قرآنِ حکیم کی روشنی میں اقتصادی عدل کا تصور اور موجودہ عالمی مالیاتی ڈھانچوں پر اس کے اثرات

The Concept of Economic Justice in the Light of the Holy Qur’an and Its Impact on the Contemporary Global Financial Systems

Abstract

The Qur’an presents the economic order not merely as a material system but as a moral and spiritual responsibility founded upon justice (al-ʿadl), equity (al-qisṭ), and balance (al-mīzān). The Qur’anic conception of economic justice is built upon the equitable circulation of wealth, the fair valuation of labor, and the elimination of exploitation and concentration of resources. Terms such as al-ʿadl, al-qisṭ, and al-mīzān provide the philosophical and ethical foundation for an economy governed by divine moral principles rather than materialistic incentives.In the Qur’anic paradigm, wealth is viewed as a trust (amānah) and a means of serving humanity, not as an instrument of dominance or class supremacy. The verse “so that wealth may not merely circulate among your rich” serves as a universal economic manifesto advocating distributive justice, social responsibility, and financial transparency.Classical Islamic thinkers such as Imām Abū Yūsuf, al-Māwardī, and Ibn Khaldūn considered economic justice as the cornerstone of civilization and state stability. They maintained that injustice, usury, and class-based exploitation lead to social decay and moral decline. Institutions such as Bayt al-Māl, Zakāh, and Awqāf were established as instruments to ensure social balance and economic welfare.The contemporary global financial order rooted in capitalism and interest-based mechanisms represents a clear deviation from the Qur’anic ethos of justice. International institutions such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and World Trade Organization (WTO) perpetuate economic inequality, debt dependency, and structural imbalance. In contrast, the Qur’anic model of economy conceives wealth as a means of social service, profit as a moral responsibility, and production as an act of worship.Applying Islamic financial principles in modern contexts enables the development of an ethical and just economic framework, free from ribā (usury), grounded in transparency, collective welfare, and equitable distribution of resources. Mechanisms like Zakāh, Waqf, Qarḍ Ḥasan, and non-interest-based investments foster justice, prosperity, and divine blessing (barakah) in the socio-economic order.The Qur’anic vision of economic justice offers not only an intellectual critique of global financial inequities but also a practical and moral alternative for establishing a balanced civilization where spirituality, ethics, and economy coexist in harmony.