Through Force or Faith? — Page 277
Chapter 7 — Novelty in the Teachings of Muhammad 277 in debt, and for the cause of Allah, and for the wayfarer ( S u rah at-Taubah, 9:60). Islam also laid down the principle that wealth should not be allowed to accumulate in a few hands. One of the reasons to spend wealth on the needy, wayfarers and orphans is that: ًۢةَلْوُد َنْيَب ِءٓاَيِنْغَاْلا ْمُكْنِم اَل َنْوُكَي it may not circulate only among those of you who are rich ( S u rah al- H ashr, 59:8). Against this, we find the teach- ings in Christianity that Jesus exhorted that one should not col- lect any money: ‘Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth’ (Matthew 6:19). This teachings is against the nature of man, and the Christian world could never act upon it. To avoid wastage of wealth, Islam has instructed to supervise such persons who may not have the ability to manage their own financial affairs so that they do not end up losing their inheritance: اًلْوَق اًفْوُرْعَّمَو اَل اوُتْؤُت َءٓاَهَفُّسلا ُمُكَلاَوْمَا ْيِتَّلا َلَعَج ُهّٰللا ْمُكَل اًمٰيِق َّو ْمُهْوُقُزْرا اَهْيِف َو ْمُهْوُسْكا َو اْوُلْوُق ْمُهَل And give not to the foolish your property which Allah has made for you a means of support; but feed them therewith and clothe them and speak to them words of kind advice. ( S u rah an-Nis a’ , 4:6). At the same time Islam admonishes to evaluate their competence and when they do become capable, to return to them what is theirs. During this period, Islam advises not to misappropriate the trust: