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The Islamic Economy and its Connection with the Project of Civilizational Islam: The Malaysian Experience
Author : Dr. Safwan Odaybat
Date Added : 29-01-2023

The Islamic Economy and its Connection with the Project of Civilizational Islam: The Malaysian Experience

 

Islam is the seal of religions and Allah sent Prophet Mohammad, blessings and peace be upon him, to give the good news of the arrival of this religion, which fits in every time and place. Almighty Allah says {What means}: "We have not sent thee but as a universal (Messenger) to men, giving them glad tidings, and warning them (against sin), but most men understand not." {Saba`/28} and He, The Most Exalted Said (What means): "Say: "O men! I am sent unto you all, as the Apostle of God," {Al-`Araf/158}. The Glorious Quran came in perfect harmony with the nature of this divine religion, which is characterized as comprehensive, balanced, and realistic. Allah The Almighty Says {What means}: "One day We shall raise from all Peoples a witness against them, from amongst themselves: and We shall bring thee as a witness against these (thy people): and We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things, a Guide, a Mercy, and Glad Tidings to Muslims." {An-Nahil/89}.

 

The Quran`s comprehensiveness of the religious, political, economic, and social aspects of life stands out via its total and partial provisions. Some rulings that aren`t affected by change in time, place, and individuals are shown in a detailed manner not amenable to nullification nor change, as reflected in provisions concerning inheritance and prescribed penalties. As for the general issues, which change with change in time, place, and individuals, general criteria and total controllers were formulated to regulate how they are applied and acted upon, as in financial transactions, economic as well as political issues. This is confirmed and explained in detail by the Prophetic Sunnah. In addition, the Prophetic guidance on dealing with various political, economic, and social issues represents a flexible and balanced Islamic approach and a role model in dealing with life affairs in light of constants and variables. 

 

Islam came to establish a civilizational project that aims to build, not destroy; unite, not divide; urbanize, not backward. However, it respects human mind, grants it freedom, but regulates the latter with the teachings of the religion, code of ethics, and values.

 

The civilized models of different countries where complete integration and blind imitation have taken place along with divesting from the fundamentals of the Islamic civilization in all aspects of life, may give future generations the impression that our religion is unfit for establishing an advanced urban civilization and that it is merely a set of religious rites, hymns and songs. In the labyrinth of this darkness and loss, we are in need for a contemporary experiment that annuls this understanding and proves, through practical application, Islam`s ability to advance human civilization in light of respecting other civilizations through science, work, and values.

 

The Malaysian Prime Minister, Ahmad Badawi, has submitted the project, (Civilizational Islam), in 2003, to make the Malaysian society return to the truth and essence of Islam, focus on the moral and social values and employ them in developing the human capital to arrive at sustainable development in the state of Malaysia. This is knowing that the spirit of this project was acted upon since the fifties; immediately (1) after the independence.

 

The Malaysian experience provided conclusive evidence for the need to link between the aspects of culture and value on the one hand and any civilizational developmental political, economic or social projects on the other.

 

Malaysia used to suffer from enormous problems concerning the intellectual and civilizational construction, multi ethnicity, how to manage them as well as the economic and political aspects. Therefore, the Malaysian society was restructured via plans and strategies to reduce the ethnic gaps between its members. Moreover, Islamic values were translated into a roadmap to elevate the Malaysian society to the rank of societies that respect time, appreciate its value, and work with integrity and honesty to form a nucleus of a strong state competitive in all fields.

 

In addition, the Islamic economy was restructured in Malaysia through its management and the employment of Islamic values to form a positive motivation to advance the Malaysian society. As a result, the Hajj Fund, which is considered one of the most successful cooperative institutions of Malaysia, was established forming an investment opportunity for the state of Malaysia. Afterwards, Islamic economic institutions were established in simulation of Islamic values. Amongst the most important of these institutions are (BERD) and (IIUM). (2) 

 

Briefly, the project, Civilizational Islam, is beautifully expressed by the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr. Badawi, who said: "Civilizational Islam isn`t  a new religion or school of Islamic law; rather, it is an attempt and a vision to bring the nation back to the foundations of rue Islam, which emanate from the Quran and the Sunnah. If these are translated and understood correctly and clearly, Muslims will never deviate from the straight path…Civilizational Islam came to advance Muslims in the third millennium and help integrate them into modern economy. Civilizational Islam fits to be the cure for extremism and exaggeration in religion since it encourages tolerance, understanding, moderation, and peace….." (3)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1) The Democratic Arab Centre for Strategic, Political & Economic Studies; Berlin, Germany, 2019, published an authoritative book entitled: "The Dimensions of the Malaysian Experiment: An Analytical Study on the Backgrounds, Foundations, and Horizons." The book contained a set of valuable research papers that clearly unveiled the Malaysian experiment in development and indicated the key of the economic, political, and social renaissance in Malaysia and its reliance on the project of Civilizational Islam.

