Conclusion
From the brief study we have made it is possible to realize to what extent
capitalism as an economic system, has failed to meet the requirements of
a whole society and prevent the supremacy of one class over another.
In spite of its assumption that it is beneficial, this study shows us how
capitalism has failed to create the good capitalist who will sacrifice
everything for the sake of applying capitalist principles properly. On
the contrary capitalism kindles the fire of selfishness in men's souls
and it was due to this system that selfishness developed and became protected
by rules and regulations and the security and tranquility of the people
changes to fear and agitation.
This
led some people who felt the bitterness of life under capitalism to introduce
to humanity a counter system which attacked systems associated with capitalism
and by a natural process this led to revolutions. Communism and the ideas
which stem from it, however deviated from the correct path and it has fallen
into the same mistakes which threaten to destroy capitalism.
Communism has condemned the entire structure of capitalism but as has already
been mentioned, in presenting an alternative system communism introduced
the oretical system rather than a practical one.
When communism had the opportunity to apply its own system, it was
faced by events for which it was not prepared. In its attempt to extricate
itself from them it was obliged to have recourse to capitalism and quietly
to borrow from it.
The progress and development which were achieved by both parties are not
to be accounted for by the extreme economic system they believed in unless
economics were themselves the goal and not the means for securing the welfare
of peoples. Such a goal cannot be achieved under such blind and materialist
extremist. Any system, whether capitalist or communist, which sets up life
on a basis of economics and erects morality on such a foundation without
paying any attention to faith in public life, can never pave the way for
humanity to the state of happiness which is its goal. Such a system provides
for man the evils and difficulties from which he suffers today. It makes
the attempts to prevent wars and to stabilize world peace futile.
As long as individual and social relations are governed by bread to be
eaten, money to be spent and power to be imposed, each individual will
go on falling upon the other and each community will seize every opportunity
to usurp another's possessions or to completely destroy it. Under such
a system, everyone will treat every one else as enemies and not as brothers
and the moral basis of the soul will continue to be that of the beast though
this may remain hidden till the occasion arrives. Events in the present-day
world are a good example of this. Rivalry, competition and conflict are
the order of the day and show themselves in the capitalist on the one side and the communist on the other. Under the system of individualism
a worker, becomes the rival of the worker and the capitalist competes with
the capitalist and both the worker and the capitalist become in turn opponents
to each other. It is surprising that the followers of this system believe
that rivalry and struggle lead man to goodness, happiness and progress.
The communist system believes that struggle between classes is something
which destroys all of them, leaving the field to the workers and claim
that this state of affairs is demanded and imposed by nature. Both systems
provide for humanity an unquiet life, with no stability or safety. The
people of this age have gone back to the life of the forest where fears
dominated and peace was beyond realization. - Under such conditions security
is something to be hoped for but which remains a mirage.
Islam, with its principles, stands in the middle road. Regarding economics,
it does not take hasty action nor is it a view point motivated by wickedness
or selfishness. Islam's theories about economics were those revealed by
Allah, Creator of The Universe. Islam is a philosophy which cannot be matched
by the minds of philosophers; the mind of that which is created cannot
reach the level of the mind of The Creator.
Islam deals carefully and clearly with economics. It includes principles
whose application results in securing the welfare and good of communities.
It takes no sides with a group against another, nor does it harbor a grudge
against the rich so as to deprive them of rights previously given to them.
Moreover, its pity for the poor does not reach a level where the balance
of things is upset. Islam consists of practical theories based on a sound
foundation which aim at securing the interest of everyone. Islam is the
light which illuminates the road for all classes of all nations. It directs
each class of the community to the proper way by which it secures good
for itself and for the community as a whole. Islam in culcates into the
souls of all peoples the meanings of goodness and happiness. Allah says
what means :
"And who is better than Allah to judge
for a people who are sure?"
From this brief account of the economic theory of Islam it can be seen
that it is the only system which leads nations to progress and prosperity.
Allah says what means : "That is the right religion
- And most people know not."
Similarly, Islam is seen to be a consolidated and perfect unit; the system
must be taken as a whole and not in part. Allah says what means:
"And
whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it, and whatever he forbids you,
abstain (there from).
In short, these are simple, ordered, truths, both theoretical and practical,
which stress the need for applying Islam and its economic system to the
critical problems facing our present-day world - Allah says what means:
"
And We reveal of the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to the believers.
Besides these
scientific facts there are the natural laws which demand that Islam supervise
the affairs of the present-day world. It is true that capitalism has succeeded in spreading its influence,
but people lost faith in it when they discovered the truth about it. At
that moment, communism welcomed the multitudes who opposed capitalism,
tried to satisfy their desires and so destroyed itself. In uncovering the
communists false paradise, people were quicker than in discovering the
falsehoods of capitalism.
William Faulkner
says that one day capitalism and communism will disappear and humanity
will survive. The communists themselves have this feeling, and because
of this they take a suspicious
and hostile stand vis a vis Islam and The Muslims.
Communism,
he goes on to say, invites the enmity of Islam because it fears its rivalry
in organizing society according to its precepts and ordinances. Communism's enmity towards Islam resembles that
of the Russian ruler towards his subjects whom he wanted to deprive of
the wealth and freedom. Another reason for this is communism's
feeling that nothing but bankruptcy will result from the failure of the
Marxist experiments, one after the other during recent years. The
state was obliged under the communist system to recognize the right
of ownership and inheritance. It also admitted the differential in wages and in standards of living. It accepted the principle of the separation
of both sexes in educational institutions.
It recognized
the existence of the family, its relations and of nationalism, with its
effective power, which defends the nation and responds to its national
ambitions. The communists, Faulker continues, see today how Islam wins
and Marxist materialism retreats. They believe that the forthcoming conflict
will be between what they call Marxist ideology and Islamic ideology. Democracy
will not be involved in such a conflict as it is not a religion which opposes
communism; democracy is only a negative appeal which prevents the misuse
of rule, restriction on liberties and the oppressive restrictions imposed
on the division of labor and earnings. The positive side of the issue
has never been the concern of democracy at any time. Communism, in this
case, finds itself facing a powerful opponent in Islam and one not easily
to be defeated. No one can argue that positive application is not ordained
by Islam, especially in our time when The Muslims are making progress and
learning how to apply the principles of social reform with necessary adjustment
to meet material demands, spiritual considerations and the requirements
of modern science.
Will Durant,
in the «Story of Civilization», refers to the same subject.
He admits that the gap existing between basic theories and factual events
is narrower in Islam than in any other religion. The conflict which the
communists are sure will take place and for which they make preparations
is neither negligible nor of an ordinary nature. Among the nations of The
Asian East, The Muslims are most hated and disliked by the communists for
they know that The Muslims have more spiritual and intellectual power than
the communists. It is a war of life or death for which the communists mobilize
all their potentialities. This will not be the first war waged against
Islam. Islam was involved in many such wars and it survived while the many
enemies who wages those wars against it for hundreds of years are dead
and gone.
Islam will
survive till the last day when Allah will inherit the earth and all that
it contains whilst Communism along with other systems will be no more.
After studying
other systems and detecting the one which is good, people will begin to
take shelter under one or other of them. Facts and natural laws declare
it to be Islam which is to play this role - Allah says what means:
"
That was the way Allah concerning those who have gone before and thou wilt
find no- change in the way of Allah.
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