Kabla ya kuendelea na majadiliano ya uchumi wa kisiasa wa Kiislamu, ningependa kubainisha kwamba neno uchumi wa kisiasa (political economy) hutumika katika muktadha unaorejelea michakato ya uzalishaji, matumizi, na usambazaji wa utajiri kuhusiana na uchumi wa mataifa. Katika muktadha huu, uchumi wa kisiasa hushughulikia mikakati na mbinu zinazoathiri moja kwa moja uchumi wa mataifa na uwezo wa kufikia malengo ya kiuchumi yaliyowekwa na mfumo wa kiuchumi. Hivyo, neno uchumi wa kisiasa linaweza kutumika ndani ya mifumo ya itikadi kama Uislamu, ubepari, au ujamaa. Kwa hiyo, msomaji asitarajie kuona neno "uchumi wa kisiasa" likitumika katika baadhi ya aya za Qur'ani au kauli za Mtume ﷺ. Hata hivyo, mada zinazojifunza chini ya mwavuli wa uchumi wa kisiasa zitatolewa na kuchambuliwa kutoka kwenye maandiko asilia ya Qur'ani na Sunnah, pamoja na ijmaa ya Maswahaba wa Mtume ﷺ na hoja za kimantiki zinazotokana na maandiko hayo.

Before proceeding in the discussion of the Islamic political economy, I should note that the term political economy is used in the context which refers to the processes of production, consumption, and distribution of wealth as related to the economies of states. In this respect, political economy addresses the strategies and methods which directly impact the economy of states and the ability to achieve the economic objectives set forth by the economic system. Hence, the term political economy can be used within the framework of ideologies such as Islam, capitalism, or socialism. Therefore, the reader should not expect to see the term “political economy” being used in some verses in the Quran or statements of the Prophet. However, the subjects studied under the umbrella of political economy will be extracted and evaluated from original texts of the Quran and the Sunnah as well as from the consensus of the companions of the Prophet and the causal reasoning derived from the original texts.

Uchumi wa kisiasa unashughulikia mambo mengi yanayohusiana na vyanzo vya utajiri, asili ya utajiri, njia za kuongeza utajiri, na njia za kugawa utajiri. Hasa, uchumi wa kisiasa unahusika na umiliki wa mali, sarafu, viwango vya ubadilishaji wa fedha, kiwango cha dhahabu, Riba (riba ya mkopo), kuhodhi, biashara na uchumi, kampuni, kazi ya binadamu, na kukidhi mahitaji ya msingi ya binadamu. Kisha tunajadili mtazamo wa Kiislamu kuhusu kila moja ya masuala haya na kuonyesha jinsi Uislamu unavyosimamia rasilimali mbalimbali za kiuchumi ili kuongeza uzalishaji, kudhibiti matumizi, na kuondoa umaskini.

The political economy addresses a myriad of subjects related to the sources of wealth, the nature of wealth, the methods of increasing wealth, and the methods of distributing wealth. In particular, the political economy deals with property ownership, currency, exchange rates, gold standard, Riba (usury), hoarding, trade and commerce, corporations, human labor, and satisfaction of human basic needs. Next we discuss the Islamic perspective on each of these issues and show how Islam manages the various economic resources to enhance production, regulate consumption, and eliminate poverty.

Kabla ya kueleza vipengele vya uchumi wa kisiasa wa Kiislamu, ninapaswa kubainisha kwamba wanachuoni wa Kiislamu kihistoria walitumia juhudi nyingi kukusanya marejeo yanayohusu masuala ya kifedha yaliyopatikana katika Qur'ani, kauli za Mtume ﷺ, matendo ya Maswahaba, na mazoea ya makhalifa mbalimbali. Miongoni mwa marejeo maarufu zaidi ni kitabu chenye jina Al-Amwal (kinachotafsiriwa kama fedha/mali) kilichokusanywa na Abu Obaid Al-Qasim Bin Salam aliyeishi katika kipindi cha 767-838 AD (AH 150-224). Katika kitabu cha Al-Amwal, Abu Obaid alikusanya marejeo yote yanayohusu fedha, miamala ya kifedha, umiliki wa mali, ugawaji wa fedha, na mada zinazohusiana. Al-Amwal ni rejeo lenye utajiri mkubwa kwa mwanafunzi yeyote au mwanachuoni anayetaka kuelewa uchumi wa Uislamu. Rejeo jingine kubwa ni kitabu chenye jina Al-Kharaj (kinachotafsiriwa kama kodi ya ardhi) kilichoandikwa na Imam Abu Yousuf Yakub Al-Ansari (730-799 AD, 81

Before I proceed to describe the components of the Islamic political economy, I should note that historically Muslim scholars spent a good amount of effort compiling references to financial matters found in the Quran, the statements of the Prophet, the actions of companions, and the practices of various caliphs. Among the most prominent references is the book under the title Al-Amwal (translated as finances) compiled by Abu Obaid Al-Qasim Bin Salam who lived in the period 767-838 AC (AH 150-224). In the book Al-Amwal, Abu Obaid collected all references related to money, financial transactions, property ownership, money distribution, and related subjects. Al-Amwal is a very resourceful reference for any student or scholar seeking to understand the economics of Islam. Another major reference is the book under the title Al-Kharaj (translated as land taxation) authored by Imam Abu Yousuf Yakub Al-Ansari (730-799 AC, 81