 

(2) Adapted from the research entitled: "The Project of Civilizational Islam and the Malaysian Experiment: A Study on the Role of Islamic Values in Development." This research was conducted by Bin Hittah Elias, University of Algeria, from a series of the research papers of the authoritative book issued by The Democratic Arab Centre for Strategic, Political & Economic Studies; Berlin. First Edition, 2019.

(3)(Ibid.P.16-18). 

The published article reflects the opinion of its author

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on one who vows to fast a specific or non-specific year? Are the two Eids, the days of Tashreeq, Ramadan, and the days of menstruation and postnatal bleeding included in them? And do these days break the consecutiveness if it was intended?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
If someone makes a vow (Nadr) to fast a specific, designated year, this vow does not include the days of Eid, the days of Tashreeq (the three days following Eid al-Adha), Ramadan, or the days of menstruation (Hayd) and postnatal bleeding (Nifas). Furthermore, there is no requirement to make up (Qada) these specific days.
 
However, if someone vows to fast a year that is not specifically designated (i.e., any twelve-month period) and stipulates that the fasting must be consecutive, they are bound by that condition. They must not fast on the days of Eid, during Ramadan, or during menstruation, but they are required to make up these days afterward—with the exception of the days of menstruation and postnatal bleeding, which do not need to be made up.
 
It is stated in Hashiyat al-Bajuri ‘ala Sharh Ibn Qasim ({Vol.2/P.606): 'If one vows to fast a specific year, the Eid, Tashreeq, Ramadan, and days of menstruation or postnatal bleeding are not included. This is because Ramadan does not accept any fast other than its own, and the others do not accept fasting at all. Therefore, they do not enter into the vow, and no makeup is required for them because they are legally excluded—contrary to Al-Rafi’i regarding menstruation and postnatal bleeding.
 
If one vows to fast a non-designated year: if they stipulated consecutiveness (Tatuabu’) in their vow, they must fulfill it; otherwise, they are not bound to it. Consecutiveness is not broken by the days that do not enter into the specific year vow (Eid, Tashreeq, Ramadan, menstruation, and postnatal bleeding). However, one must make up the days missed—excluding the time of menstruation and postnatal bleeding—immediately following the end of the year. As for the time of menstruation and postnatal bleeding, it is not made up, contrary to Ibn al-Rif’ah, who argued that it must be made up just like Ramadan.' And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is the ruling on offering a sheep as a sacrifice (Udhiyah) if its fat-tail is sound, except that when it was young, the tip of its fat-tail was cut so that it would grow larger? And what is the ruling in case of doubt regarding the amount that was cut?

 
In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Cutting a minor, insignificant portion from the tip of an animal's fat-tail (al-alyah) to encourage it to grow larger is not considered a defect, and it does not prevent the animal from being valid for sacrifice (Udhiyah).
 
It is stated in Tuhfat al-Muhtaj (Vol.9/P.352): "There is some scholarly deliberation regarding the common practice of cutting the tip of the fat-tail so that it grows larger. It could potentially be likened to a partial cut of the ear—supported by the jurists' general rule: 'even if it is a small amount.' On the other hand, if it is an exceptionally minor cut, it might have no effect on validity. This is explicitly clarified by the juristic exception to the general rule, which states that cutting a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm. This latter view is more well-founded.
 
Furthermore, I found that some scholars investigated this matter and concluded: 'It should not affect validity if a custom-sanctioned portion of its fat-tail is removed during its youth to make it grow larger and look better, just as castrating a male animal causes no harm.' However, applying this unconditionally contradicts the established texts of the jurists, as understood from what I have laid out; thus, the restriction I specified is what must be relied upon."
 
