post-autistic economics review
Issue no. 35, 5 December 2005
comment

 

 

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Comment on “Can There Be an Economics Based on Religion? The Case of Islamic Economics” by Mohamed Aslam Haneef, post-autistic economics review, issue no. 34, 30 October 2005, article 3, pp. 41-52, http://www.paecon.net/PAEReview/issue34/Haneef34.htm

 

The manner in which the author is expounding his question may prevent a wider acceptance of ethics, laws and rules bequeathed to humanity by its religions. The discussion of the question would be more fruitful, if it would be formulated: “Can economics incorporate or be based on economics-related teachings appearing in religious texts?”

 

Koran and other Islamic religious texts, Biblical texts, in particular the Pentateuch (Torah), almud, as well as texts of other religions comprise a wealth of economics-related laws, rules, verdicts and other forms of judgment, some of which have found their place in modern secular codices and constitutions, and can still be incorporated in others.

 

It is immaterial whether or not the economics-related teachings appearing in religious texts have been imparted to prophets by God, other revelations, or are the fruit of human wisdom. What should be discussed is which ones and to what degree they fit the economic life of the 21st century.

 

A comparative study would, undoubtedly, reveal that such texts associated with different religions have in fact much in common.                

 

M. Ben-Yami