AH 113-182). Abu Yousuf aliandika Al-Kharaj kwa ombi la Khalifa Harun Al-Rasheed, ambaye alikuwa akitafuta kitabu kizuri cha marejeo cha kusimamia 82

AH 113-182). Abu Yousuf wrote Al-Kharaj based on the request of Caliph Harun Al-Rasheed, who was looking for a good reference for managing 82

mambo ya kifedha ya dola. Kitabu cha Al-Kharaj kilieleza kwa kina mapato ya dola, vipengele vya bajeti ya dola, na njia za kugawa mali miongoni mwa raia wa dola. Mbali na mambo ya kifedha yaliyoshughulikiwa katika kitabu cha Al-Kharaj, Abu Yousuf alijumuisha sera na mikakati ya kusimamia fedha za dola.

the financial matters of the state. Al-Kharaj talked in details about the revenues of the state, the state budget items, and the means of distributing the wealth among the constituents of the state. Besides the financial matters addressed in the book of Al-Kharaj, Abu Yousuf included policies and strategies for managing the finances of the state.

Mbali ya vitabu vya Al-Kharaj na Al-Amwal, maktaba ya Kiislamu ina marejeleo mengi yasiyohesabika ya masuala ya kifedha yaliyomo katika utungaji na uandishi wa wanazuoni mbalimbali ndani ya madhehebu ya maimamu mashuhuri, kama vile Abu Hanifah,83 Ja'far,84 Malik,85 Al-Shafi'i,86 na Ibn Hanbal.87 Katika historia yote ya dola ya Kiislamu ya khilafah, masuala ya kifedha na kiuchumi katika dola yalitatuliwa na kushughulikiwa na wanazuoni waliokuwa mahiri katika mchakato wa kuchota hukumu za mambo mbalimbali kwa kutumia zana zilizoimarishwa za uchotaji. Hukumu zilizochotwa na wanazuoni zilitumiwa na makhalifa kupitia ombi la moja kwa moja, kama ilivyokuwa wakati Al-Rasheed alipomwomba Abu Yousuf atoe seti kamili ya kanuni. Vinginevyo, mtawala angetumia tu hukumu ambazo zilikuwa zimechotwa kwa muda na wanazuoni mbalimbali na kuwekwa kuwa sheria kupitia matumizi.

In addition to the books of Al-Kharaj and Al-Amwal, the Islamic library has countless of references to financial matters embedded in the compilation and writing of various scholars within the schools of the prominent Imamas, such as Abu Hanifah,83 Ja’far,84 Malik,85 Al-Shafi’,86 and Ibn Hanbal.87 Throughout the history of the Islamic state of khilafah, the financial and economic matters in the state were resolved and addressed by scholars who were fluent in the process of deriving rules on various matters by utilizing well established tools for derivation. The rules derived by the scholars were utilized by the caliphs through a direct request as was the case when Al-Rasheed asked Abu Yousuf to provide a comprehensive set of rules. Alternatively, the ruler would just use the rules which have been derived over time by various scholars and have been established as laws through practice.

Wanazuoni kutoka madhehebu mbalimbali waliendelea kushughulikia mambo yote ya dola, ikiwa ni pamoja na mambo ya kifedha na kiuchumi, na kutoa hukumu na sheria zinazofaa. Karibu bila ubaguzi, kila kitabu cha fiqhi (sheria za Kiislamu) kingejumuisha sura na sehemu maalum kuhusu biashara, mikopo, riba, mauzo, mali ya ardhi, kodi ya ardhi, upangaji na ufadhili wa bajeti ya vita, mapato ya vita, ukusanyaji na ugawaji wa zakah, ushirikiano, mali ya pamoja au ya umma, na mengine mengi.

The scholars from the various schools of thought continued to address all matters in the state including financial and economic matters and provide the appropriate rules and laws. Almost without exception, each and every fiqh (Islamic laws) book would include specific chapters and sections on trade, loans, riba (usury), sale, land property, land taxation, war budgeting and funding, proceeds of war, zakah collection and distribution, partnerships, common or public properties, and much more.

