The Caliph’s Advice to World Leaders on Economic Policy
Sarmad Naveed, Toronto, Canada
Money makes the world go round. No matter how materialistic this statement sounds, there’s no denying the slightest element of truth to it.
The age-old questions of whether wealth equals happiness or if meaning can be found in money have persisted and are an entirely different subject. Short of that, it’s undisputable that, just like access to safety, liberty, and opportunity, finances are a universal need equally applicable to all.
But is this equally applicable need also equally accessible?
We live in a world dominated by capitalism – the motive to primarily make profit. On the surface, a capitalistic society may seem favourable for growing wealth, but there is another aspect which is anecdotally described by Adam Smith, an 18th-century philosopher regarded as the father of modern economics who says, ‘It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.’ [1]
By the end of the 20th century, modern capitalism was adopted by almost all the world’s nations and developed into global capitalism by the turn of the century. [2] Since then, the economic policies formed by much of the world’s governments have been predicated on capitalistic ideologies rooted in self-interest. But there remains a major flaw with the concept, as a senior economist at the International Monetary Fund says, ‘Economic growth under capitalism may have far surpassed that of other economic systems, but inequality remains one of its most controversial attributes.’ [3]
What is expected to become of a world in which world leaders create economic policies rooted in inequality?
The answer has seemingly served as a wakeup call, as the Fifth Caliph and Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba) says, ‘The capitalist system is slowly losing its status and people are realising that there are inherent risks and injustices embedded within it.’ [4]
Indeed, statistics bear this out: the richest 10% have 52% of global income and 76% of global wealth, while the poorest 50% of the world’s population shares 8% of global income and just 2% of global wealth. A global survey conducted by Edelman reports 56% of people believe that capitalism as it exists today does more harm than good in the world. [5]
The alternative then becomes clear, as His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba) urges nations and their leaders, ‘European countries and the other major powers should not arrogantly presume that their economic system will remain preeminent forevermore. Rather, they should be working to ensure that fairness and equality underpin the world’s financial system.’ [6]
It’s this very philosophy rooted in Islamic teachings which, for over two decades, His Holiness (aba) has urged nations and world leaders to adopt in their economic policies. Evidently, the majority of people would agree with His Holiness (aba) and it would serve world leaders well to follow suit.
His Holiness (aba) has only ever advised nations and world leaders from a place of advocacy for the impartial welfare of humanity, rather than any political or ideological bias. The case is no different when it comes to his advice on economic policy, simply stating:
‘The wealth of a nation should be used to ensure that every member of society has access to certain essential facilities. For example, Islam teaches that each and every child, no matter his or her background, should be provided a proper education so that they can develop into skilled and truly beneficial members of society. Similarly, there are many other facilities that should be provided equally across the board.’ [7]
At the core, His Holiness (aba) has always urged governments to be fair, including fairness in its citizen’s rights to fair earnings at every level, as he says,
‘There are scientists who discover new and better ways to find and extract such resources and develop machinery or devices to facilitate the positive utilisation of natural resources. Certainly, for making such efforts they are entitled to some form of remuneration. Similarly, there are engineers, who having attained advanced qualifications, enter different specialities and work towards developing these resources and so they too are entitled to benefit. Further, there are experts from various other fields who are entitled to their due shares. However, it must also be made categorically clear that no person or group has the right to deny a normal employee or labourer the due share for their efforts.
According to the prevalent circumstances of the time, it is the job of the governments to provide such workers with appropriate salaries and the best possible working conditions, so that the gap between the rich and the poor can be reduced as much as possible.’8
One of the greatest beauties of the Islamic economic philosophy presented to governments and world leaders by His Holiness (aba), is that the proper allocation of resources coupled with the transcendence of self, or national interests alone, establishes a strong economy at home, while fostering goodwill and unity beyond country borders all at the same time. According to the United Nations, 40% of intrastate conflicts over the past 60 years have been linked to natural resources. [9] Heeding the Islamic teachings would bring that percentage to zero, as he advises:
‘The Qur’an teaches that everything in the world has been created for the benefit of mankind. At a primary level, if a country is blessed with natural resources then they are for the benefit of the people of that nation. However, Islam further extends the scope of this and says that we should also take care and assist our neighbours.’
