| Ethics, harm and money: Economics as a substitute for violence in Islamic Jurisprudence
Robert Gleave (University of Exeter)
The Islamic legal tradition describes a series of mechanisms by which an ideal society might prevent harm and injustice amongst its members. Amongst these are economic instruments; contracts through which individuals might exchange goods for money which supposedly guarantee fair exchange. This paper will examine the principles underlying these contracts, which together underpin the ideals of the Islamic banking system worldwide. In particular I will examine the ethical principles embodied in these contract forms, and how together they construct a vision of justice which informs Muslim legal discussions in the past and in the contemporary world. One aspect of these principles is often overlooked: the ethical principles underlying the envisioned Islamic economic system aim to prevent exploitation of one group by another, and the preservation of community order. In this way, the potential flashpoints of community tension are (hopefully) reduced. Violence between individuals and between the state and individuals is replaced by a series of economic mechanisms (some compensatory, some in the form of fair exchange contracts). The system may seem idealistic, but religious systems are rarely entirely imbued with pragmatism. This does not, however, prevent the proposed system from promoting a certain sort of economy which competes, often very successfully, with the more usual operations of market capitalism. Economics and religion or economics vs. religion: the concept of an Islamic economics
Oliver Leaman, University of Kentucky
Connections have often been made between economics and religion. In particular, economics has often been given a religious label, although there is also an important tradition that sees economics and religion as antithetical. How does this work out for the concept of Islamic economics? There is a whole sector of financial services which is apparently in compliance with a particular understanding of Islam, and the early history of Islam certainly displays no antipathy for the market and commercial life. Yet is there a significant difference between Islamic and non-Islamic financial practices? The world is so connected financially that it would not be possible for a particular group of people, however large, to organize their economic affairs in isolation from everyone else. On the other hand, we often want to say that religion has an impact on material culture, including economics. In looking at the concept of an economics being Islamic the aim is to throw light on the relationship between religion and the values implicit and explicit in commercial life in general. Dr Ghazala Irfan has been a member of the core faculty of LUMS at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences since December 2001, having been a member of the adjunct faculty since 1994. Prior to that she taught Philosophy at the Masters level at Punjab University from 1977 - 2001. She taught PhD classes (1997-98) at the Institute of Education and Research (IER). She conducted post doctoral research as a Fulbright Scholar in USA (1995-96). She lectured at the Mississippi University for Women, Columbus USA, as Fulbright Visiting Specialist, under the Program: Direct Access to the Muslim World (October to November 2006), she has also served as the President Lahore chapter of the Fulbright Alumni Association from June 2007 to Feb 2011. She is a Member of the Regional Coordinator Council for Research in Values & Philosophy, Washington DC - USA. She was a Committee Member for the Higher Education Commission National Programme for the development of Social Sciences & Humanities in Pakistan from February 2003, reconstituted under the chairmanship of Dr. Ishrat Husain, HEC Distinguished National Professor from 2006-2009; nominated by the Governor of the Punjab/Chancellor to the Fatima Jinnah University Academic Council, Rawalpindi from 2006 to 2009; Vice-President Islamic Philosophical Association since 1982; Member Executive Committee PEN Pakistan Center May 2004 – April 2009, Member Editorial Committee PEN Pakistan Literary Journal since 2007 and Honorary Secretary-Treasurer since April 2009 ; Life-Member of the Pakistan Philosophical Congress - having served as Secretary 1984 - 1990; Rapporteur Afro-Asian Philosophy Association from 1992 - 1996. Dr. Ghazala is a keen exponent of classical music and has been serving as the Secretary General of the All Pakistan Music Conference since 2005. Prior to that she was Joint Secretary. |