First Principles of Islamic Economics

Author:  Syed Abu Ala Mawdudi
Translator:  Ahmad Imam Shafaq Hashemi
Publisher:  Institute of Policy Studies
Pages:  290
Binding:  Softcover
ISBN:  978-969-448-109-8

About the Book: Abul A’la Mawdudi laid down the foundations of modern Islamic economics. Drawing upon Islamic sources, Mawdudi spelt out a new paradigm for economic analysis and policy, wherein economic pursuits take place in the context of moral values and are directed towards the achievement of personal and social objectives. Integral to this approach is the concept of an interest-free economy that attempts to make efficiency and equity inseparable and interdependent. The creation and distribution of wealth thus become instrumental in promoting individual and social wellbeing, opening up pathways to development, social justice, and human welfare. This comprehensive anthology collects all of his major writings and provides a historic as well as an essential introduction to Islamic economics.

About the Author: Abul A’la Mawdudi (1903-1979) was a leading Muslim intellectual and a chief architect of the Islamic revival in the twentieth century. In 1941 he founded Jama’at-i-Islami, a political party in Pakistan, which he led until 1972. He authored more than a hundred works on Islam, both popular and scholarly, and his writings have been translated into some forty languages.