Religion Loses Its Transformative Power When Confined to the Private Sphere
Religion Loses Its Transformative Power When Confined to the Private Sphere When religion is confined only to personal spaces—like mosques, graveyards, or prayer hours—it loses its power to transform society. A true religious message encompasses every area of life: justice, ethics, politics, commerce, and especially the economy. Because the most fundamental part of a person’s life is shaped by their struggle for sustenance, how they earn and spend . This is why religion cannot transform society without addressing the economic sphere . The Prophets Aimed to Establish Economic Morality The prophets introduced in the Qur’an are not merely callers to belief in the afterlife; they are also challengers of unjust economic systems . The message of Prophet Shu‘ayb is a clear example: “Give full measure and weight, do not cheat people of their goods, and do not cause corruption in the land.” (A‘rāf 7:85) Those who opposed Shu‘ayb responded with a typical reaction against religion int...