Introduction
Hello everybody. I just wanted to give some of my thoughts on the relationship between Marxism and Islam, in hopes of sparking a useful and fruitful discussion on the topic. Considering the immense damage that capitalism and imperialism have done to the ummah (as well as to humanity as a whole), I feel it is important for us to examine the issue of socialism, while keeping it in an Islamic framework.
First, let us look at the socialist economic system through an Islamic lens.
Socialism in an Islamic Context
By studying Islamic teaching and history, and applying it to a modern context, we may find a great deal of support for the socialist economic system. For example, see the following sahih hadith, narrated by Uthman ibn Affan:
"There is no greater right for the son of Adam other than these things: a house in which he lives, a garment to cover his nakedness, a piece of bread, and water."
- Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2341
This sahih hadith guarantees all human beings a right to food, water, clothing, and shelter. Can capitalism ever guarantee these things? Even in the USA today, we have seven empty homes for every homeless person! By contrast, in a socialist nation such as Cuba, there is virtually no homelessness, as housing is provided as a guaranteed right of all people.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also commissioned a physician to treat the people of Medina free of charge, thus providing free healthcare to the people, Muslim and non-Muslim alike. More information may be found in the following video from Sheikh Omar Suleiman:
Many Islamic scholars and economists have also supported the idea of nationalization and public ownership over the means of production. Afzal-ur-Rehman, an esteemed Islamic economist, said:
Imam Shafee is of the opinion that when anyone goes beyond the point of moderation in his expenditure, even if he is spending on good and lawful things, his property should be taken away from him and given to the custody of the state (ward). And according to the principle of Ward, the state is within its rights to take over the property of any person who is recklessly destroying his property and thereby damaging the greater good of society. As he is wasting and not properly utilizing his property which God has made a means of support for human beings, he is considered still “weak of understanding” who has not attained maturity of intellect... ultimately all property belongs to the community, and is intended for the support of you, i.e., the community. It is held in trust by a particular individual. If he is incapable, he is put aside but gently and with kindness.
Maulana Syed Abul’ Ala Maududi, commenting on verse 4:5 of the Quran, said:
This Ayah bears wide meaning. It contains a comprehensive order for the Ummat that the means of production should not be allowed to remain in the hands of an un-enlightened class which by misusing those means will disrupt the social and economic order of society and erode the moral values. The right of ownership of property is not unrestrained. If the owner is wanting in ability to use his ownership right in the correct manner or so exercises this right as to create social strife, his ownership is liable to proscription.
In other words, when it comes to property, the rights of society as a whole always come before the rights of the individual. If it is more beneficial for the society that something should be publicly owned, then it is better to take it under public ownership. Certain things, such as public utilities and natural minerals, must always be publicly owned by consensus of the scholars. This is also true of industries which are required for the running of a state, such as large-scale heavy industry, energy, transport, and construction. Dr. Muhammad Sharif Chaudry comments on the role of the state in an Islamic economy:
Whatever is left with a citizen after satisfying of his needs, he would not hoard it, but would spend it in the ways, which have been permitted, like spending for the poor, for Jihad, for the cause of Allah, for education and learning, for travelers, for relieving the debtors, for freeing slaves, and for help to orphans, destitutes, needy, etc.
The state is today the only organization, which performs all such welfare activities, maintains social services, provides health care and education, wages Jihad against the foreign aggression, provides employment, maintains communications like railways, road, waterways, bridges, etc., provides protection to the individual in respect of his life, honor and property and above all performs so many other useful functions. So whatever remains with a person after satisfaction of his needs in a moderate way, he would hand over this surplus to the state.
After having obtained sufficient finances, the state would need no taxes and no loans. So all the taxes except Zakat shall be abrogated. Equipped with sufficient funds, the state would be able to provide for basic necessities of life such as food, clothing, shelter, education, and healthcare to every citizen at a reasonable standard. It would provide employment to all those who are jobless. The state would discharge all of its duties of welfare state and would set up all big projects for economic development.
