The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) – Volume III — Page 61
II - Brief Note on Islāmic Equality 61 unity, and whether some individuals are weaker than others or stronger, and whether some individuals are indolent and others are vigilant, if they fall, they fall together and if they rise, they rise together? However, contemplate, in terms of capitalism is this not an unnatural support, which can become the means of making mankind negligent of individual striving and effort? No doubt, Islām has also furnished the support of country and nation to weak individuals as well, but it has very intelligently prohibited full dependence upon them. Moreover, it has placed the actual onus of an individual upon the individuals themselves and has only furnished additional support as partial aid or in extreme circumstances. Hence, Islām is the only moderate religion which guarding itself from the two extremes of capitalism and communism, has found a middle path. It does not wish to tie man to hoarded wealth and make mankind useless by way of capitalism, nor does it bind mankind to the complete dependence of the government upon the principle of communism and weaken individual striving and effort. As such, addressing Muslims God the Exalted states: ِ النَّاس عَلَى َ ء شُهَدَا لِّتَكُونُوا جَعَلْنَاكُمْ اُمَّةً وَسَطًا “O Ye Muslims! we have made you a moderate community, so that you may act as guardians over those nations who succumb to all kinds of extremes. ” 1 In summary, Islām has employed a moderate course in its economic system. Furthermore, if an individual wishes to undertake a just analysis of the Islāmic economic system in comparison to communism, there is a weighty lesson for him in this point. Although there is a difference of extremes, i. e. , capitalism is situated at one extreme while communism is situated at the other. However, in any case, communism presents the same affliction before the world in but another form, which its opposing extreme i. e. , capitalism, has put before the world. In other words, both of these systems pull one out of a realm of striving and effort and desires to tether mankind to a specific anchor. It is only Islām which following a moderate course, has maintained the individual striving and effort of mankind on the one hand, but on the other in view of extreme circumstances and in order to establish a spirit of brotherhood and unity in the nation, it has also provided various external supports. It is this 1 Al-Baqarah (2:144)