Part one of this article is at P1
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Fortunately we are at a point
where we have not lost all to global capitalism yet. Our leaders are rapidly
pushing us in that direction in the name of progress but like in almost all
fields, thanks to corruption, the progress is slow. So we have a God sent opportunity
to take stock of our situation and think of ways to fight this global menace.
As I said earlier the most lethal
weapon that these capitalistic corporations possess is capital. They use capital both as a weapon and as a
reward to subjugate us. “Look if you let us implement our policies you will
become ‘advanced’ and we will give you so many billions of dollars” they say.
And through our educated class they have already brainwashed us into thinking
that the amount of dollars is what matters ultimately and progress means
automation, mass production etc. We do not realize that this, interest based,
debt generated paper money is a fraud (Please see note at end). And
worse part is that this fraud is now being Islamized by so called Islamic
banking and Islamic finance. Other than the superficial prefix of Islam,
practically there is no difference between the two. So we need to confront this
fraud monetary/financial system and explain its reality to our people. Some of
the proponents of Islamic banking/finance say that this is short term solution
and is needed to provide an alternative. These folks are either deluding
themselves or others; I am not sure which is it. What I am sure of is that on
29th October 2013, British Prime Minister David Cameron, announced
that he wants city of London be become a hub of global Islamic finance and that
London Stock Exchange will launch an Islamic Market Index (https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/world-islamic-economic-forum-prime-ministers-speech).
Why do you think that a British PM has become so fond of Sharia? Because the
fox knows very well that in reality it is the same capitalistic system and as
such poses no real threat to them. Moreover they can control and manipulate it
much easily if they are in control of the numbers, much like the manipulation
of LIBOR.
The ethical short comings in our
society in general, and in our business people particularly are a reality that
we have to accept. MNCs use this excuse to malign our local businesses in our
own eyes and ultimately take over. I can go on and on about adulteration in
food, deception in weights and measures, frauds in contract etc, but that won’t
solve the problem. We have to revive the Islamic teachings in this area and the
imams in our mosques are the best way for this. A significant percentage of
Pakistanis do attend Jumma. It is during the Jumma khutba that the imams should
emphasize the importance of fair business. I know this problem will not go away
with a couple of sermons, but until we get a state where Sharia is implemented
this is the least we can do. Prophet Shoaib (PBUH) admonished his nation
regarding similar business practices but they did not pay any attention and
were destroyed. Similarly if our business people do not change their habits
they will also face destruction in the form of capitalistic onslaught.
A related issue is the growing
individualism in our society. Capitalism thrives on and promotes individualism because
it generates an atomized society. If you live in a family which has children, parents
and grandparents then you don’t need child day care centers, old people homes.
One meal is shared between three generations, the effort to prepare, the
utensils needed in the process, the energy consumed in the process etc is all
shared. On the other hand if you split the family, then you will need money to
pay strangers to take care of your children and grandparents in private child
care and old people homes, once again, funneling money into capitalist
structure. On a philosophical level an atomized society is much easier to
control and manipulate, because members of such a society are afraid of and on
guard from each other. But every human being needs protection and support in
his/her hour of need. In a capitalistic society this need for protection and
support is provided by capitalistic institutions like insurance companies.
Islam puts this responsibility on the family. When it was brought to the notice
of Hazrat Umer that no one is caring for an old man he inquired about his
children. He was told that the old man has no children. He further inquired
about any other relatives to which he was informed that the old man has a
nephew. Hazrat Umer ordered the nephew to take care of the old man. Umer could
have easily set a stipend for the old man but that would have violated the
order of responsibility in an Islamic society.
Every society has a set of core
beliefs around which it organizes itself. Those beliefs act like gravitational
pull and keep the society intact. If the members of the society lose faith or have
weak faith in those beliefs then the society disintegrates and reorganization
takes place around new belief system. The interim period is marked by chaos,
lawlessness, violence etc. I believe we are in such a period. Our belief in
Tauheed, Quran & Sunnah is very weak. I know people will challenge me and
point me to superficial facts like growing number of mosques, number of people
going to Hajj (), religious channels on TV etc. But as I said these are
superficialities, if we really believed in Tauheed, Quran & Sunnah then we
would not fall in the capitalistic trap. The very fact that capitalism is
taking over our society is a proof that the god of capitalism is replacing
Allah in our hearts. We may deny it all we want to but our desires for fancy houses,
cars, clothes, shopping malls etc. clearly point to where our belief lies. “Your craze
for more and more and mutual rivalry for worldly gains has made you heedless.
Until (in the same craze) you reach the graves.” ( Quran 102:1,2 )
Note : Here are some quotes
from people who are very well acquainted with this system:
"Banks lend by creating
credit. They create the means of payment out of nothing."
Ralph M. Hawtrey, former
Secretary of the British Treasury
“The modern banking system
manufactures money out of nothing. The process is perhaps the most astounding
piece of sleight of hand that was ever invented. Banking was conceived in
iniquity (injustice) and born in sin. Bankers own the Earth. Take it away from
them, but leave them the power to create money, and with the flick of the pen
they will create enough money to buy it back again...
Take this great power away from
them and all great fortunes like mine will disappear, and they ought to
disappear, for then this would be a better and happier world to live in. But if
you want to continue to be slaves of the banks and pay the cost of your own
slavery, then let bankers continue to create money and control credit’.”
Sir Josiah Stamp Director,
Bank of England 1928-1941
(reputed to be the 2nd richest
man in Britain at the time)
“The study of money, above all
other fields in economics, is one in which complexity is used to disguise truth
or to evade truth, not to reveal it.”
John Kenneth Galbraith , economist, author, Money: Whence it came, where it went - 1975, p15
John Kenneth Galbraith , economist, author, Money: Whence it came, where it went - 1975, p15
Nadeem Ghafoor Chaudhry, Dr. Hafiz
Mohammad Zubair
COMSATS Institute of Information
Technology, Lahore
{chnadeem,mzubair}@ciitlahore.edu.pk
4 comments:
I agree with every thought behind this whole article. but the thing is that we never discussed or wrote on the Islamic Social System, we, in muslim society, talk more of rituals, Salat, Hajj, which are extremely important, but confining discussion only around these topics is not right. Islam is a religion which offers a whole philosophy of life. I listened to great scholars but i never listened to them talking of Islamic Social system, how an islamic society should be fabricated, social responsibilities of its members, how it should be organized, the tenants of its economic activity. I never saw the Ulema appreciating the philosophy of Islam, and even its five basic pillars tells lot more than we are taught.
JizahkaAllah
you always force me to think in new directions. Although the 1st part showing the problems but in second part the solution you purposed, i agree with them.
as we can see now a days they are offering us courses like Islamic finance, banking, investment etc
My question is, what you think are the going to teach us in its true Islamic sense?
If not, where should we get the exact knowledge about all these, normally no one likes to discuss on these topics.
No doubt many professionals are already finished in our society and some are in dying stage while others are in close monitoring to compete by capitalist hands.
But I want to say that this is because ones collective effort to knockout himself from his aged profession. Islam would protect one's profession, but on the conditions that one follow its teachings. But now, if a butcher adulterated his product against the teaching of Islam, he would get profit but not long term blessings. Sadly all of Islam teaching are not followed by Muslims any more but by the western countries capitalists and hence getting BLESSINGS.
Sir it is very highly recommended documentary for you plz must watch it : Four.Horsemen.2012
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