Ownership constitutes one of the important incentives for engaging into economic activity as the owner of wealth has the right to use or dispose of it. The means of acquiring such rights is one of the fundamental principles through which the objectives of the Islamic Economic System are achieved.

In the Islamic Economic System, it is understood that the real owner (Creator) of all wealth is Allah (swt). We only ‘own’ wealth by proxy as guardians. Some of us acquire wealth by engaging in the production process and hence have a direct access to wealth. These include the factors of production as defined by Islam. Others have an indirect access to wealth simply because Allah (swt) as the real owner of wealth has stipulated that those with direct access to wealth through engagement in the production process must pass some of it on to them as He made clear in the Qur’an:

“Give to them from the property of Allah which He has bestowed upon you.” [TMQ 24:33].

This usually takes the form of zakat, kaffara, sadaqat al-fitr, inheritance, etc. which are given to the poor, the needy and later generations. It is the duty of the government to ensure that such wealth is duly transferred by law.