SĪRIH IQTIṢĀDĪ MA’ṢUMĀN DAR KITĀB-HĀYE CHARGĀNIH SHĪ’AH.[ THE ECONOMIC CONDUCT OF THE INFALLIBLES IN THE FOUR PRINCIPAL SHIA BOOKS]. By Ali Akbar Zakeri. Qom, Iran: Islamic Sciences and Culture Academy. 2019. Pp. 400. Paper. 300,000 IRR
The presentation of the conduct of the infallibles (peace be upon them) derived from the Four Books serves as a concrete guideline for a Muslim’s lifestyle and logical behavior in various cultural, educational, social, devotional, political, military, and economic dimensions. Extracted from credible sources, this conduct can prevent us from falling into the pitfalls of false and fabricated reports. Among these, the economic and financial conduct of the Infallibles is particularly vital for the contemporary Islamic community.
Numerous works have been written about the conduct of the Ahlul Bayt, yet one of the crucial aspects that has received less attention is the economic conduct of the infallibles, which is the focus of this work.
This work is structured into five chapters. The first chapter discusses the concept and importance of work and effort in the conduct of the infallibles. In the first section, it is noted that the Ahlul Bayt encouraged people to work and strive to secure their livelihoods and create well-being for their families, asserting that the laborer who provides sustenance for his family is akin to a martyr in the way of God. Furthermore, the infallibles themselves engaged in work and effort. Harmful practices that contradicted work and effort included laziness and idleness, dependency on others, and having expectations from public funds. Additionally, the author presents points for maintaining balance in one’s work: a reasonable share of work and effort in life, sufficiency, contentment, and proper asceticism, avoiding reliance on wealth. The notion of a reasonable share of work signifies that work and effort should not impede worship and other religious duties; individuals must allocate time in their lives for communion with God. Sufficiency implies that everyone has a duty to strive for their basic needs. It appears that the narrations of the infallibles point towards the development and relative well-being of families; in other words, sufficiency primarily pertains to individual living, yet greater effort must be exerted for the financial status of the family, ensuring a commendable living through permissible means, surpassing the limited bounds of sufficiency. The narrations emphasize that the immediate needs of families take precedence, after which charity to others is commended.
The second section discusses the encouragement of trade. According to the narrations, the marketplace was designated as a specific place for trade, made available for public commerce. The subsequent discussion details the etiquette and conditions of trading, where the most important aspect for a merchant is to be aware of what is lawful and unlawful in their trade practices. The section also addresses prayers and invocations that are recommended for success in business. In the third section of this chapter, market oversight is addressed. The Prophet Muhammad and Imam Ali oversaw the markets of their time, addressing economic violations and prohibiting unlawful practices such as illegal transactions, fraud, deceit, price manipulation, and hoarding in trade.
The second chapter delves into the economic endeavors and efforts of the infallibles. The section discusses agriculture and farm work in the conduct of the Ahlul Bayt, highlighting that one of Imam Ali’s responsibilities was to cultivate wastelands and plant trees. The Prophet Muhammad also engaged in tree planting and agricultural work. Imam Ali did not solely work the land; he employed others, including slaves, for agricultural development. Despite their social status, the Ahlul Bayt worked to secure permissible livelihoods and provide for their families, with Imam Ali exerting more effort than the other infallibles. Similarly, Imam Baqar, Imam Sadıq, and other Imams like Imam Reza are noted for their efforts in scorching heat to earn a living and maintain their independence from others. The next section reveals that trade was one of the infallibles’ revenue sources, providing capital for earning through investments. Among the various professions of the prophets and Imams were livestock breeding and shepherding. The Prophet of Islam also tended sheep, and owning sheep at home was considered a sign of blessing.
The third chapter examines the conduct of the infallibles regarding the consumption of wealth. The Ahlul Bayt employed their resources in various expenditures, including family sustenance, assistance to others, reconciliation among Shia, freeing slaves, and endowments. One area where the Ahlul Bayt spent money was in the birth of their children. The discussion then transitions to moderation and abstaining from extravagance, along with the negative consequences of the latter, such as loss of wealth and unfulfilled supplications. The teachings of the Ahlul Bayt indicate that the least form of extravagance is wearing one’s best clothes while working and wasting any excess water one drinks or discarding the pit of a fruit consumed. Among the points raised in this chapter is the notion that one should not engage in extravagance when helping others or exceeding normal bounds. Expenditures for health, hygiene, and pilgrimage do not fall under the category of extravagance.
The fourth chapter addresses public wealth. One form of public wealth is zakat, collected from the people and spent for specific purposes. In the first section, the topic of zakat is discussed, alongside the rules governing it, the procedure for its collection, the payment of zakat to the ruler and jurist, and its beneficiaries. The second section enumerates other sources of public wealth, including booty, spoils of war (anfal), khums (a religious tax), jizyah (a tax on non-Muslims), general endowments, and gifts.
In the concluding chapter, the author discusses reforming the methods of revenue generation and expenditure of public funds. The first section elucidates Imam Ali’s conduct in receiving taxes and tributes. The taxes and jizyah during the time of the Prophet Muhammad were allocated to the migrants due to their sacrifices in jihad. The second section discusses Imam Ali’s equitable approach to managing public funds, emphasizing fairness in dividing these resources and rejecting proposals to deviate from the principle of equality in this distribution. The final section analyzes the methodology and procedures of collecting and distributing the spoils of war. Imam Ali pioneered a new approach to handling the spoils, which included movable goods and prisoners of war. He refrained from taking prisoners from the Muslims during the Battle of Jamal, treating the aggressors with kindness and granting them amnesty. Imam Ali would only distribute movable goods on the battlefield. Further, the discussion highlights how the khums was allocated during the caliphate period and about Imam Ali’s conduct. The Ahlul Bayt were deprived of khums during the reign of Umar for a prolonged period. For various reasons, Imam Ali refrained from reforming the distribution of khums from the spoils, fearing accusations of laying aside justice for his relatives while demanding it from others, despite the Ahlul Bayt having a rightful claim to khums.
Scientific Critique
- Depth of Analysis: The text generally aims to describe the economic conduct of the Infallibles by emphasizing credible sources; however, this analysis needs to be deeper. Investigating the historical and social contexts in which these practices were formed can help in better understanding the meanings and economic objectives of the Infallibles.
- Diversity of Sources: It seems that relying solely on four books is not sufficient. It would be beneficial for the author to reference other Islamic sources, including the narrations of the Infallibles in more contemporary works and the viewpoints of historians and contemporary economists.
- Relevance to Contemporary Issues: It would be better to focus more on how the economic conduct of the Infallibles can be applied to solving contemporary economic issues in the Islamic world. Discussing practical outcomes and aligning historical theories with the current conditions of the Islamic community could add significant value to this writing.
Practical Critique
- Applicability: Although the concepts presented in the text are very valuable, the author could assist Muslims in implementing these teachings in their daily lives by providing practical solutions and specific guidance.
- Clarity and Language: The text’s language might be confusing for some readers. It would be advisable to use simpler sentences and clearer structures to enhance the audience’s understanding, especially for those with less knowledge of economic issues or Islamic concepts.
- Cross-Cultural Discourse: Highlighting existing economic experiences and perspectives from other cultures could enrich the discussion. Providing concrete examples from other civilizations can show readers how the teachings of the Infallibles can be compared and analyzed in relation to other economic systems.
