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Islam and the Economy of Pakistan: A Critical Analysis of Traditional Interpretation

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"Islam and the Economy of Pakistan: A Critical Analysis of Traditional Interpretation" by Izzud-Din Pal, Oxford Press, (2006), 159 pgs. The difference between his 1999 book titled "Islam and Economics" in this new revised book the author wants to talk beyond just economics by including the socialist-Islamic `reforms' introduced by Pres.-General Ziaul Haq between 1977-1988, which the author believes were a failure (as they were anti-free market). The author wants to discuss how the Islamic `ideology' impacts Pakistan's economic system in developing an "Islamic way of life." The author noted: "This agenda to invoke Islamic ethics with reference to jurisprudence as it evolved in the second-fourth centuries of Islamic history has produced an unworkable system which the ulama offer as an alternative to all other economic systems. I have made an attempt to critically examine this agenda in the framework of the geographical and socio-economic existence of Pakistan" (xiii). This free-market economist- author is opposed to Gen. Haq's regressive `reforms' regarding abolishing reba (interest), imposing zakat (alms) and install shariah inheritance laws. The author discusses how federal water policies of the 1930s impacted on agriculture within Pakistan, and how water-sharing with India still significantly impacts (hinders) Pakistan's agricultural system. The author discusses the British policy of `deindustrialization' of India(Pakistan): take raw Indian materials and return with finished British products by curtailing industrialization within India(Pakistan). Industrialization really did not start in Pakistan until the 1960s, but differed between provinces. Sadly, the author really doesn't detail the socialist policies that were followed during the 1960-70s. The author noted: "The constitution of Pakistan states that Islam is the religion of the state, and that all laws of the country must be in conformity with Islam. It provides a delicate balance concerning the issue of interpretation of the laws by various sects...." (72). The author discusses how the Islamic concept that Christians and Jews need to be treated as `dhimma' - a policy which the author finds unappealing for economic progress. I did not find this `book' to be very useful in understanding how the Pakistan economy operates, or how the government regulates it, or how the government impedes economic development. This book just seems to be too general; missing are specifics as to why/how Pakistan's Islamist anti-market policies limit economic development. The author claims that the Islamist-socialist policies hurt Pakistan's economy, but doesn't explain how or why they do - why riba IS beneficial (despite the Muslim forbiddance of it). The author notes that Muslim Pakistan's aversion to Hindu India [the Muslims used to rule India until the British arrived] curtails trade between the two countries, and that Pakistan is resistant in accepting the beneficial `globalization economics' of Milton Friedman (131). This book is okay for some limited `background' regarding the development of Pakistan's Islamist economic policies, but it isn't anything like a book about economics or understanding Pakistan's socialist economy. I was disappointed with its lack of economic revelation -- NOT a book chock-full of statistics.

"Islam and the Economy of Pakistan: A Critical Analysis of Traditional Interpretation" by Izzud-Din Pal, Oxford Press, (2006), 159 pgs. The difference between his 1999 book titled "Islam and Economics" in this new revised book the author wants to talk beyond just economics by including the socialist-Islamic `reforms' introduced by Pres.-General Ziaul Haq between 1977-1988, which the author believes were a failure (as they were anti-free market). The author wants to discuss how the Islamic `ideology' impacts Pakistan's economic system in developing an "Islamic way of life." The author noted: "This agenda to invoke Islamic ethics with reference to jurisprudence as it evolved in the second-fourth centuries of Islamic history has produced an unworkable system which the ulama offer as an alternative to all other economic systems. I have made an attempt to critically examine this agenda in the framework of the geographical and socio-economic existence of Pakistan" (xiii). This free-market economist- author is opposed to Gen. Haq's regressive `reforms' regarding abolishing reba (interest), imposing zakat (alms) and install shariah inheritance laws. The author discusses how federal water policies of the 1930s impacted on agriculture within Pakistan, and how water-sharing with India still significantly impacts (hinders) Pakistan's agricultural system. The author discusses the British policy of `deindustrialization' of India(Pakistan): take raw Indian materials and return with finished British products by curtailing industrialization within India(Pakistan). Industrialization really did not start in Pakistan until the 1960s, but differed between provinces. Sadly, the author really doesn't detail the socialist policies that were followed during the 1960-70s. The author noted: "The constitution of Pakistan states that Islam is the religion of the state, and that all laws of the country must be in conformity with Islam. It provides a delicate balance concerning the issue of interpretation of the laws by various sects...." (72). The author discusses how the Islamic concept that Christians and Jews need to be treated as `dhimma' - a policy which the author finds unappealing for economic progress. I did not find this `book' to be very useful in understanding how the Pakistan economy operates, or how the government regulates it, or how the government impedes economic development. This book just seems to be too general; missing are specifics as to why/how Pakistan's Islamist anti-market policies limit economic development. The author claims that the Islamist-socialist policies hurt Pakistan's economy, but doesn't explain how or why they do - why riba IS beneficial (despite the Muslim forbiddance of it). The author notes that Muslim Pakistan's aversion to Hindu India [the Muslims used to rule India until the British arrived] curtails trade between the two countries, and that Pakistan is resistant in accepting the beneficial `globalization economics' of Milton Friedman (131). This book is okay for some limited `background' regarding the development of Pakistan's Islamist economic policies, but it isn't anything like a book about economics or understanding Pakistan's socialist economy. I was disappointed with its lack of economic revelation.