Similarly, it is mentioned in Nihayat al-Muhtaj (8/135): "If a small piece is cut from the fat-tail to help it grow larger, the most well-founded view is that the sacrifice remains valid, as was given in a formal legal verdict (Fatwa) by my father [Shihab al-Din al-Ramli], may Allah be pleased with him. This is proven by the jurists' maxim: 'The loss of a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm.'"
 
In cases where there is doubt as to whether the portion cut was large or small, the animal is still deemed valid for sacrifice. It is noted in Hashiyat al-Shubramallisi ‘ala Nihayat al-Muhtaj (Vol.8/P.135):
 
"This matter requires careful consideration, but the closer and more correct view is that it is valid. This is because soundness is the default state for the animal from which the piece was cut, and it aligns with what usually occurs—namely, that the part removed to help the fat-tail grow larger is naturally very small." And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

The Jurisprudential Significance of the Ḥadīth: "Whoever says, at the conclusion of the Fajr Prayer, while crossing his legs, before speaking..."
"Whoever says, at the conclusion of the Fajr prayer, while crossing his legs, before speaking: 'Lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-ḥamdu yuḥyī wa yumītu wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr' ten times — ten good deeds will be recorded for him, ten bad deeds will be erased from him, he will be raised ten levels, he will spend that day in protection from everything disliked and guarded from the devil, and no sin will be able to befall him on that day except associating partners with Allah" — does this noble ḥadīth apply to the imam, and what is meant by "extraneous speech"?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is recommended for both the imam and those praying behind him to recite, immediately after the final salām, the specific remembrance reported in the sunnah to be said before turning away from one's place of prayer. The imam then leaves his praying spot, and the act of "turning" is fulfilled when the imam faces the congregation — even without physically leaving his spot — by positioning his right side toward them and his left side toward the qiblah, and this applies even while he is engaged in supplication.
Al-ʿAllāmah Ibn Qāsim al-ʿAbbādī states in his Ḥāshiyah ʿalā al-Tuḥfah (Vol.2/P.105): "It is most virtuous for the imam, once he has given the salām, to rise from his place of prayer immediately afterward." He adds that an exception must be made for the remembrances that are specifically required to be recited before he turns away. He then notes, citing Sharḥ al-ʿUbāb: "Yes, an exception to this rising immediately after the salām applies to the Fajr prayer, due to the authentic report that the Prophet ﷺ, when he prayed Fajr, would remain seated until the sun rose." He further cites, from al-Khādim, the ḥadīth concerning one who recites, at the conclusion of the Fajr prayer while still in the position of crossing his leg to rise: "Lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah..." and the rest of the well-known ḥadīth. He comments that this makes explicit that this particular remembrance is to be recited before the worshipper turns his legs to leave, and the same applies to Maghrib and ʿAṣr, as reported in those contexts as well.
What is meant by "speech" in the relevant ḥadīth is extraneous worldly speech that is not called for after the prayer and for which there is no legitimate excuse. The remembrances reported to be recited upon concluding the prayer, however, do not fall under this category of extraneous speech, since they are themselves required by the sharīʿah.
Al-ʿAllāmah ʿAlī al-Shabrāmalsī states in his Ḥāshiyah ʿalā al-Nihāyah (Vol.1/P.551): "If someone greets a person with salām while he is occupied with reciting this remembrance [i.e., 'Lā ilāha illā Allāh...'], should he return the greeting — without this causing him to forfeit the promised reward, since he is engaged in an obligatory matter — or should he delay returning the greeting until he finishes, this being a legitimate excuse for the delay?" He continues: "I say: the more likely view is the former, and the prohibition on speech is to be understood as applying to extraneous speech for which there is no legitimate excuse. Based on this, should the worshipper give precedence to this remembrance ('Lā ilāha illā Allāh...') or to reciting Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ ('Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad')? This requires consideration, though it is not unlikely that the remembrance takes precedence, given that the Lawgiver urged hastening to it through his words 'while crossing his leg.' This is not considered ordinary speech, since it is not extraneous to what is required after the prayer."
Accordingly, it is recommended for both the imam and those praying behind him to recite this remembrance and to give it precedence over the other remembrances of the prayer, ensuring it is said before they move from their place. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the semi-circular structure attached to the Holy Kabah?

The semi-circular structure attached to the Holy Kabah is Hijr Al-Kabah (is a low wall originally part of the Kabah) and passing behind it is an obligation while making Tawaf because it is a part of the Holy Kabah. And Allah Knows Best.

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