Ili kuweza kushughulikia Mfumo wa Kiuchumi katika Uislamu, kwanza kabisa tunapaswa kufafanua msimamo wa Uislamu kuhusiana na harakati za kutafuta ustawi wa kimaada. Hii ni kwa sababu neno dunya (maisha), ambalo linahusishwa na utajiri wa kimaada au mambo ya kidunia, limekuwa neno chafu kwa Waislamu wengi.

In order to address the Economic System in Islam, we first of all need to clarify the position of Islam in relation to the quest for material well being. This is because the word dunya (life), which is associated with material wealth or worldly matters has become a dirty word for many Muslims.

Utengano wa dini (deen) na dunia (dunya), yaani udhihirisho wa usekula, ni dhana ya Kimagharibi-Kikristo ambayo hivi karibuni imeingia kwa upana miongoni mwa Waislamu. Kwa sababu hiyo, kutafuta kuongezeka katika mambo ya kiuchumi au ya kidunia kunaonekana kuwa jambo lisilopendeza, ilhali kuendelea kushughulika na sala na ibada nyingine za kibinafsi kunachukuliwa kuwa kitu chenye malipo. Hivyo, Waislamu wengi huchanganyikiwa na kuishi maisha mawili. Kwa upande mmoja, pesa huzungumza; huleta hadhi na kufanya maisha yawe mazuri, hivyo wanaitafuta kwa bidii. Kwa upande mwingine, wanajisikia hatia, wakifikiri kwamba juhudi zao zinapaswa kutumika katika majukumu ya 'kidini'.

The separation of deen from dunya (i.e. the manifestation of secularism) is a Western-Christian concept that has recently become widely internalised amongst Muslims. Consequently, seeking to increase in economic or worldly matters is frowned upon, while continuous engagement in prayer and other personal ibadat is regarded as rewardable. As such, many Muslims get confused and conduct a double life. On the one hand, money talks; it gives status and makes life comfortable, so they seek it vigorously. On the other, they feel guilty, thinking that their effort should be spent on ‘religious’ duties.

Hili ni kutokana na kutoelewa nafasi ya suala la kiuchumi katika Uislamu. Hakuna shaka kwamba Uislamu unapinga utawa na unaona shughuli za kiuchumi za mwanadamu (zinazozingatia Shari‘ah) kuwa halali kabisa, na wakati mwingine hata za lazima na za wajibu. Tunakuta amri nyingi katika Uislamu zinazoashiria hili. Kwa mfano, Allah (SWT) anasema katika Qur'ani: "Tawanyikeni katika ardhi."

This is due to a misunderstanding of the position of the economic question in Islam. There is no doubt that Islam is opposed to monasticism and views the economic activities (based upon the Shari‘ah) of man as quite lawful and sometimes even obligatory and necessary. We find many injunctions in Islam that allude to this. For example, Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an: “Disperse through.

"Tawanyikeni katika ardhi na mtafute fadhila za Allah." [TMQ 62:10].

“Disperse through the land and seek the bounty of Allah.” [TMQ 62:10].

Pia anasema,

He also says,.

"Allah ameihalalisha biashara" [TMQ 2:275].

“Allah has permitted trade” [TMQ 2:275].

Na zaidi ya hayo, moja kwa moja zaidi, Allah (SWT) anasema,

and even more directly, Allah (swt) says,.

"Itafute nyumba ya Akhera kwa yale aliyokupa Mwenyezi Mungu, wala usisahau sehemu yako ya dunia hii." [TMQ 28:77].

“Seek the other world by means of that which Allah has bestowed upon you, and do not be negligent about your share in this world.” [TMQ 28:77].

Haya yote yanahusu shughuli za kiuchumi.

These are all in reference to economic activity.

Katika Sunnah, tunakuta kwamba mojawapo ya du'a zinazosemwa mara nyingi ambazo Mtume ﷺ alituwafundisha ni: "Ee Mola wetu, tupe mema duniani na mema akhera."

In the Sunnah, we find that one of the most commonly said du‘as that the Prophet (saw) taught us is: “Our Lord give us the good in this life and the good in the hereafter.”.

