There has been a great revival of interest in recent years in the concerns of Islamic political economy after several hundred years of hiatus in its long history. The independence of Muslim countries and the revival of Islamic movements around the world have been among the factors encouraging new interest among the Muslims and others in how economies and economic theory can be brought into line with the Islamic vision of a just society. Masudul Alam Choudhury shows that the contribution which Islamic political economy can make requires a study first of epistemological principles, about the purpose and sources of knowledge, the role of reason and the relationship between self-and social-interest in human affairs. The conclusions which arise from this analysis - about the role and limits of markets, the goal of combining efficiency and equity and the means of doing so with state provision of welfare everywhere in crisis - will prove illuminating to all of those interested in Islamic studies and political economy as well as to other observers and analysts of contemporary society.

This rigorously written book on the areas of Islamic principle theory and application is expected to break new ground in modern economic analysis, both for the Islamically inclined and others. The main features of the book include analytical treatments of the essential axioms and instruments of Islamic Political Economy, their expected application, and a comparative perspective both in respect to contemporary Islamic literature as well as comparative economic theory.

This book examines the methodological development of the principles of Islamic political economy in its theoretical and applied aspects. This is carried out in a general equilibrium framework using the theory of social choice. Thus a comparative study is also undertaken here in these areas while developing the theory of Islamic political economy. In these respects this book appears to be the first one of its kind.

This volume takes a unique and challenging look at how money has operated in Islamic society and at how Islamic theoretical frameworks have influenced perceptions of money. The author draws upon historical, data and policy analysis to present a comparative study of monetary theories, including recent treatment of money by Islamic economists. Discussion also covers the nature of joint venture, stock markets, banks and financial intermediaries, price stability and international trade. This work sheds pioneering light in this area, and will be of interest to academics, graduates and researchers internationally.

The first part of this book is designed to display the sources and principles of economics and trade transactions in the Islamic community. It analyzes the judicial injunctions against riba and proves that riba including interest is prohibited. Basing the argument on theoretical (Quran and Sunna) as well as the customary practice during the life of the messenger of God in Mekka and Al-Madina. Notably, the Islamic teachings covers both the worldly and religious affairs. This is a very revealing indication that Islam does not only regulate the relations of the human beings with God, but also extends to regulating (i) the relationship of the ruler with the ruled through al-shura, and (ii) economic and financial transactions in the market. Notable among these transactions: a) the abolition of riba and instigating interest-free economy, (b) providing the basic needs of society, (c) achieving social justice by applying zakat levy and other ordinances, and last but not least inheritance law and redistribution of State land for public benefits. The second and third part of the book explains and proves that prohibition of riba does not circumvent trade or paralyze the economy. On the contrary by eliminating injustice inherent in riba, the banking system will be liberated from discrepancies and the economy will perform more efficiently by mitigating the evils of riba.

This book discusses the need for a paradigm shift from Islamic economics universe of discourse to Iqtisād, a socio-economic system that is entirely independent from other economic doctrines and systems of thought. It provides an overview of critiques of the science and dogma of mainstream, orthodox, neoclassical, or simply Economics, with its axioms of rationality, scarcity, and unlimited wants. There is also a critical analysis of Islamic economics, and its failures to set its own policy agenda and development objectives. Our contention in this book is that Iqtisād--the Qur’an’s vision of how the economy is to be arranged—provides such a paradigm with a radically different philosophical foundation from that of Economics to the point that makes grafting one onto the other Impossible. Iqtisād offers a genuine and authentic Islamic paradigm with unique etymological and philosophical foundations. It is a unique system that derives its organizing principles from the principal source of the Quran, rather than Economics. The logical coherence of its immutable system of rules compliance, institutional structures, and risk-sharing relations provides the foundations for economic dynamism, financial stability, and shared prosperity. It ensures that resources are efficiently managed, poverty is eradicated, income and wealth mal-distributions are corrected, and the internal sources of economic injustices gripping human societies are eliminated. The Impossibility Theorem proposed in this book implies that, metaphysically, ontologically, epistemologically, axiologically, and teleologically, the two polar cases of Iqtisād and Economics are so radically different to rule out any grafting of one onto the other in order to present an intermediate paradigm with a synthetic discipline called Islamic economics. Given its multidisciplinary contents, this book will be of interest to a wide audience, including economists, policymakers, philosophers, theologians, and jurists, and can guide also free-thinking readers to a clarity of understanding about the conditions of humanity and the imperative of change with a sincerity of purpose and coherence in knowledge.