A Qur'anic Model for a Universal Economic Theory

4 Mohammad E. Biraima
We approach the question by constructing what we called the Master Plan of
Creation (MPC). The MPC depicts God's purpose behind the creation of man and the
universe that surrounds him, as well as the basic elements involved in realizing this
divine purpose. It is through the unfolding of this divine MPC that the fundamental role
of economics in the design of God for man becomes apparent. The MPC will be
developed by stages for didactic convenience only. and therefore should not be
Understood as to represent the Qur'anic presentation. To bring the whole idea of the
MPC closer to the mind of the economist. we will use the concept of input to denote the
primary elements of the MPC and the concept of output for the expected outcome.
Throughout this paper we will start each stage by a sample of Qur'anic verses relevant
to that stage. This sample will be the premise on the basis of which our argument rests.
It is worth mentioning from the outset that the MPC as would be developed throughout
this paper may represent the weltanschauung (world view) of Islam and therefore the
philosophical foundation not only of Islamic economics but all Islamic social and
behavioural sciences. However, throughout I will be concerned only with the economic
aspect of the MPC, leaving to the specialists in other disciplines the task of completing
the rest of the picture.
Stage (1) of the MPC
(1) "Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: I am about to create man from clay:
When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My Spirit, fall
ye down in obeisance unto him. So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them
together. Not so Iblis: he was haughty, and became one of those who reject Faith. God
said: O Iblis! what prevents thee form prostrating thyself to one whom I have created
with My hands? Art thou haughty? Or art thou one of the High (and mighty) ones?
(Iblis) said: I am better than he: Thou createdst me from fire, and him Thou createdst
from clay. God said: Then get thee out from here: for thou art rejected, accursed. And
My curse shall be on thee till the Day of Judgement. (Iblis) said: O my Lord give me
then respite till the Day the (dead) are raised. God said: Respite then is granted thee till
the Day of the Time appointed. (Iblis) said: Then by Thy Power, I will put them all in
the wrong, except Thy servants amongst them, sincere and purified (by Thy grace). God
said: Then it is just and fitting - and I say what is just and fitting - that I will certainly
fill Hell with thee and those that follow thee - every one" (38: 71-85).
(2) "Then We said: O Adam! verily, this is (Iblis) an enemy to thee and thy wife:
so let him not get you both out of the Garden, so that thou art landed in misery. There is
therein (enough provision) for thee not to go hungry, nor to go naked. Nor to suffer
from thirst, nor from the sun's heat. But Satan whispered evil to him: he said: O Adam!
shall I lead thee to the Tree of Eternity and to a kingdom that never decays? So they
both ate of the tree, and so nakedness appeared to them, and they began to sew together,
for their covering, leaves from the Garden. Thus did Adam disobey his Lord, and
allowed himself to be seduced. But his Lord chose him (for His grace): He turned to
him and gave him guidance. He said: Get ye down, both of you - all together from the
Garden, with enmity one to another: but if. as is sure, there comes to you guidance from
Me, whosoever follows My guidance will not lose his way, nor fall into misery. But
whosoever turns away from My message, verily for him is a life narrowed down."
(20:117-124).