We clearly see here that the state provides healthcare, education, food, clothing, shelter, and employment to all people, as well as setting up projects for economic development and owning various industries.
In short, the socialist economic system can be justified entirely on Islamic grounds. This is especially true when one remembers the immense damage that capitalism and imperialism have done to the ummah. Now, let us examine Marxist philosophy through as applied to an Islamic context.
The Master-Slave Dialectic: Humanity's Relationship With God
We may begin on this topic by approaching the Quran from a dialectical perspective. Once the text is approached in this way, we begin to notice hints of dialectics within it. For example, the Quran gives us two separate statements on the purpose of humanity's creation:
"Except whom your Lord has given mercy, and for that He created them..." - Quran, 11:119
"And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me." - Quran, 51:56
At first glance, these verses may appear to be contradictory; after all, one states that we were created to receive God's mercy, while the second states that we were created to worship God. However, when we apply the dialectical method here, things begin to make more sense.
Hegel famously wrote of the master-slave dialectic. In short, this means that a master and a slave occupy roles relative to each other; that is, the master is a master because he rules over the slave, while the slave is a slave because he serves the master. Each one finds purpose and expression in the other. We see in the above Quranic verses a similar principle; God created us so that He could express His mercy towards us, while we ourselves find purpose in the worship of God.
Remember that God does not need our praises; therefore, we must ask ourselves, "what does God get from us? What was the purpose of our creation, if God does not need our praises?" We find our answer when we understand the relationship in dialectical terms; we find our purpose in worshiping God, while He expresses His mercy towards us.
We find this sentiment expressed in the famous statement, attributed to God from the Prophet (peace be upon him):
‘I was a hidden treasure and was not known; I loved to be known, therefore I created creation and made Myself known to them so that they came to know Me.'
Though the authenticity of this statement is disputed by the scholars (some of whom, particularly Sufis, felt it was valid, while others rejected it), it is a useful demonstration of the concept being explored here.
The Marxist Concept of Universal Contradiction: God as the One Perfect Unity
Marxists also believe that dialectics and contradiction may be found within all objects. Mao Zedong said:
Contradiction exists in the process of development of all things.
By applying this concept of universal contradiction to an Islamic context, we can actually gain a deeper understanding of Tawhid. Indeed, we may understand God as being the sole exception to the principle of universal contradiction; in other words, He alone does not have internal contradiction. Ali (may God be pleased with him) said:
..."God is one" in the sense that there is no multiplicity or division conceivable in Him, neither outwardly, nor in the mind, nor in the imagination. God alone possesses such a unity.
In contrast with God's perfect unity, human beings are rife with internal contradictions; for example, take our desire to do good and please God, coupled with the temptation towards sin and imperfection. This forms a constant back-and-forth within us, which God does not have.
Thus, we may see that the concept of universal contradiction may be applied to an Islamic context by understanding God as uniquely unified, being the only thing in existence that is free from this internal contradiction.
Marx's Comments on Religion, Understood from an Islamic Perspective
Karl Marx famously stated that religion originated as a response to certain material conditions. Later Marxists have developed this idea further, stating that religion appeared as a reaction to the environment, which explains the differences in religious beliefs to be found across the world. While we as Muslims obviously believe that Islam was sent down by God, the idea of religion as a reaction to the environment does help us to explain the origins of non-Islamic religions; for example, the people of Mesopotamia attributed divine powers to the rivers, because of the importance they played in life. The Marxist analysis helps us to make sense of these beliefs, and explain their origin.
Conclusion
This is only a short summary of my thoughts on the relationship between Islam and Marxism; I hope that this stimulates some useful discussion between us, so that we may gain in our understanding. In a time where capitalism and imperialism pose such serious threats to our planet and our ummah, a proper understanding of Marxism (as a framework to analyze and fight these un-Islamic forces) can also be quite useful.
Allahu Alim.
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