Distribution of Wealth? an Islamic Direction....

The goal is defined as attainment of the distribution justice and fairness with regard to the society’s programs to the redistribution of income and wealth. So that every individual is guaranteed a standard of living in the dignity of man in his role as Allah’s vicegerent on earth. Such a distribution will be based on equity instead of equality since Islam recognizes that men are not equal in their character, abilities and contributions to the society.

Besides of responsibility to maintain the dignity of man in the society, this goal accrues from the given commitment of Islam to the humanity with the holistic spirit of  brotherhood, philanthropy and socio-economics justice.

Hence, gross in equitabilities of income and wealth can only be repugnant to such a split and destroy instead of foster the feelings the philanthropy that Islam wishes to create.

History has proven time and again that more often than not, dissensions leading to civil strife resulted from the distribution function over the widening gap between the lower and upper income level. It is this that both welfare state capitalism and socialism seek to avoid although both ideologies approach the issue in controlling the money.

As implied in the notion earlier, Islam does tolerate some inequalities in income. Not all men are equal in character, ability, effort and willingness to sacrifice to the society. Hence, the Islamic concept is equity in the distribution the income and wealth does not require to reward to everyone irrespective of his contribution to the society.

This brings into the discussion a maxim in Islamic economics, that is no work should be left without reward and no reward should be distributed without work. Productive work is imperative according to Qur’anic injunction and to reward it is only a law to existence.

Fair and just reward in one which is commensurate with the work done and not with the misuse the wealth endowed upon men. For example, being guaranteed, a fixed return on capital even before this capital is utilized for production.