Economic Sharing in the Qur’an
Economic Sharing in the Qur’an: The Interconnection of Zakāt, Ṣadaqah, Infāq, Fitrah, and Qard al-Ḥasan Introduction One of the strongest reflections of social justice, solidarity, and moral responsibility in the Qur’an is the principle of economic sharing. Concepts such as zakāt, ṣadaqah, infāq, fitrah, and qard al-ḥasan (a goodly loan) are not merely individual acts of worship; they are systematic principles designed to establish social justice. These concepts, rooted in the belief that ownership belongs to Allah and humans are mere trustees, call individuals to transcend selfishness and embrace social responsibility. Thus, the Qur’an builds a morality-based economic system that ensures the fair circulation of wealth. 1. Zakāt: Purification and Growth Zakāt comes from the root z-k-w , which signifies “to purify” and “to increase.” The Qur’an defines it as: “Take charity (zakāt) from their wealth to purify and cleanse them…” (Tawbah 9:103) This demonstrates that zakāt puri...