A Qur'anic Model for a Universal Economic Theory

6 Mohammad E. Biraima
From these four verses the most aggregated form of the MPC unfolds itself as two
inputs and one output. The two inputs are "man" and "that which is on earth". The
nature of the latter input will be revealed in the next stage. The function that combines
these two inputs has the nature of a test or trial for man, and the expected output is good
deeds from the combination of man and the "glittering things on earth". These good
deeds are the essence of worship for God, the latter being the sole purpose for which
man is created. Although the expected output is good deeds, the nature of the test
involved in the MPC is such that bad deeds are a possible alternative output.
Before moving to the next stage in the development of the MPC it is worthwhile
to remind the reader that what we are dealing with here, is nothing less than a plan that
involves the whole physical universe that we see and much more of the metaphysical
world that we do not see, as well as the fact of life and death and the culmination of this
plan in the Day of Judgment where those who pass this test live in paradise forever, and
those who fail dwell in blazing fire forever. This immense seriousness of the MPC
should be kept in mind so that the conclusions which will be reached later in this paper
should also be taken with the same degree of seriousness.
Stage (3) of the MPC
(1) "By the soul (self) and proportion and order given to it. And its
enlightenment as to its wrong and its right. Truly he succeeds that purifies it. And he
fails that corrupts it." (91 :7-10).
(2) "We showed him (man) the way: Either he is thankful or unthankful (rests oil
his will)." (76:3).
(3) "If ye became thankless, God has no need of you. and He liketh not
unthankfulness from His servants: And if you are thankful he liketh it for you." (39:7).
(4) "It is We who have placed you with authority on earth, and provided you therein
with means for the fulfillment of your life: Small are the thanks that ye give. (7:10).
(5) "Wealth and children are the glitenings (allurements) of the life of this world:
But the things that endure, good deeds, are best in the sight of thy Lord, as rewards, and
as (the foundation for) hopes." (18:46).
In stage (2) we started the MPC on earth with two aggregate inputs, namely "man"
and the "glittering things on earth". The relationship between them is one of a test that
produces an output of either good or bad deeds. In this third stage of the MPC God
takes us one step deeper in its dual elements. Thus verse (5) disaggregates the input of
the "glittering things on earth" into "wealth" and "children", and the input of "man" into
"body" and "soul". The soul - called self when it enters the body - is also disaggregated
into two distinct aspects; namely "potential for doing wrong", and "potential for doing
right", as verse (1) shows. The output of the MPC is now divided into two mutually
exclusive possible outcomes as stated in v(3). These outcomes are either thankfulness
(shukr), or unthankfulness (kufr), v(4) shows that thankfulness or unthankfulness is with
respect to God's bounties on earth particularly "weatlh". Furthermore v(2) and v(3)
show that man has the free will to produce thankfulness or unthankfulness, but as v(3)
stated only "shukr" is consistent with God's pleasure, and therefore it is the only
accepted output of the MPC.