The Islamic Piety and the Issue of Wealth

The definition of wealth

Although wealth is a stock concept, it relates more to the flow dynamic of resources and capabilities while richness relates more to the static point of absolute value. The simplest definition of wealth might be that it is any lasting asset or stable capability that is valued by people and assists them in achieving the ultimate goal of their lives individually and collectively. Therefore, it includes both tangible assets like cars and houses as well as intangible capabilities such as the stock of human capital, social capital or access to essential services such as health care, public goods, and information technology infrastructure.

The importance of wealth in an Islamic assessment

Islam respects wealth and considers it as an invaluable means needed for maintenance of life. Hence, a considerable part of its teachings concentrates on this issue including its importance, its distribution, its consumption, and so on. The key issue in this regard is that wealth is nothing more than a necessary means to approach our goal, to be God-like. With this consideration, the wealthier we are, the more powerfully we can pursue and realize our ultimate goal. This, indeed, is the real meaning of progressive self-detachment. Wealth, according to The Qur’an, is a vital element for the society’s existence so that the lack of sufficient wealth jeopardizes its firmness and its consistency[^9] . Therefore, the virtue of positive and progressive self-detachment does not demand being poor at all, instead it requires casting out from the heart the desire for wealth as an ultimate goal rather than as a necessary means. In this way, one reaches for a high level of spirituality, being God’s vicegerent and the object of angels’ prostration. In addition, this virtue is exhibited when wealth is employed to empower people to progress from a low level of strength, fitness or co-ordination on a journey that enables them to achieve their goals and improve their quality of life. Thus, the wealthiest person, say Solomon, can be called self-detached when he loves the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, with all his might. Jalaludin Rumi, one of the greatest Iranian poets, makes a very nice example in this regard and says: “Water in the boat is the ruin of the boat, but water under the boat is its support… The stoppered jar, though in rough water, floated because of its empty heart. Thus, when the wind of self-detachment is in anyone, she floats in peace on the waters of this world.”

It is very important to mention that human beings, in accordance with Shiat doctrine of predestination, are agents with free-will but subject to some determinism imposed by reality. In other words, humans have control over their lives and are able to make decisions. These decisions, however, are always subject to some constraints and under uncertainty. This is because there are many factors that involve the implementation of the decisions which may speed up, retard or even stop them. Therefore, a Muslim should optimize righteously the mathematical expectation of his target function based on the distribution of probabilities, even though the result is not clear except in God’s Omniscience. Thus, this doctrine rejects both extremes, extreme free-will and extreme determinism, and accepts that there is a variable degree of choice for each person depending on his

internal and external (genetic and environmental) factors. Being responsible with our lives and our decisions motivates us to be strong enough to realize them.

No doubt wealth carries a sort of power which does not deserve to be neglected. Therefore, all people who wish to become God-like must attend deeply and strongly to be powerful and creative in order to drive society toward both justice and growth and to create a living environment full of hope and dignity seeking the elimination of poverty from the earth. This approach to wealth is obviously inconsistent with seeing it as a potential source of corruption, as it is seen in some closed worldviews. On the contrary, this endowment is a source of a lofty mission to embrace life and brotherhood and to enrich the lives of others through our excessive endeavors. Nonetheless, we are responsible for the process not the result, because the realization of such a divine mission depends on determinisms over our circumstances, as well as being indebted to our endeavors. Thus, we can hardly place the blame on the person who suffers from a lack of wealth. Therefore, in an Islamic assessment, the state of being wealthy or indigent is considered as a test[^10] for both parties; it tests the wealthy to share their wealth with others and drive society toward prosperity, and tests the indigent to change their situation and move from misery toward happiness patiently. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of all people to find the best solution to keep the society free from injustice, tyranny and corruption, because there is a large tendency toward polarization under such circumstances.

Knowledge as an excellent example of wealth

Since wealth includes both tangible and intangible assets and capabilities, Islam attaches importance to a complex portfolio of different kinds of wealth. In other words, it is more important to have an optimal combination of material and spiritual assets in the portfolio of society than to have a very large quantity of wealth but not in optimal conditions. Hence, Islam carries out a comprehensive scheme to remove all deprivation that serves as a burden and yoke[^11] . The priority in its scheme, I argue, is toward the increase of the stock of human capital and social capital, because the shortage of them can be counted as the most intolerable aspects of deprivation. The other aspect of wealth such as physical and monetary capital can do nothing if there is not enough stock of human and social capital. It encourages people to strive against the demon of ignorance, such as when The Qur’an swears: “By the pen and that which they write (therewith)[^12] .” The Qur’an also reproaches the people for not observing the creation of animals, heaven, earth, and so on[^13] . It praises the merits of knowledge and the exaltation of the scholars’ statuses in more than one Verse, for instance it says: God will exalt those of you who believe, and those who have knowledge to high ranks[^14] . In addition, there are many hadiths (traditions) of Holy Prophet of Islam regarding knowledge and encouraging the Muslims to develop the breadth and the depth of their knowledge, skills and experience. He says: “Seek knowledge even in (as far away as) China” or “Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim. Verily, God likes the knowledge seekers[^15] ”. There is the following maxim in Islamic culture: “seek knowledge from the

cradle to the grave”. In addition, He always seized every opportunity to improve the level of Muslims’ skills. For instance, He decided to set some educated slaves free in return for the literacy of ten Muslims per person. He also sent some Muslims abroad to be skilled in some industries.

Generally speaking, the establishment of necessary infrastructures and especially the enhancement of knowledge and science as the basis of knowledge-based development have been strongly highlighted in Islamic sources. It emphasizes knowledge and sciences so much that it is argued that Roger Bacon established his experimental method, considered as a vital requirement for Western Enlightenment and Renaissance on the basis of his long studies of Islam and The Qur’an[^16] .