Economic Equality: Socialism
This is not the place for a detailed discussion on socialism, as there will soon be a book released to the public, God willing, titled "Islam: Democratic and Socialist."
Socialism means that people should be partners in the wealth of the earth, and it began when society first emerged, for it is the counterpart of capitalism. Capitalism, represented in property ownership, was the system on which society was founded, and it evolved until it reached its current scientific meaning. Socialism also evolved, but its development was slower than capitalism because capitalism is considered its natural predecessor, and socialism cannot precede capitalism. Furthermore, socialism is the result of the rule of law that protects the rights of the weak, whereas capitalism is the result of the law of the jungle, which gives right to the powerful and claims it for them. By nature, the law of the jungle is a stage prior to the stage of the law of justice and mercy.
Socialism first appeared in its primitive germ form as envy or longing that stirs in the heart of the have-nots against the haves. The one who is envious is the one who is fortunate enough to possess a light, strong, and sharp stone weapon, or who finds a secure and spacious cave, or is blessed with a beautiful, loving, obedient, and strong wife, and so on. This envy led to the historical struggle between the have-nots and the haves. This struggle continues to intensify and will not cease until there is absolute equality among people in the wealth of the earth.
Before scientific socialism emerged as the result of this long and bitter struggle, socialism existed in its primitive stage, which meant sharing in the resources that are not scarce to anyone and cannot be claimed by anyone. The Infallible (the Prophet) expressed this when he said, "People are partners in three things: water, pasture, and fire." This prophetic speech (ḥadīth) clearly indicates the necessity of socialism among people when the wealth of natural and industrial resources can be abundantly exploited.
Socialism entered its scientific phase recently, emerging and gaining the attention of people to the point that nowadays both those who advocate it and those who do not claim it, due to the strong attachment of nations to it.
In the early 19th century, the terms "socialism" and "communism" began to be used in connection with the idea of public property ownership. The term "socialism" was first used in England around 1820 by Robert Owen, a wealthy manufacturer who is considered the founder of modern socialism. He believed that social improvement could be achieved through voluntary, constitutional, gradual, and stable means that would protect people from the evils that accompany violent revolutionary changes, especially poorly prepared ones.
The term "communism" is derived from a Latin word meaning "common" or "owned by all." It was initially used around 1835 by secret revolutionary societies in France that aimed to overthrow the middle class through violence and then take control of France, with the goal of establishing an economy where all produced goods were owned by the people and where the working class would be the ruling class. Karl Marx entered the scene and began studying, observing, and developing his ideas based on the various socialist and communist theories and applications. He preferred the term "communism" to describe his ideas, as it was associated with the concept of changing society through violence.
Marx based his ideology on four main principles:
1. The course of history is controlled by economic forces.
2. History is nothing but a record of class struggles.
3. The government is merely a tool used by one class to oppress another.
4. Violence and force are the only means to achieve any fundamental change in society.
Based on these principles, and adhering to them, Marx, from his earliest writings, consistently attacked socialist experiments - such as those supported by Robert Owen - and described them as unscientific and unrealistic. According to Marx's view, history followed harsh scientific laws, and a fundamental social change could not occur without the use of force and violence. He ridiculed Owen and other socialists' belief in the possibility of social reform through fellowship, cooperation, and gradual evolution. He referred to their work as "utopian socialism" and made a clear distinction between it and his own philosophy, which he called "scientific socialism" or "communism."
When we refer to scientific socialism or communism in the context we are advocating, we do not mean Marx's doctrine. We are aware that Marx's socialism is not scientific but entangled in a fundamental error. However, this is not the right moment to delve into this, and we will discuss it in detail when writing about "Islam: Democratic and Socialist," which will be published soon, God willing.
Scientific socialism, in our view, is based on two pillars simultaneously. The first is the increase in production from the sources of production, namely minerals, agriculture, industry, and livestock. This is achieved through the use of machines, science, and by improving administrative and technical expertise. The second pillar is justice in distribution, which, in the stage of socialism, means that there should be both a maximum and a minimum income level for individuals. The minimum must be guaranteed for all citizens - including children, the elderly, and those unable to produce - and it must be sufficient to allow a citizen to live at a level that preserves their human dignity. As for the maximum income, it should not be many times higher than the minimum, so as to avoid the creation of an upper class that refuses to intermarry with the lower-income class.
To increase production, the ownership of the means and sources of production must be prohibited for any individual or a few individuals in the form of a company, whether it is a production company or a distribution company. A citizen is only permitted to own, individually, their home, the surrounding garden, the furniture inside, a car, and similar items, as long as they do not exploit others' labor to increase their own income. Even within these narrow limits, private ownership should not be of the things themselves, but rather the right to use them, as their essence remains owned by Allah and the community as a whole.
As production from sources of wealth increases, justice in distribution moves toward refinement and the reduction of disparities by raising both the minimum and maximum income levels. However, the minimum income should be raised at a relatively higher rate than the maximum, with the aim of achieving absolute equality. Once absolute equality is realized - through divine grace and abundant production - communism is achieved, meaning the shared ownership of the earth's resources among all people. Communism differs from socialism only in degree; socialism is merely a transitional phase toward communism.
The Infallible (the Prophet) embodied communism at its highest level when his legislation reached the stage of the supreme zakat verse: "They ask you what they should spend. Say: ‘The surplus.’" The term "surplus" has been interpreted to mean whatever exceeds immediate needs. His statement about the Ash‘arites reflects the level of communism, and that is when he said, "The Ash‘arites, when they were in need or on a journey, would spread out a cloth and place on it whatever food they had, then divide it equally among themselves. They are of me, and I am of them." This understanding aligns with the philosophy of the yet-to-come Muslim nation.
The Sufi mystics grasped this concept when they envisioned the entire earth and its resources as a divine banquet set for all human beings, where each is merely a traveler taking provisions for the journey. To them, the world is like a communal table spread with meat, bread, vegetables, and sweets, around which ten men are seated. Everything on the table is shared among them, and individual ownership of a piece of meat only occurs the moment that your finger grasps it and it begins its journey to your mouth.
When the Quran speaks to us about Paradise: "And they will say, ‘Praise be to Allah, who has fulfilled His promise to us and has made us inherit the earth, so we may settle in Paradise wherever we wish. How excellent is the reward of those who labor!’" (39:74), it also refers to a miniature model of the greater Paradise, which is to be realized on this very earth we live on today when: "The earth will be filled with justice just as it was filled with oppression," as expressed in the noble prophetic tradition. This vision also captivated Karl Marx’s imagination, though he completely lost his way in trying to reach it, and he will never attain it - rather, it will only be achieved by the Muslims who have yet to come.
And when they arrive, a glimpse of the following verse will manifest on earth: "Indeed, the righteous will be in gardens and springs. Enter in peace, secure! And We will remove whatever resentment is in their hearts - [so they will be] brothers, on thrones facing each other. No fatigue will touch them therein, nor will they ever be expelled from it." (15:45–48) This glimpse is the communism that Islam will establish with the coming of the true Muslim community. On that day, the earth will shine with the light of its Lord, His blessings will be completed upon its inhabitants, peace will prevail in its lands, and love will triumph.