Tangu kuanguka kwa dola ya Kiislamu ya khilafah mwaka 1924, mifumo ya Kiislamu ilizimwa ghafla katika nchi ambazo hapo awali zilitawaliwa na sheria za Kiislamu. Mifumo ya kiuchumi na kifedha haikuwa tofauti. Mamlaka za kikoloni za Uingereza, Ufaransa na nchi nyingine za Ulaya ziliziletea nchi hizi sheria na kanuni mpya ambazo ziliziondoa zile za Kiislamu. Mazoea pekee ya kifedha ya Kiislamu yaliyoendelea kuishi wakati wa ukoloni na baada yake yalikuwa ni utoaji wa zakah, kwa sababu katika Uislamu zakah inachukuliwa kuwa ibada na mojawapo ya nguzo za Uislamu. Hata utoaji wa zakah katika kipindi hiki ukawa zaidi jambo la mtu binafsi kuliko shughuli inayosimamiwa na dola, kama ilivyokuwa tangu kuanzishwa kwa dola ya kwanza huko Madina na Mtume Muhammad ﷺ. Matokeo yake, kanuni za Kiislamu za mfumo wa kiuchumi na kifedha zilipoteza mwelekeo wake wa kiutendaji katika nchi zenye wengi wa Waislamu. Baada ya muda, kanuni za kinadharia za uchumi wa Kiislamu zilififia na kuwa zisizo wazi, si kwa Muislamu wa kawaida tu, bali pia kwa baadhi ya wanazuoni na wasomi wa Kiislamu. Hili ni matokeo ya asili ya kuacha kutekelezwa kwa mfumo wa kiuchumi pamoja na wa kisiasa kwa karibu miaka mia moja.

Since the collapse of the Islamic state of khilafah in 1924, the systems of Islam were abruptly deactivated in the countries previously ruled by the Islamic laws. The economic and financial systems are no exception. The colonial powers of Britain, France, and other European countries introduced to these countries new laws and rules which replaced the Islamic ones. The only Islamic financial practice which survived during and after the colonial period was the practice of zakah, because in Islam zakah is considered a ritual and one of the pillars of Islam. Even the practice of the zakah during this period became more of an individualistic practice rather than a state-sponsored activity as used to be since the establishment of the first state in Medina by Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). As a result, the Islamic principles of the economic and financial system lost their practical norm in Muslim majority countries. Over time, the theoretical principles of the Islamic economy blurred and became rather fuzzy not only for the average Muslim, but also for some Muslim scholars and academics. This is a natural result for abandoning the implementation of the economic as well as the political system for almost a hundred years.

Tafiti chache zilizoshughulikia mfumo wa kiuchumi katika Uislamu katika miongo michache iliyopita zilichangia kwa kiasi kikubwa katika kujenga upya taswira ya mfumo ambao ulikuwa umefichwa kwa zaidi ya karne moja. Utafiti mmoja ulichapishwa mapema kabisa mwaka 1953 chini ya kichwa *The Economic System in Islam*88 cha Taqiuddin al-Nabhani. Kitabu kingine (*The Perfect Political Economy*) kilichapishwa mapema miaka ya 1960 na kikashughulikia uchumi wa kisiasa katika Uislamu.89 Mapema miaka ya 1970 kitabu kingine kilichapishwa chini ya kichwa *Iqtisaduna*, kinachomaanisha "Uchumi wetu." Kitabu cha nne (*Al-Amwal in the State of Khilafah*) kilichapishwa mwaka 1980.153 Vitabu hivi viliweka msingi imara wa mfumo wa kiuchumi wa Kiislamu, ingawa vilionekana kuwa vya kinadharia sana kutokana na hali ya kisiasa katika ulimwengu wa Kiislamu wakati tafiti hizi zilipochapishwa. Hamu ya somo la uchumi wa Kiislamu ilianza kuongezeka miaka ya 1980, hasa baada ya mapinduzi ya Kiislamu nchini Iran. Kuanzishwa kwa Jamhuri ya Kiislamu ya Iran kulileta hisia katika eneo hilo, kwa mara ya kwanza, kwamba mfumo wa kiuchumi wa Uislamu una thamani ya kiutendaji zaidi kuliko ilivyofikiriwa hapo awali. Tangu wakati huo, tafiti kadhaa zenye vichwa kama "Uchumi wa Kiislamu," "Fikra za Kiuchumi katika Uislamu," "Mitindo ya Kiuchumi katika Uislamu," "Mbinu za Kiuchumi za Kiislamu," "Fedha za Kiislamu," "Fedha za Dola ya Kiislamu," na kadhalika zilionekana katika fasihi ya Kiislamu.

The few studies that addressed the economic system in Islam in the last few decades contributed in a significant manner to reconstruct an image of a system which has been clouded for over a century. One study appeared as early as 1953 under the title The Economic System in Islam88 by Taqiuddin al-Nabhani. Another book (The Perfect Political Economy) appeared in the early 1960s and addressed the political economy in Islam.89 In the early 1970s another book appeared under the title Iqtisaduna which stands for “Our Economy.” A fourth book (Al-Amwal in the State of Khilafah) appeared in the 1980.153 These books laid down a solid foundation for the Islamic economic system, although they seemed very theoretical given the political conditions in the Muslim world at the time these studies appeared. Interest in the subject of Islamic economy began to increase in the 1980s, especially after the Islamic revolution in Iran. The creation of the Islamic Republic of Iran created a sense in the region for the first time that the economic system of Islam has more practical merit than previously thought. Since then, tens of studies bearing titles such as “Islamic Economy,” “Economic Thinking in Islam,” “Economic Styles in Islam,” “Islamic Economic Methods,” “Islamic Finances,” “Finances of the Islamic State,” and the like showed up in the Islamic literature.