One would be entitled to farm any amount of land and in any manner that he wants...

One would be entitled to farm any amount of land and in any manner that he wants, and there is no “land reform” in Islam – in the ‘imported’ sense. However, if the land were “conquered by force” by the government then the farmer has to pay a small amount of rent to the government, this rent is called Khiraj. If the farmer is poor the government must see to his need according to his status and dignity.

One is allowed to farm as much land as he can, provided one does not deny others the opportunity, and any crop one wants, with the exception of the harmful ones such as opium. The government may not demand any taxes other than Khums and Zaka>h with all their preconditions as mentioned before. The same is applicable to all manufacturing; they are all free – in the full meaning of the word – with the exception of those prohibited in Islam such as the manufacture of liquors and narcotics.

Freedom of Construction and Development Freedom in construction and development. One is allowed to develop the land in any way one wants. Under the Islamic government an individual may take any piece of free216 land and build anything one wants whether a house, shop, factory, mosque, religious centre, school, clinic, hospital, and suchlike, with all freedom [from any restriction or condition] and there are absolutely no charges on any development.

The government has no right to make him pay even a single penny for the land or other things. Islam has decreed that “Whoever develops a barren land it 216 By free it is meant the land that is not owned, developed or assigned for development by others. Ed. is his”217, except if the land has been taken forcibly by the government from the enemy in which case the developer would pay rent to the government.

[As an example of implementing the teachings of Islam] if this one law [of the Islamic laws] were applied to land development, that alone would have been sufficient to meet the needs of the people in housing, eradiating the housing crisis that is prevailing in many countries, not to mention all the Muslim countries. Freedom of Residence and Travelling Freedom of residence and travelling. One may reside wherever one wants or travel to wherever one wants, without any restriction or condition.

There are no geographical borders (between Muslim countries) in Islam, no racial conditions, no discriminations due to colour or language, etc.