Ahmadiyyat or The True Islam — Page 287
287 between labour and capital and the rich and the poor, for, in addition to the wages that a labourer gets for his work, Islam imposes a levy of 2. 5% on the total wealth of the capitalists for the benefit of the poor. (4) Zakat offers a solution of the economic aspect of the problem but it leaves untouched the monopoly, enjoyed by certain classes, of all means of progress and development. Islam encourages people in the race for progress, and secures to them a first share of fruits of their diligence and industry, but it does not approve that one class should bar the progress of other classes. Every one who runs in a race has the sympathy of the specta- tors, and people may admire him who runs the fastest, but nobody can approve the conduct of a runner who, having obtained a start in the race, seeks to obstruct the course of other runners to prevent them from out run- ning him. Such conduct would put an end to all healthy competition and emulation, and the few who obtain a start in the race for progress would monopolize all channels of progress and would exclude therefrom their less fortunate brethren. Islam does not permit this and by making it im- possible, it has thrown open the gates of advancement and progress to all classes of mankind. The principal factors that promote and foster this state of affairs are: ( a ) The rule of primogeniture and other similar rules of inheritance which involve impartibility of estates, and the unrestricted power of bequest by which property may be bequeathed according to the whimsical pleasure of the testator; ( b ) the lending of money on interest which enables one man, or several, to accumulate huge