Islam_in_Focus_text

prietors, The economic system of Islam grants full recogni-
tion of the "independent" entity of the individual and his nat-
ural aspirations to work and possessions. Yet it does not
conceive of him as absolutely independent of God or the
universe. It does not deify man or his capital, nor does it dei-
fy the proletariat and abolish free enterprise. It accepts man
the way he is created and deals with him accordingly, mak-
ing allowances for his instinctive aspirations and limited
power. Man is a man, and he should be accepted and dealt
with as such. He is not a god or a semi-god to arrogate to
himself absolute powers and unquestionable infallibility.
Nor is he a countless or insignificant entity. He is someone
to be recognized but in his real status and non-exaggerated
or belittled nature. He is not above or out of the rest of the
universe but a part of a whole system, and element in the to-
tal foundation of the universe.
Although man i s encouraged to work, is free to enter-
prise, is entitled to earn and possess, the fact that he is a
mere trustee provides the necessary measure to insure proper
handling of his possessions, his trusts, He has authority to
earn, to invest and to spend. Yet in so doing he is guided by
high principles to save him from going astray. An example
may be sufficient to illustrate the point. Proprietors are not
unreservedly free to spend their money or handle their prop-
erties the way they please. There are certain rules of expen-
diture to be followed. In the words of the Qur'an, God en-