He goes on to say,
‘Where on one hand a nation reaps the fruits of the resources God has bestowed upon it, on the other hand it should also use that wealth to help those countries and people that are in need. Such wealth must be utilised in an entirely fair and selfless manner without any form of discrimination and without greed or a desire for personal gain.’ [10]
The accuracy and prowess with which His Holiness (aba) has analysed the global economy and advised world leaders according to the world’s conditions is truly astonishing. In a letter to Pope Francis sent during the COVID-19 pandemic, His Holiness (aba)wrote:
‘It cannot be assumed that once the COVID-19 pandemic passes that everything will suddenly be resolved. Rather, looming ahead on the horizon, I see further distress and strife, due to the unprecedented financial and economic strains that this virus has placed on the nations and people of the world. As a result, further conflict and division both within countries and between nations is a distinct possibility and so I fear that ever-deepening cracks in the world’s peace and stability will emerge in the coming months and years. Thus, it is vital that we alert the world to this risk before it is too late.’ [11]
And that’s exactly what His Holiness (aba) did. In a letter sent to the President of France, President of China, Chancellor of Germany, Prime Minister of India, Prime Minister of Israel, Prime Minister of Japan, President of the Russian Federation, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, President of the United States of America, and the Prime Minister of Canada, His Holiness (aba)said,
‘Indisputably, COVID-19 has shaken the world’s economy to its very core and patently the coming weeks, months and years ahead will be exceedingly hazardous and challenging. Indeed, most people do not yet fully appreciate how precarious the world will be just a few months from now. If history teaches us anything it is that when governments selfishly prioritise their own national interests over and beyond the collective interest the results are invariably catastrophic. Inevitably, economic or trade wars occur that, in turn, foster hatred and jealousy and ultimately lead to open warfare and bloody conflicts in which unimaginably destructive weapons are unleashed obliterating all that is before them.
Consequently, with all humility and sincerity, I urge you as the leader of your nation to formulate policies that are based on justice so that the world may be saved from further misery and destruction.’ [12]
The spirit of benevolence which His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba) has been advising the world’s leaders to establish goes beyond selflessness in our times; rather, His Holiness (aba) desires for the world to adopt ways that leave a brighter future for the coming generations. It’s for this reason that His Holiness (aba) has continued to advise nations and their leaders to establish justice and fairness at all levels, including economic policy,
‘It is the duty of all powers to fulfil the requirements of justice and to unite together. All parties need to increase dialogue and open the lines of communication so that they can peacefully discuss the best means to solve the problems of the world. These steps are necessary so that global peace can be established.’ [13]
About the Author: Sarmad Naveed is an Imam of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community who graduated from the Ahmadiyya Institute for Languages and Theology in Canada. He serves as Online Editor and is on the Editorial Board for The Review of Religions, and also coordinates the Facts from Fiction section. He has also appeared as a panelist and host of programmes on Muslim Television Ahmadiyya (MTA) such as ‘Ahmadiyyat: Roots to Branches.’
ENDNOTES
1. https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/ fandd/issues/Series/Back-to-Basics/ Capitalism
2. https://www.earth.columbia.edu/site- files/file/about/director/pubs/Oxfordre- view_winter99.pdf
3. https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/ fandd/issues/Series/Back-to-Basics/ Capitalism
4. Address to Guests at Jalsa Salana Germany 2019.
5. https://www.edelman.com/sites/g/ files/aatuss191/files/2020-01/2020%20 Edelman%20Trust%20Barometer%20 Global%20Report.pdf and https://www. weforum.org/agenda/2021/12/global-in- come-inequality-gap-report-rich-poor/
6. Address to Guests at Jalsa Salana Germany 2019.
7. Address to Dignitaries at Mandarin, Oriental Marina Square, Singapore, 26th September 2013.
8. Ibid.
9. https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/ conflict-and-natural-resources#:~:tex- t=The%20United%20Nations%20Envi- ronment%20Programme,in%20the%20 first%20five%20years.
10. Address to Dignitaries at Mandarin, Oriental Marina Square, Singapore, 26th September 2013.
11. https://www.reviewofreligions. org/26918/letters-sent-to-world-leaders- by-head-of-ahmadiyya-muslim-commu- nity-during-covid-19-pandemic/
12. Ibid.
13. Address at 10th National Peace Symposium, 23rd March 2013.
