- On Collective Level:
- Economic equality is guaranteed through the obligatory taxes on
the excess wealth of every Muslim.
- In an ideal Islamic society, the Islamic government is responsible
for enforcing the laws of Islamic taxes like khums, zakat, fitrah, khiraj, etc.
- For example, while explaining the role of an Imam in his capacity
as a leader, Imam Musa al-Kadhim says, “The Imam is the heir of a person who
has no heir, and he is the provider of a person who has no provider.”
- This economic security is to be extended to all the subjects of an
Islamic state, even if they are non-Muslims.
- Once Imam ‘Ali passed by an old man who was begging on the side of
the road.
- The Imam asked, “What is this?” The people said, “O Amirul-muminin,
he is a Christian.”
- The Imam said, “You have used him until he became old and is
unable (to work any longer), and then you have deprived him (of his basic
needs)!
- Provide for him from the public treasury.”
- Islam aims at eliminating the “need” (hajat), and elevating the
needy people to the level of being “free from want” (ghani).
From the article by Sayyid
Muhammad Rizvi, www.imamreza.net
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