FROM THE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

FROM THE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Dr. Farida Khanam has been a professor at the Department of Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi. A Study of World's Major Religions, A Simple Guide to Sufism are two of the books amongst others, of which she is the author. She has also translated many books on Islam authored by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Currently, the chairperson of Centre for Peace and Spirituality (CPS International), an organization founded by her father Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, she is a regular contributor of articles to journals, newspapers and magazines. Dr. Khanam has edited Maulana’s English translation of the Quran and has also translated his Urdu commentary of the Quran into English. Under Maulana Wahiduddin Khan Peace Foundation, along with the CPS team, she has designed a series of courses on peace-building, countering extremism and conflict resolution. THE ECONOMIC TEACHINGS OF THE QURAN I SLAM not only allows but encourages honest trade and commerce. The Prophet is reported to have said that a truthful and trustworthy trader shall (in the Hereafter) be among the company of the Prophets and the truthful. There are a large number of verses in the Quran relating to trade and commerce. We are reminded that amongst God’s bounties are the beasts of burden created by God for carrying men and material, and the ships which sail by His command carrying men and merchandise. (16: 7; 23: 22) Legitimate trade is allowed even during the Hajj (2: 198). Men whose business activities do not divert them from prayers and charity are praised (24: 37); while those who leave off prayers when they see some bargain or means of amusement are reprimanded (62: 11); and we are told that the love of God, the Prophet and the struggle for God’s cause must have preference over trade. All illicit ways of making money have been forbidden. For instance, gambling and games of chance; bribery and corruption; hoarding and profiteering; giving short measure or short weight; and usury. The Prophet of Islam advised traders not to sell the grain purchased by them until they had weighed it. Another saying is that it is open to the buyer and the seller till they part, either to keep the bargain or cancel