LIFE HISTORY
i. Abu Muhammad ‘Ali Ibn Abu ‘Umar Ibn Ahmad Ibn Sa’id Ibn Hazm
ii. Born in 994,Cordova to a rich and influential family
iii. Descendents of Persian who had converted from Christianity and resettled in Andalusian Spain
iv. His father,Abu ‘Umar Ahmad attained a high position in the administrative hierarchy
v. He became a wazir for 3 different ocassions
vi. Attained respect as a great thinkers
vii. Proved to be forceful philologist,rhetologist,jurist,philosopher,theologician
viii. Innovative scholar and outspoken proponent of radical views that often prompted harsh criticism
The four highlighted total economic concerns during the Ibn Hazm period are:
Economic Development
i. Basic needs and Poverty
ii. Zakah
iii. Taxes
Land Tenure systems
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
1. Fulfillment of basic needs and poverty eradication.
a) Ibn Hazm emphasized on one of the Maqasid al-Shariah which is the preservation of human life and well being through the four basics standard of human being which are food, clothing, health and shelter.
b) The fulfillment of basic needs are essentials to protect the benefit of the human being mentally and spiritually.
c) Non-fulfillment of basic needs is the fundamental indicator of the existence of poverty.
d) Thus, Ibn Hazm also emphasized on the role of the state as well as the rich people in ensuring the needs of the needy people must be met.
2. Zakah
a) In eradicating the existence of the poverty and fulfilling the basic needs among the poor people, Ibn Hazm addressed a priority on the role of the rich by helping out the poor through the obligatory status which is zakah.
b) According to Ibn Hazm, zakah is an obligation that must be fulfilled during his/her lifetime and apart from his/her wealth must be distributed to the poor.
c) Regardless of the cause for non-payment of zakah (intentionally done, ignorance of obligation), the zakah debt is never written off and it considered as a debt to Allah SWT.
} Since zakah is one of the 5 pillars of Islam, non fulfillment of the pillar considered sin.
TAXES
a) Concerned with the factor of justice in the tax system
b) The interests of the people must be considered when imposing tax
c) Concerned over the nature of the tax system
d) Abusive and exploitative must be prevented
e) Taxes were to be collected by not transgressing the limits of the Syari’ah.
LAND TENURE
a) Holds the opinion that muzara’ah is invalid in Islamic law.
b) Ibn Hazm as a proponent of Socialist
Why Ibn Hazm so-called as socialistic tendencies:
- Fighting for the welfare of people in other to eradicate the poverty situation of poor and indigent by enjoining imposition of taxes on the rich.
Correction:
All what Ibn Hazm has done is just for the sake of Allah, In other to uphold the justice among the indigent and poor-The enjoyment is for the benefit of society and not for the class struggle.
2. Urging state intervention, in particular through imposition of taxes, in order to alleviate poverty.
Correction:
Yes, we cannot deny of limitation of state power in market because there is hadith regard to the market intervention. However, it is must to understand the meaning of the hadith is use for the situation at that time of prophet. But, when it goes for the maslahah of his society. Ibn hazm need to use the intervention of government because there are a lot of rich people who is greed and don’t want to pay zakat.
3. Ibn Hazm constant concern on the society need even he was came from the notable family and had held position as wazir for three time within three different ruler.
Correction:
Ibn Hazm insisting on the literal meaning of Quran(2:177/273). Ibn Hazm as a proponent of Liberalism
Why Ibn Hazm so-called as liberal tendencies and advocate liberal doctrine?
- Opposition against taxes and the exploitative of tax collection.
Correction:
He is not totally reject the tax but as long as zakat can sustain and satisfy the society, he will not use tax. He is concern with the maslahah of the society because at that time using too much taxes on trader or manufacturer will make loses for them.
2. His concern that non-shar’iy taxes result in loses for manufacturers, entrepreneurs and traders.
Correction:
He was concern with the welfare of manufacturer, entrepreneur and trader as he concern to the poverty and indigent-justice factor.
3. His opposition against taxes on goods since this can hinder the rate of sales and the multiplier effects accruing from elements of injection into the economy
Correction:
Some of Ibn Hazm’s struggle which hinder the flourishing of trade had been neglected.-Ibn Hazm struggles have been selected due to reflect a certain ideology’s coincidental similarity. his struggle is based on entirely different philosophical and ideological foundation. His view is focus in helping the poor people. Even the tax collection is one of the inflow surplus to the state but at his time there is a lot of chaotic and misuse of power at administrative.Besides that, there is no meaning when there is economy growth but the gap between rich and poor still wideand the poverty cannot be reduce.
The Best Of Ibn Hazm
1) He is great jurist with a unique approach because he rejected analogical reasoning as well as istihsan.
2) He is one of the greatest thinkers in the Arab-Muslim civilization.
a) Literateur(major in work of art,drama and poetry)
b) historian(major in history)
c) philologist(science or study the development of language)
d) Rhetoricist(language impresively)
e) Jurist(major in fiqh and usul fiqh)
f) Philosopher (the basic knowledge of other knowledge) and theology( understand comparitive religion and
3) He had endowed with the position of imamah.
a. Possessing personal traits such as strength and rigour of memory, sharpness in thought and words and highly commendable powers of observation and analysis.
b. Having education through his personal enthusiasm to learn and study.
c. Deep understanding in foreign languages.
d. He had active participation as a wazir. He spoke with soundness of thought and richness experiences.
4) His works comprises 400 works with 80,000 sheets but only less than 40 still exist-its encompass jurisprudence,logic,history,ethics and comparative religion.