Islam and Human Rights — Page 67
Economic Values 67 obligations to the family. Thus the Islamic system of inheritance operates to dis tribute wealth so that a large number of people may have a competence or, at least, a little, rather than that one or a few should have a large share and the rest nothing. As if all this left something to be desired, the exhortation is added: “If other relations, who are not included among the heirs, and orphans and the poor be present at the division of the inheritance, bestow something upon them therefrom and speak to them words of kindness” (4:9). Another major provision is the prohibition against the making of loans on interest. The word used in this con nection in the Quran is riba , the connotation of which is not identical with that of the word “interest” as commonly understood; but for the present purpose “interest” may be used as a rough equivalent. Riba is prohibited because it tends to draw wealth into the hands of a small circle and to restrict the exercise of beneficence towards one’s fellow beings. In the case of loans which bear interest, the lender in effect takes advantage of, and makes a profit out of, the need or distress of another. Islam urges the making of loans, but says they should be beneficent loans, meaning without interest. If the debtor finds himself in straitened circumstances when