在当今世界，无论是在国内还是在全球范围内，财富分配都存在严重的极端不平等。在英国，约5%的人口拥有90%的财富。在全球范围内，世界大部分资源储备位于所谓的"第三世界"，然而这些地区却最为贫困。在地球的一角，儿童因饥饿而死亡，而在另一角，由于食物过剩，黄油山和牛奶湖却相继形成。正是面对这样严重的失衡，我们被要求在医疗服务和粮食援助问题上做出令人痛心的抉择。

In our world today there is gross extremism in terms of wealth distribution, whether nationally or globally. In Britain 90% of the wealth is owned by about 5% of the population. Globally, though most of the world’s reserves are in the so-called ‘Third World’, these regions are the most poverty stricken. In one corner of the globe children die of hunger, whereas in another butter mountains and milk lakes are formed due to excess food production. It is in the face of such gross imbalances that we are asked to make heart-wrenching decisions about health services and food aid.

在地球的某一角，生活的奢侈品极为丰富，而在另一角，即便是维持生存的基本需求也十分匮乏。

In one corner of the globe luxuries of life are in abundance, and in another even the basic needs for survival are absent.

在当今世界中，伊斯兰教在看待经济问题的视角上独树一帜，直指这一可怕局面的根源。与资本主义和共产主义不同，它并不专注于生产资料，而是通过不仅限制可以获得的财富种类，也限制获得财富的方式，来保障财富的分配。

Islam stands alone in the world of today in its vision of the economic problem, striking at the root of this terrible scenario. Unlike Capitalism and Communism it does not preoccupy itself with means of production. Rather it ensures distribution by not only limiting the type of wealth that can be acquired, but also the means by which it is acquired.