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Islamic Conquest and Trade

The early Islamic conquests started as raids by Arab tribes seeking booty and riches, not permanent settlement. However, the momentum of successive victories led to the creation of a vast Arab empire. While the Quran commanded fighting against aggressors, it also respected Jews and Christians, allowing them to retain their faith by paying a tribute tax. Islamic scholars recognized trade as a natural means of livelihood but noted it often involved deception and tricks to maximize profits at the expense of honesty. Overall commerce was seen as inferior to more virtuous pursuits like rulership.

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Anirudh K
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46 views2 pages

Islamic Conquest and Trade

The early Islamic conquests started as raids by Arab tribes seeking booty and riches, not permanent settlement. However, the momentum of successive victories led to the creation of a vast Arab empire. While the Quran commanded fighting against aggressors, it also respected Jews and Christians, allowing them to retain their faith by paying a tribute tax. Islamic scholars recognized trade as a natural means of livelihood but noted it often involved deception and tricks to maximize profits at the expense of honesty. Overall commerce was seen as inferior to more virtuous pursuits like rulership.

Uploaded by

Anirudh K
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Standard: Explain a historical concept, development, or process

Islamic Conquest

History of the Arabs, Phillip K. Hitti, 1946

The passion to go to heaven in the next life may have been operative with some, but the desire for the
comforts and luxuries of the civilized regions of the Fertile Crescent was just as strong in the case of
many… The campaigns seen to have started as raids to provide new outlets for the warring tribes, the
objective in most cases being booty [riches] and not the gaining of a permanent foothold… The
movement acquired momentum as the warriors passed from victory to victory… the creation of the Arab
empire followed inevitably.

The Caliph Omar: Arab Imperialist, 750 CE

Koranic revelation commanded them to “Fight in the cause of God against those who fight you, but do
not be the aggressors.” The early Muslims thus fought their heathen enemies… war against unbelievers
was sanctioned by divine revelation and the example of the Prophet. But many Arabs were Jews or
Christians: What was to be done with them? Mohammad respected the older monotheistic faiths… he
called them “People of the Book”… they were not forced into Islam but were allowed to retain their
ancestral religion on payment of tribute.
Islamic Perception of Trade

Muslim Qu’ran, 620 – 650 CE

O ye believers! Devour not each other’s property among yourselves unlawfully save that be trading by
mutual consent.

Woe to the cheaters! who, when they take measure of their dues from men, take it fully; and when they
measure out t others or weigh out for them, they give less than is due.

And give full measure when you measure out and weight with rue balance. This is fair and better in the
end.

If the two parties speak the truth and make it manifest, their transaction shall be blessed, and if they
conceal and tell a lie, the blessing of their transaction shall be obliterated.

On the day of judgment, truthful Muslim merchant will take rank with the martyrs of the faith

Ibn Khaldun, leading Muslim scholar, Universal History, 14th Century

Commerce is the increasing of capital by buying goods and attempting to sell them at a price higher than
their cost. This is done either by waiting for a rise in the market price; or by transporting the goods to
another place where they are more keenly demanded and therefor fetch a higher price; or lastly, by
selling them on a long-term credit basis. Commercial profit is small, relatively to the capital investment,
but if the capital is large, even a low rate of profit will produce a large total gain.

In order to achieve this increase in capital, it is necessary to have enough initial capital to pay in cash the
sellers from whom one buys goods; it is also necessary to sell for cash, as honesty is not widespread
among people. This dishonest leads on the one hand to fraud and the adulteration of goods, and on the
other to delays on payment which diminish profits because capital remains idle during the interval. It
also induces buyers to repudiate their debts, a practice which is very injurious to the merchant’s capital.

The manners of tradesmen are inferior to those of rulers, and far removed from manliness and
uprightness. We have already stated that traders must buy and sell and seek profits. This necessitates
flattery, and evasiveness, litigation and disputation, all of which are characteristic of this profession. And
these qualities lead to a decrease and weakening in virtue and manliness. For these acts inevitably affect
the soul.

As for Trade, although it be natural means of livelihood, yet most of the methods it employs are tricks
aimed at making a profit by securing the difference between the buying and selling prices, and by
appropriating the surplus. This is why Islamic Law allows the use of such methods, which although they
come under the heading of gambling, yet do not constitute the taking without return of other people’s
goods.

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