Welcome to this week’s episode of the series Let’s Know Islam. In this episode, we continue to discuss the traditions and economic plans and outlooks of the First Infallible Successor to Prophet of Islam, Imam Ali (Peace be upon him). Now, we study some of Imam Ali’s guidelines in relation to production and development.

Imam Ali (AS), throughout his rule, urged people to maintain piety, more than anything else. This was because the ultimate goal of Imam Ali’s ruling system was the spiritual growth and elevation of people; revival of appropriate religious and ethical beliefs; and campaign against misunderstandings within the community. In order to achieve this elevated goal; Imam Ali considered a number of other goals in cultural, political, social, and economic domains. However, economic-wise, his most important aim was to promote justice and development.

In Imam Ali’s outlook, mankind is responsible toward everything. In addition to being responsible toward himself; mankind is also responsible toward God, people, community, lands, water, seas, forests, and nature. In order to develop cities, mankind should appropriately make use of natural resources, without damaging the nature and the environment. Meanwhile, making efforts and setting plans are necessary in utilization of natural resources. Thus, activity and work is one of the main pillars in the economic thoughts of Imam Ali (AS), which leads to production. Therefore, Imam Ali, upon stating the importance of work in Islamic culture, encouraged people to make further efforts, while pointing out that no movement for the sake of God is more important than your efforts to meet the needs of your spouses and children.

In the view of Imam Ali (AS), humans are responsible for growth and development of lands and usage of its related blessings. The Infallible Imam points out that one of the duties of Prophet Adam and his generation was the development of lands.

Imam Ali (AS), in his efforts to pave the way for development of the Islamic lands, obligated his government and officials to make every effort for development and growth. Hence, Imam Ali (AS), in his letter to governor of Egypt, Malek-e Ashtar, referred to one of the duties of the latter as the development and growth of Egypt. Although the development of land takes place by people, especially farmers; in the view of Imam Ali (AS), the ruling system also maintains a number of responsibilities to this end. In fact, the main role and responsibility of the government is to set policies for supporting the agricultural sector, and reducing the existing obstacles in the way of production of agricultural goods. Therefore, based on his policy, the Islamic government is duty-bound to provide the sources of production of wealth for farmers, prior to collection of tax.

In the economic policies of Imam Ali (AS), in addition to agricultural sector, especial attention has also been paid to the industrial and trade sectors. At that time, Arabs did not attach importance to industry and industrial products, as such, and believed that the industrial affairs are related to the lower strata of the community. However, upon the advent of Islam, and a change in the viewpoint of people, the economic activities in the Arabian Peninsula took a new shape. Prophet Mohammad (Blessings of God upon him and his progeny) encouraged people to learn about industry. Also, Imam Ali encouraged people to maintain jobs in industrial and production sectors; because he believed that the community’s progress is tied to industrial and trade growth. From the very beginning of his election to caliphate, Imam Ali paid especial attention to traders and craftsmen, and called on his governors-general to take care of them; given that the Infallible Imam realized that negligence of craftsmen and traders undermines the Islamic Ummah.

Imam Ali (AS) noted that hoarding, overcharging, and monopoly leads to economic recession and chaos. Therefore, one of his plans was to seriously campaign against hoarding and overpricing.

 Imam Ali (AS), in addition to encouraging people toward participation in production, trade, and industry, followed a number of monetary policies, too. Imam Ali monitored the quality and purity of the common coins among people. Given that as the result of economic fragility, Muslim Arabs were not capable of minting coins; they used coins common in neighboring countries such as Iran, Rome, and Yemen, in their transactions. These coins entered the Arabian Peninsula as the result of trade and exchange of goods among Arabs and their neighboring countries. Nonetheless, the volume of currency, circulating in the Arabian Peninsula was negligible in comparison to the currencies circulating in Iran and Rome. Thus, the value of currency common in the Arabian Peninsula was determined outside of its boundaries. On this basis, in order to maintain the value of currency in Islamic land, it was necessary to be cautious about the level of purity of the entering coins. Throughout Imam Ali’s rule, the government monitored the quality and purity of coins. Meanwhile, upon the growth of Islamic conquests of lands which were under the influence of Rome and Iran, and upon materialization of further economic achievements, Muslims gradually thought of minting gold and silver coins. Throughout Imam Ali’s rule, in 40^th AH, a number of coins were minted, on the two sides of which ayahs of Holy Quran were engraved.

Throughout Imam Ali’s rule, in order to support businesses and economic activities, upon the instruction of Imam Ali, a marketplace was constructed which was comprised of a number of shops. Imam Ali rendered these shops to traders and businessmen.

In an effort to sum up the social and economic activities of Imam Ali, it should be said that due to commitment of the Infallible Imam to Islamic principles and teachings, he sought the prosperity of the members of community, and considered the ruling system as the best means for achievement of this ideal.

In his social and economic policies, Imam Ali followed two main goals; which were namely social and cultural reformation of people via appropriate education and upbringing; and movement toward development and growth. These two factors are closely bonded to each other because without reformation of people, development and growth is not feasible; and without growth and development; people cannot be reformed. An ailing community lacks the necessary motivations for production and development; while a healthy community strives to overcome problems and to lift hurdles, one after the other. A lively and healthy community, which maintains dynamism, is capable of meeting its needs for food, and housing, and so forth, via maintenance of efforts and prudence.

Imam Ali (AS) used a number of means for fulfillment of his government’s plans and organization of the economy of the community. For instance, he followed economic policies such as collection of tax, and fair distribution of wealth in the society. He also placed support for agricultural, industrial, and trade sectors, in addition to traders and craftsmen, on its agenda. Furthermore, in an effort to control and supervise the state of the economy, Imam Ali campaigned against hoarding, overcharging, accumulating of wealth, monopoly, and poverty. Additionally, the Infallible Imam advised people and officials to be fair and committed to ethical virtues in their transactions.

MR/MG