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Islamic and Conventional Economics – Dialogue and Ethics الحوار والأخلاق بين الاقتصادَيْـن الإسلامي والتقليدي

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  • Muhammad Anas Zarqa

    (Senior Advisor, Shura Sharia Consultancy, Kuwait)

Abstract

Dialogue and intellectual trade between Islamic economics and conventional economics has been active and mutually beneficial for more than 40 years. I present some concrete examples of this in the current paper. I then assess recent calls for a complete break of Islamic economics with conventional economics, and find them clearly inconsistent with Islam’s actual approach to culture and institutions in pre-Islamic Arabia. The Islamic approach shuns blanket acceptance or rejection of any piece of human knowledge, and calls for detailed case by case assessment, then adoption, rejection, or acceptance after modification. The Islamic approach also insists on severability wherever possible, to salvage good parts from a bad whole. One particular argument for total break from conventional economics, is its assumption of selfishness of economic agents. I demonstrate that this is an overreaction by giving specific examples of Muslim jurist’s nuanced view of selfishness (or self-interest): when acceptable, when discouraged, and when completely prohibited. I conclude that from an Islamic point of view, a break with conventional economics is not justified. Continued engagement with conventional economics is necessary and mutually beneficial, provided due attention is given to: (a) the non-selfish sectors, and (b) to behavioral and institutional reforms. Finally, the paper comments on ethics in conventional economics and Islamic economics. إن الحوار بين الاقتصاد الإسلامي والاقتصاد التقليدي (وأقصد به الشائع في الجامعات الغربية) كان نشيطاً خلال الأربعين عاما الماضية، ونافعا للطرفين. ويقدم هذا البحث أمثلة لذلك. ثم يقوّم الدعوات مؤخرا إلى قطيعة كاملة مع الاقتصاد التقليدي، فيجدها تخالف واقع تعامل الإسلام مع الثقافة والمؤسسات السابقة في جزيرة العرب. فالمنهج الإسلامي يأبى قبول معلومة إنسانية أو مؤسسة أو رفضها دون تمحيص، ويدعو للنظر حالة فحالة، لتبنّي المعلومة أو رفضها أو قبولها بعد التعديل. كما يدعو هذا المنهج إلى الفصل بين أجزاء المعلومة، لاستنقاذ الصالح ولو من كثيرٍ فاسد. ويمحص البحث إحدى حجج المنادين بالقطيعة، وهي رفضهم افتراض الأنانية في السلوك الاقتصادي، وهو افتراض أساسي في الاقتصاد التقليدي، وبخاصة لدى المدرسة النيوكلاسيكية الحديثة، السائدة في تدريس الاقتصاد التقليدي حاليا. ويخلص البحث إلى أن هذا الرفض – إن لم يُقـيّـد – هو إفراط بعيد عن الموقف الدقيق للفقه الإسلامي من السلوك الأناني، حيث قَبِل بعضه، وكَرِه بعضه، وحرّم بعضه، كما يتبين من أمثلة متعددة. وينتهي البحث إلى أن الدعوة للقطيعة غير مبررة فقهيا ولا عمليا، وأن استمرار الحوار مع علم الاقتصاد التقليدي ضروري ونافع للطرفين، لكنه يحتاج لتصحيح مساره إلى: (أ) إعطاء القطاعات غير الخاضعة للسلوك الأناني ما تستحق من اهتمام حُرمت منه حتى الآن، رغم اهتمام الدين بها وأثرها العظيم على رفاهة الإنسان المعيشية والنفسية؛ و (ب) تأكيد الإصلاحات السلوكية والمؤسسية التي يدعو إليها الدين. ويختم البحث بملاحظات عن الأخلاق في الاقتصادَيْن التقليدي والإسلامي.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Anas Zarqa, 2019. "Islamic and Conventional Economics – Dialogue and Ethics الحوار والأخلاق بين الاقتصادَيْـن الإسلامي والتقليدي," Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Islamic Economics, King Abdulaziz University, Islamic Economics Institute., vol. 32(2), pages 125-135, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:abd:kauiea:v:32:y:2019:i:2:no:10:p:125-135
    DOI: 10.4197/Islec.32-2.10
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jack Reardon, 2019. "Dialogue on Reform in Mainstream Economics and its Implications for the Islamic Economics Discipline حوار حول الإصلاح في الاقتصاد السائد وانعكاسه على الاقتصاد الإسلامي," Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Islamic Economics, King Abdulaziz University, Islamic Economics Institute., vol. 32(2), pages 61-75, January.
    2. International Association for Islamic Economics, 2009. "Economic Solutions From Islamic Finance: Position Statement of the International Association for Islamic Economics الحلول الاقتصادية من التمويل الإسلامي: بيان موقف الجمعية الدولية للاقتصاد الإسلامي," Chapters of books published by the Islamic Economics Institute, KAAU or its faculty members., in: Islamic Economics Institute (ed.),Issues in the International Financial Crisis from an Islamic Perspective-05 قضايا في الأزمة المالية الدولية من منظور إسلامي, edition 1, chapter 16, pages 265-269, King Abdulaziz University, Islamic Economics Institute..
    3. Paul S. Mills & John R. Presley, 1999. "Islamic Finance: Theory and Practice," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-0-230-28847-8, December.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Islamic economics; Economic methodology; Comparative economic systems. الاقتصاد الإسلامي، المنهجية الاقتصادية، الأنظمة الاقتصادية المقارنة.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B4 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology
    • B59 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Other
    • P4 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems
    • P5 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems

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