The heavens and the earth and everything in the universe belongs to Allah. God is the real owner of everything, al-though He has given some rights to man for use of things required by the latter for his existence on the earth. However, the rights given to man are very limited, the real position of man being that of a trustee and a beneficiary. Some of the relevant verses of the Qur’an which highlight this concept are given as under:
1. Unto Allah belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth; and unto Allah all things are returned.
-(3 : 109)
2. Unto Allah belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Allah ever surroundeth all things.
-(4 : 126)
3. He it is Who hath placed you as viceroys of the earth and hath exalted some of you in rank above others, that He may try you by (the test of) that which He hath given you. Lo! Thy Lord is swift in prosecution, and lo! He is Forgiving, Merciful.
-(6 : 165)
4. Believe in Allah and His messenger, and spend of that whereof He hath made you trustees; and such of you as believe and spend (aright), theirs will be a great reward.
-(57 : 7)
This limited ownership or trusteeship bestowed on man by Allah in respect of the wealth which is given to him is not without significance. The divine wisdom underlying this principle of trusteeship is that man should not hoard his wealth treating it as his absolute ownership and deprive others from its use. Rather the surplus wealth of man must go to his fellow beings who are in want. This principle has been made more clear when the Qur’an says : “……. and bestow upon them of the wealth of Allah which He has bestowed upon you……” (24 : 33). Thus the whole scheme of circulation of wealth through charity and Zakat and distribution of wealth through other equitable means envisaged by Islam is based on man’s limited rights as a trustee of wealth which has been bestowed on him by His Lord
Filed under: Salient Features
Islamonomics 