The maqasid al-shari’ah (higher intents and purposes of Islamic Law) have been either directly stated in the Qur’an and the Sunnah or inferred from these by a number of scholars. All of these address the raison d’être of the Shari’ah which, as recognized by almost all the jurists, is to serve the interests of all human beings and to save them from harm. In this paper Dr. Chapra explores the Islamic vision of development in relation to the maqasid al-shari’ah arguing that Islam has emphasized all the ingredients of human well-being, including the human self, faith, intellect, posterity as well as wealth, for society to flourish. For the Muslim world to focus on economic development only may in the short-term result in relatively higher rates of growth but in the long-run will lead to a rise in inequities, family disintegration, juvenile delinquency, crime, and social unrest.

The maqasid al-shari’ah (higher intents and purposes of Islamic Law) have been either directly stated in the Qur’an and the Sunnah or inferred from these by a number of scholars. All of these address the raison d’être of the Shari’ah which, as recognized by almost all the jurists, is to serve the interests of all human beings and to save them from harm. In this paper Dr. Chapra explores the Islamic vision of development in relation to the maqasid al-shari’ah arguing that Islam has emphasized all the ingredients of human well-being, including the human self, faith, intellect, posterity as well as wealth, for society to flourish. For the Muslim world to focus on economic development only may in the short term result in relatively higher rates of growth but in the long-run will lead to a rise in inequities, family disintegration, juvenile delinquency, crime, and social unrest.

The paper analyzes the bearing of Islamic teachings on the conduct of fiscal policy. It is shown that Islamic teachings do not prescribe any rigid system of public finance. The major emphasis is on the state’s responsibility to assure at least a basic minimum standard of living for all citizens. The paper deals with issues related to evolution of fiscal policies best suited to achieve this and other Islamic socio-economic objectives in the specific framework of Islamic teachings. The implications of such a system for growth, monetary stability, resource allocation, and pattern of income distribution are also examined.

Analyzes Muslim countries' contemporary problems, particularly violence, authoritarianism, and underdevelopment, comparing their historical levels of development with Western Europe.

In this pioneering work Siraj Sait and Hilary Lim address Islamic property and land rights, drawing on a range of socio-historical, classical and contemporary resources. They address the significance of Islamic theories of property and Islamic land tenure regimes on the 'webs of tenure' prevalent in the Muslim societies. They consider the possibility of using Islamic legal and human rights systems for the development of inclusive, pro-poor approaches to land rights. They also focus on Muslim women's rights to property and inheritance systems. Engaging with institutions such as the Islamic endowment (waqf) and principles of Islamic microfinance, they test the workability of 'authentic' Islamic proposals. Located in human rights as well as Islamic debates, this study offers a well researched and constructive appraisal of property and land rights in the Muslim world.