The view of Islam towards wealth differs from its view of utilising it. Islam considers the means that produce a benefit a subject different from the subject of possessing the benefit. So property and human effort are the components of wealth, and they are the means which produce benefit. Their position in the view of Islam regarding their existence in life and in regard of their production differs from the question of using them, and from the method of possessing this benefit. Islam interferes directly in the question of utilising some properties. So it prohibits the use of some commodities such as wine and dead foodstuffs. Similarly, it prohibits benefiting from some of man’s actions, such as dancing and prostitution. It also prohibits the trade in commodities that are forbidden to be eaten, whilst prohibiting the hiring actions that are forbidden to be performed. This refers to the utilisation of the property, and man’s effort. However, regarding the method of possessing property and man’s effort, Islam has put numerous laws regulating this ownership, such as laws of hunting and land reclamation, and the laws of leasing, manufacturing, inheritance, donations and wills.
This is regarding the utilisation of wealth and the manner of its initial ownership. Regarding generating the production of wealth, Islam encouraged that through motivating the people generally to earn. Islam did not interfere in defining the technical manner of increasing production, or the quantity of production, rather it left that to people to achieve as they like. Turning to the existence of property, it exists in this world naturally. Allah (swt), has created it, and left it for man’s disposal. Allah (swt):
“It is He who created for you all that exists on earth.” [Al-Baqarah: 29]
And He (swt) said:
“Allah is He Who put at your disposal the sea so that the ships may sail by His command, and so as you may seek His bounty.” [Al-Jathiyah: 12] And He (swt) said:
“He put at your disposal that which is in the heavens and that which is in the earth, all from Him.” [Al-Jathiyah: 13] And He (swt) said:
“Let man consider his food. How We pour water in showers. Then split the earth in fragments. And cause the grains to grow therein. And grapes and fresh vegetation. And olives and dates, and enclosed gardens, dense with lofty trees. And fruits and grazes. Provision for you and your cattle.” [‘Abasa: 24-32] And He (swt) said:
“And We taught Him the art of making garments (of mail) for your benefit, to guard you from each other’s violence.” [Al-Anbiyaa: 80] And He (swt) said:
“And We sent down iron, in which is great might, as well as many benefits for mankind.” [Al-Hadid: 25]
Allah (swt) illustrated in these verses and others, that He (swt) created property and created man’s efforts, and He (swt) did not discuss anything else that may be linked to them, which indicates that He (swt) did not interfere in the property or in man’s effort, except that He (swt) showed that He (swt) created them for people to utilise. He (swt) also did not interfere in the production of wealth; there is no Shari’ah text (divine legal text) which denotes that Islam interferes in the production of wealth. On the contrary, we find the Shari’ah texts indicate that the Shari’ah has left to the people the matter of extracting the property and improving man’s effort. It was narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) (pbuh) said in the issue of manual pollination of date trees: “You are more aware of the routine issues of your daily life (amr dunyakum).” It is also narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) (pbuh) sent two of the Muslims to Jurash of Yemen to learn weapons manufacturing. These examples indicate that the Shari’ah has left the matter of production of wealth to the people, to be produced according to their experience and knowledge.
From all of this, it is apparent that Islam focuses upon the economic system and not economic science. It makes the use of wealth, and the method of possessing its benefit as its subject. It does not address the production of wealth nor the means of the benefit at all.