It is understood from verse 12 of Surah al-Isra that, God Almighty, to increase human production and sustenance, advises mankind to give thanks for the blessings that he is given and to use them properly. On the other hand, great emphasis is placed on proper planning, discipline, lawfulness and preparation of the grounds for obtaining sustenance in this verse. RNA – Many verses of the Holy Quran deal with political and economic issues, such as the economy and livelihood of the people and the social and political effects of the attention or disregard for it by governments, the economic lifestyle of government and administrational officials, the observance of shari’ (legal) principles in transactions, assisting the poor, the importance of justice and the proper way of governance.
Also, referring to issues such as khums (one-fifth tax), qardh al-hasan (“benevolent lending” – a form of interest-free loan), zakat, usury, halal (lawful) sustenance, the importance of work, effort and production and other issues indicates the importance of these categories from the perspective of God Almighty.
In this regard, we intend to examine the political and economic verses of the Holy Quran and their related exegeses during the holy month of Ramadhan.
One of the important economic issues emphasized in the Holy Quran is that productive activities are a key element in the sustenance of mankind. Of course, there are several verses on economic issues in the Holy Quran that emphasize the need for human labour and activity on earth to increase the sustenance and power of the Muslims.
For example, in this regard, in verse 12 of Surah al-Isra [The Night Journey], God says:
وَجَعَلْنَا اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ آيَتَيْنِ ۖ فَمَحَوْنَا آيَةَ اللَّيْلِ وَجَعَلْنَا آيَةَ النَّهَارِ مُبْصِرَةً لِّتَبْتَغُوا فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلِتَعْلَمُوا عَدَدَ السِّنِينَ وَالْحِسَابَ ۚ وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَصَّلْنَاهُ تَفْصِيلًا
“We made the night and the day two signs. Then We faded out the sign of the night, and made the sign of the day lightsome, so that you may seek from your Lord’s bounty and that you may know the number of years and calculation [of time], and We have elaborated everything in detail.”
The necessities of sustenance and livelihood in the Holy Quran
In their exegeses, various exegetes have pointed to the economic dimensions of this verse and have considered God’s emphasis on providing the preconditions for mankind’s work and efforts on earth to achieve economic peace. Among other things, the late Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai [d. 1981] has mentioned this verse in his exegesis “Tafsir al-Mizan”:
God says: “We made the night and the day two signs. Then We faded out the sign of the night, and made the sign of the day lightsome…”:
We created the day and the night and the light and the darkness in such a way that they are signs of Our power, and all creations are from the essence of the signs that indicate their Creator and then night and day are darkness and light that follow each other over the earth as it faces the sun upon sunrise and is hidden from it at sunset to seek sustenance and livelihood, which is are a gift from your Lord.
“…so that you may seek from your Lord’s bounty and that you may know the number of years and calculation [of time]…”:
Because if day and night were not consecutive and did not differ from each other in terms of light and darkness, mankind would not be able to calculate time because it is in relation to the rotation of the earth on its orbit that causes day and night and its orbit around the sun that causes seasons and years and it is upon this basis that we calculate days, months and years.
“…And We have elaborated everything in detail”:
This suggests that things are distinct from one another, and that nothing is leſt ambiguous or unexplained in creation.
It is very clear that it is obligatory on every Muslim to seek lawful sustenance and God Almighty has provided its grounds and means on earth. On the other hand, the Holy Quran emphasizes that Muslims must be empowered in every way, especially economically and militarily, and it is certain that one of the tools to become stronger is to avoid convenience and indolence and try to increase productive activities in various interpretations, which has been considered by the exegetes of the Holy Quran in various exegeses of this verse.
The necessity of planning to gain sustenance:
Hujjat al-Islam Mohsen Qara’ati has also mentioned the following eight messages in his exegesis, “Tafsir al-Nur”:
1) The rotation of the earth and the emergence of day and night and its changes are according to God’s wise will and are not accidental:
جَعَلْنَا ... فَمَحَوْنا ... لِتَبْتَغُوا
“We made… then We faded… that you may seek…”
2) The day is for work and the night is for rest:
آيَةَ النَّهَارِ مُبْصِرَةً لِّتَبْتَغُوا
“…the sign of the day lightsome, so that you may seek…”
3) Although grace and mercy are from God, we must also strive:
لِّتَبْتَغُوا فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ
“so that you may seek from your Lord’s bounty”
4) Preparing the grounds for obtaining sustenance is one of the conditions of divine lordship:
لِّتَبْتَغُوا فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ
“so that you may seek from your Lord’s bounty”
5) Sustenance is from God – we must not be proud of our cleverness and shrewdness:
فَضْلًا مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ
“from your Lord’s bounty”
6) The strategy of the system of creation is not without an objective, and in this strategy, the main objective is mankind:
لِتَبْتَغُوا ... لِتَعْلَمُوا
“that you may seek… that you may know”
7) Night and day are a natural, permanent, universal, easy-to-understand calendar and a means of order and planning:
وَلِتَعْلَمُوا عَدَدَ السِّنِينَ وَالْحِسَابَ
“and that you may know the number of years and calculation [of time]”
8) In the system of existence, everything is organized, regulated and separated so that there is no friction, interference or collapse:
وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَصَّلْنَاهُ تَفْصِيلً
“…And We have elaborated everything in detail”
According to the above points, we conclude that from the perspective of the Holy Quran, work, effort and attention to productive activity are important elements of increasing human sustenance. Of course, this issue has also been mentioned in many other verses in the Holy Quran. In order to increase human production and sustenance, God Almighty also advises to give thanks for these blessings and use them properly. On the other hand, this verse places great emphasis on proper planning, discipline, lawfulness and the preparation of obtaining sustenance.
Rasa News Agency