Hujjat al-Islam wa al-Muslimin Mohammad Bidar, born in 1979 in Moghan, is a faculty member of the Economics Department at the Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute. He is considered one of the young professors of Islamic economics who has written numerous books and articles on various topics of Islamic economics. We talked with him about the feasibility of Islamic economics. In his view, Islamic economics, in the sense of an Islamic economic school of thought and policies, is definitely realized, and the dispute lies in the science of Islamic economics. The details of the exclusive interview of Contemporary Jurisprudence with this professor and researcher of Islamic economics are as follows:

Is the formation of a jurisprudential chapter called the jurisprudence of economics possible?

Bidar: Regarding the formation of a field called the jurisprudence of economics, it is necessary to first refer to the word jurisprudence and the word economics so that their meanings are clarified first, and then one can discuss the possibility or impossibility of its occurrence.

But jurisprudence means the deduction of religious rulings related to the actions of the obligated (mukallafin) in terms of prescriptive and declarative rulings. The behavior of the obligated is sometimes at the individual level and sometimes takes on a social aspect. Similarly, the obligated can be a real person and sometimes can have a legal personality.

But regarding economics, given that economic activities and economic actions are also among human actions, naturally, jurisprudence will also have meaning in the economic field.

The science of economics is said to be a collection of propositions that describe, explain, predict, and make policies for economic behaviors in the three areas of production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, which are related to the activities of economic agents; therefore, economics has four functions: descriptive, explanatory, predictive, and policy-making. Its areas are also the areas of production, distribution, exchange, and consumption of goods and services. Its domains also include individual and social domains.

But regarding the jurisprudence of economics (fiqh al-iqtisad), it must be said: Regarding the descriptive, explanatory, predictive, and policy-making functions, jurisprudence can only have meaning in the policy-making function; because description, explanation, and prediction of time narrate reality and have an informative state, and there is no religious case in this regard for jurisprudence to enter these discussions of economics. But in places where an economic policy is to be adopted, whether in the individual or social domain, jurisprudence will naturally have meaning.

Regarding the areas and domains, jurisprudence has the possibility of expressing an opinion in all areas of production, distribution, and consumption and all individual and social domains.

Regarding the possibility of the occurrence of the jurisprudence of economics, it must be said that its possibility and even its realization are very clear and self-evident; because the strongest proof of the possibility of a thing is its occurrence. The jurisprudence of economics has made good scientific progress in some areas, such as the field of distribution, compared to production and consumption. Similarly, work has been done on some economic institutions such as the jurisprudence of banking and insurance, although it still needs completion. Regarding macroeconomic issues such as economic development, budgeting, and planning, since it is considered the action of the legal personality of the state, jurisprudence must express an opinion, about which much research has not yet been conducted. In any case, the jurisprudence of economics has existed in the words of Islamic jurists for a long time, although in some areas it requires more research.

What are the requisites for attributing an Islamic attribute to a science? For example, how many theories and how many religious and other sources are needed so that their sum can be considered as the creation of a new science with an Islamic attribute?

Bidar: Science is a collection of different propositions that pursue a single goal; so, a single proposition and even a single theory is not called a science, but rather these propositions must be placed side by side and collectively seek to achieve a single goal for them to be called a science.

Now, if this science, meaning a collection of general propositions related to each other, wants to be Islamic, various things have been said regarding this attribution.

Some have said that it is sufficient for its producer to be a Muslim for it to be Islamic. Others consider the production of knowledge in Islamic countries and lands to make it Islamic. But it seems that the best statement in attributing an Islamic attribute to a science is its attribution to Islamic epistemological sources. The epistemological sources of Islam are the Quran, narrations, rational perceptions, the Sirah (conduct) of the Infallibles, and the undistorted Sirah and sayings of the divine prophets. Any science that is attributed to these, and in other words, there is an agreement and harmony between these propositions and their logical derivation from the transmitted and rational teachings of Islam, this science will be Islamic.

In the formation of a science, there is no specific criterion for the number of theories in it; meaning, for example, to say that if there are ten theories, a science is formed, and otherwise, no; but conventionally, the existing theories in a science should be to the extent that the community of scholars considers that collection of theories as a science. Of course, it is clear that the attribution or non-attribution of propositions to a science has no effect on the valuation of those theories. For example, if a theory is based on a Quranic verse or a sound narration, that theory is correct and based on Islam; whether the title of science applies to it or not.

Some consider the existence of Islamic economics, firstly, to be contrary to the objectives of legislation, because religion came to guide humans and to explain matters that they could not have understood except through divine guidance, not matters like Islamic economics which can also be understood by reason and rational people; and secondly, given the changes in societies, people, issues, and methods of interaction among people, it is fundamentally impossible for an economic method and creed to be effective for over a thousand years. What is your opinion on this?

Bidar: In answer to this question, it is necessary to first refer to an introduction regarding the nature of Islamic economics. In economics, economic propositions are usually divided into two groups: positive economics and normative economics. In explaining this, they say that positive economics merely describes and explains reality and predicts reality and is devoid of values; but normative economics has values, and therefore, according to the values and norms existing in each society, a series of policy recommendations can be presented in the قالب of normative economics.

Considering this division, in the epistemological system of Islamic economics, there are also various tools and elements that can be interpreted as the Islamic school of economics, the science of Islamic economics, or Islamic economic policymaking. In my opinion, the Islamic economic system has interconnected tools and elements consisting of the Islamic school of economics, the science of Islamic economics, and Islamic economic policymaking.

The foundation of the Islamic school of economics is also formed by the jurisprudence of economics. Martyr Sadr, in his noble book “Iqtisaduna” (Our Economics), has well explained the founding of the Islamic school of economics.

Now the question is, in which of its parts is the dispute about the possibility or impossibility of Islamic economics?

If the intention is the possibility of the occurrence of the science of Islamic economics, which merely describes realities, explains or predicts external realities, and explains the relationships between economic variables, this is one assertion around which there is also a detailed dispute.

But regarding the Islamic school of economics and Islamic economic policymaking, there is basically no room to raise this question; because if we say that religion came for guidance, and on the other hand, a large part of human activities are economic activities, religion cannot be indifferent to these matters; therefore, rulings such as the prohibition of riba (usury/interest), the prohibition of fraud in transactions, and the like, which are applicable in both the social and individual spheres, in fact, express the Islamic school of economics and Islamic economic policymaking. So, Islamic economics in this sense definitely exists. Of course, given the dynamism of Shia jurisprudence, its rulings will naturally be different in different times and places; but the general principles and foundations governing Islamic economic models are a single unit in all times and places.

Does the attribution of economics to a religion like Islam have a precedent among other religions?

Bidar: Such an attribution is possible and not impossible, and in cases like Christian economics, some research has been done to some extent. One of the periods examined in the history of economic thought is also the Scholastic economic period, which dominated Europe for ten centuries during the Middle Ages. The Church endeavored to observe Christ’s moral teachings in economic affairs. Also, usury has been declared forbidden in all religions such as Christianity and Judaism. Regarding other religions, an economy attributed to that religion has existed but has not been very successful.