Allah, the Almighty, says in the Qur’an: “And those who made...

Allah, the Almighty, says in the Qur’an: “And those who made their abode in the city and in the faith before them love those who have fled to them, and do not find in their hearts a need of what they are given, and prefer (them) before themselves though poverty may afflict them, and whoever is preserved from the niggardliness of his soul, these it is that are the successful ones.” Holy Qur'an (59:9) “Say: In the grace of Allah and in His mercy, in that they should rejoice; it is better than that which they gather.” Holy Qur'an (10:58) B- Laws are the second method employed by Islam to limit ways of accumulating riches and prohibit amassing through unlawful means that do the utmost harm to the community and feeds off the blood of the impoverished social class.

It is the state that takes the responsibility of achieving economic justice as it is responsible for justice in every social realm. That is why laws strictly forbid usury, hoarding, cheating and manipulating prices ... etc. The state's responsibility is to protect and enforce laws and also to prevent such unlawful practices.

The letter written by Imam Ali (a.s.) to Malik al-Ashtar, his governor in Egypt, clearly testifies to this required intervention, when saying: “Keep an eye on the activities of traders and industrialists, whether they are nearby or live in far-flung areas in your country. “Let it be known to you, however, that they are usually stingy misers, intensely self-centered and selfish, suffering from the obsession of grasping and accumulating wealth.

They often hoard their goods to make more profit out of them by creating scarcity and black markets. Such practice is extremely injurious to the public on one hand, and defames the ruler on the other. “So put an end to hoarding up wares because the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w.) has prohibited it.

📌Remember that trade should go on between purchasers and suppliers according to correct measures and weights, and on such responsible terms that neither the consumers nor the suppliers should have to face losses.

But if traders and industrialists carry on hoarding and black marketeering, even though you have explicitly warned them earlier, then you must punish them according to the intensity of their crime.” Economic balances by means of Islamic taxes: Islam has laid down certain taxes like Zakat (poor-rate) and Khums (one-fifth of a Muslim's income paid to the treasury every year).

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