran.

Nabii Muhammad ﷺ, katika kurejelea moja kwa moja umaskini na njaa, alikataa kabisa uwezekano wowote kwamba mtu mmoja angelala na njaa wakati mtaa anamoishi una wingi. Kwa maneno ya Nabii ﷺ, “Allah na Mjumbe wake watajitenga na jamii inayomruhusu mmoja wa wanachama wake kulala na njaa.” Chuki hii kali dhidi ya njaa na umaskini ilidhihirika katika kauli nyingine ya Nabii ﷺ, alipoziarisha: “Yeyote anayeenda kitandani akiwa ameshiba huku jirani yake akiwa na njaa, huyo si muumini wa kweli.” Tazama jinsi Nabii ﷺ anavyounganisha kwa ustadi kukataa umaskini na imani ya mtu pamoja na itikadi yake. Hakutoa tu kanuni ya kiutawala ikitaka chakula kitolewe kwa maskini wa mtaani. Badala yake, alitegemea msingi wa kiakili wa imani ambao alitumia zaidi ya miaka kumi na tatu kuujenga, tofali moja baada ya jingine. Kisha, akageukia msingi huo wa imani na kuutumia kwa kusema kwamba ikiwa kweli unaiamini Uislamu kama unavyodai, basi huwezi kumruhusu jirani yako aende na njaa. Hivyo msingi wa imani unatumika kujenga hisia ya uwajibikaji miongoni mwa wanachama wa jamii.

Prophet Mohammad, in a direct reference to poverty and hunger, rejected the slightest possibility that one person would go hungry while the neighborhood he lives in has plenty. In the words of the Prophet, “Allah and his Messenger will disown a community which allows one of its members to sleep hungry.” This strong resentment of hunger and poverty was demonstrated in another statement by the Prophet, where he said, “He who resorts to his bed with full stomach while his neighbor is hungry is not a true believer.” Note how the Prophet skillfully links the rejection of poverty to one’s faith and belief. He does not simply make an administrative rule asking to provide food for the poor people in the neighborhood. Rather, he relies on the intellectual foundation of belief which he spent more than thirteen years putting together, one brick at a time. Then, he turns to this intellectual faith foundation and utilizes it by saying, if you truly believe in Islam as you claim, then you cannot allow your neighbor to go hungry. So the faith foundation is used to build this sense of responsibility among the members of the society.

Ndani ya mfumo wa ubepari, thamani ya kimaada ndiyo thamani pekee yenye uzito na umuhimu. Na thamani ya kimaada ya bidhaa hufafanuliwa kwa kuzingatia manufaa inayowaletea watu, na kwa kuzingatia uwezo wake wa kubadilishana na bidhaa au vitu vingine. Thamani ya bidhaa inapopimwa kwa fedha, thamani hiyo ya bidhaa huitwa bei.

Within the framework of capitalism, the material value is the only value that has weight and significance. And the materialistic value of a product is defined in terms of the benefit it carries to people and in terms of its exchangeability with other products or things. When the value of a product is measured in terms of money, then the value of the product is called the price.

Uislamu una mtazamo tofauti kabisa katika kufafanua thamani. Kwanza, Uislamu unatambua makundi mawili makuu ya thamani: kundi la kwanza linahusiana na vitendo vinavyofanywa na watu, na kundi la pili linahusiana na vitu na bidhaa. Ndani ya kundi la kwanza, Uislamu unatambua aina nne za thamani ambazo zinapaswa kupatikana binadamu anapofanya kitendo. Thamani hizi ni thamani za kiroho, za kimaadili, za kibinadamu, na za kimwili. Thamani katika muktadha huu inarejelea lengo linalotafutwa kwa kufanya kitendo hicho.

Islam has a totally different approach for value definition. First, Islam recognized two broad categories of values, one category is related to the actions taken by people, and the other is related to the things and commodities. Within the first category, Islam recognizes four types of values which should be attained when the human performs an action. These values are the spiritual, moral, human, and the materialistic values. The value in this respect refers to the objective sought by performing the action.

Maadili ya kiroho yanahusishwa na vitendo ambavyo lengo lake pekee ni kumpendeza Mungu, Muumbaji. Kwa mfano, vitendo vya sala, kufunga na hija vimewekwa kuwa wajibu kwa Mwislamu, na vinapaswa kutekelezwa kwa mpangilio maalum. Vitendo hivi havina thamani yoyote isipokuwa kumpendeza Allah, na hivyo kutosheleza silika ya kuabudu iliyomo ndani ya nafsi ya binadamu. Mwislamu hafanyi sala ili kufanya mazoezi ya mgongo wake, ingawa sala inaweza kuwa na manufaa kwa misuli ya mgongo. Badala yake, Mwislamu hufanya sala kwa lengo pekee la kumpendeza Mola wake. Qur'ani inasema: {Simamisha sala kwa ajili ya kunikumbuka.}75 Vivyo hivyo, Mwislamu hafungi mwezi wa Ramadhani ili kupunguza uzito, ingawa anaweza kupungua uzito wakati wa kufunga. Lakini yeye hufunga kwa lengo pekee la kupata radhi na kuridhika kwa Allah. Imepokewa kwamba Mtume Muhammad ﷺ alisema: "Allah anasema: vitendo vyote vya mwanadamu ni vyake, isipokuwa kufunga. Kufunga ni kwangu mimi, nami ndiye ninayetoa malipo ya kufunga." Qur'ani inathibitisha kwamba kufunga kiliwekwa kwa watu ili wapate kuwa na taqwa kwa Allah.76

Spiritual values are associated with acts whose only purpose it to please god, the creator. For example, the acts of prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage are ordained upon the Muslim and should be carried out in a certain order. These actions have no value except to please Allah, and consequently to satisfy the instinct of worshiping embedded within the human self. A Muslim does not perform prayer in order to exercise his back, although prayer may benefit the back muscles. Rather, a Muslim performs prayer for the sole objective of pleasing his god. The Quran says, “Establish the prayer for my remembrance.75” Similarly, a Muslim does not fast during the month of Ramadan in order to lose weight, although he may lose weight while fasting. But he performs fasting only to win the pleasure and satisfaction of Allah. It is reported that Prophet Mohammad had said, “Allah says: all your actions belong to you, except fasting. It is mine; and I am the one who provides the rewards for fasting.” The Quran confirms that fasting had been prescribed upon people so that they may have piety for Allah.76