Lakini licha ya hayo, tunaona katika Qur'ani maneno yanayosema:

But despite this, we find expressions in the Qur’an which state:

"Maisha ya dunia hii si chochote isipokuwa starehe ya udanganyifu" [TMQ 3:185].

“The life of this world is but a delusion” [TMQ 3:185].

“Kushindana kwa kujilimbikizia mambo mazuri ya dunia hii kunakuvuruga kutoka katika mambo muhimu zaidi” [TMQ 102:1].

“The mutual rivalry for piling up the good things of this world diverts you from the more serious things” [TMQ 102:1].

na wengine wengi, wakisema kwamba mwanadamu ana tamaa na ulafi wa mali [89:20], na kwamba yeye ni mkali kwa sababu ya tamaa hiyo [100:8], na kwamba huwa mwenye kujisifu na kujivuna [11:10], na kadhalika (marejeo yote ni ya Qur'an).

and many others, stating that man has lust and greed for wealth [89:20] and that he is violent at this greed [100:8] and that he becomes boastful and proud [11:10] and so on (all references to the Qur‘an).

Hili linaweza kuonekana kama kinyume chenyewe. Lakini kwa kweli, Uislamu unatufundisha kwamba lengo halisi la kuwepo kwetu ni kumwabudu Allah (SWT) kupitia matendo mema (yaani, kutii Shari‘ah) tukiishi kama binadamu duniani. Kwa hiyo mambo yote yanayohitajika kwa maisha haya yanakuwa ya lazima kwa mwanadamu.

This apparently sounds like a contradiction in terms. But actually, what we are taught by Islam is that the real objective of our existence is to worship Allah (swt) through righteous conducts (i.e. obedience to the Shari‘ah) by living as humans in this world. So all those things that are necessary for this life become essential for man.

Ni jambo moja kusema kwamba ustawi wa kimwili ni muhimu na hata wa lazima, lakini ni jambo jingine kabisa kusema kwamba ndio lengo kuu na kitovu cha fikra na matendo maishani. Hapa ndipo mkanganyiko unapotokea kuhusu suala la uchumi katika Uislamu.

It is one thing to say that material well being is important and even compulsory but it is quite another to say that it is the ultimate goal and centre of thought and action in life. This is where the confusion arises about the Islamic economic question.

Tofauti ya msingi kati ya uchumi wa Kiislamu na mifumo yote ya kimaada (yaani ya Kibepari na ya Kikomunisti) iko hapa hasa. Wanamaada wanaona kwamba ustawi wa kiuchumi ndio lengo la mwisho la maisha ya binadamu, ilhali Uislamu unasema kwamba mambo haya yanaweza kuwa ya lazima na ya dharura, lakini hayawezi kuwa lengo la kweli la maisha. Juhudi za kiuchumi huwa mvuto wa kudanganya au udanganyifu pale tu mtu anapopoteza kuona lengo lake halisi katika kuzifuatilia.

The fundamental difference between Islamic economics and all materialist (i.e. Capitalist/Communist) ones is precisely this. The materialists view that economic well being is the ultimate end of human life, while Islam says that these things may be necessary and indispensable, but cannot be the true purpose of life. Economic endeavours only become an allurement or delusion if man loses sight of his real purpose in their pursuit.

Kwa hiyo, njia sahihi ya kufuata ni kujishughulisha kikamilifu na maisha ya kiuchumi ya dunia kwa namna ambayo Allah (SWT) na Mtume Wake ﷺ wameiagiza, kwa ngazi ya kijamii na ya kibinafsi. Mtume ﷺ alisema: “Fanya kazi kwa ajili ya maisha yako ya dunia kana kwamba utaishi milele, na fanya kazi kwa ajili ya maisha ya Akhera kana kwamba utakufa kesho.”

The right path to follow therefore is to fully engage into worldly economic life in the manner prescribed by Allah (swt) and His Prophet (saw), both at a societal and individual level. The Prophet (saw) said: “Work for your worldly life as if you were going to live forever, but work for the life to come as if you were going to die tomorrow.”