political fragmentation and cultural diversity 283a better chance of being fairly treated in his trade. More amazingly,
he stated, “the person who is afraid or unassertive, and who, in addi-
tion, lacks the influence of rank with judiciary, must avoid trade”. This
is because, “he will become the prey of traders, and he may not get
his rights from them. People, as a rule, desire the possession of other
people. Without the restraining influence of laws, nobody’s property
would be safe. This applies especially to traders and the low-class
mob”. Ibn-Khaldùn’s strong statement highlights the importance of
a good financial control system and adequate legal services for the
success of business. Dishonest traders do not escape Ibn-Khaldùn
criticism, however.
Turning his attention to the importance of skilled labour in the
process of production Ibn-Khaldùn emphasised the importance of
occupational training and acquiring knowledge. He spoke about the
effect of training in one occupation on the level of skill and exper-
tise, advocating that change of occupation during one’s life time may
not lead to mastering the skill needed in the craft, in an indirect
reference perhaps to the advantage of division of labour. He also
devotes a substantial chapter to sciences and knowledge discussing
the various kinds of sciences, the methods of instruction and the con-
ditions that obtain in these connections. He covered a comprehensive
list of sciences, though, unfortunately, economics as a science was not
specifically included. But economics was not known to be a science
until recently!
Having looked at the development of Islamic economic thought
during a difficult period of Muslim life, we turn our attention in the
next chapter to studying yet another important period in the Islamic
history. It is a period that preceded a stage in Islamic history when
Muslims decided to return to the principles of their religion in
their attempts to find answers to their social, economic and politi-
cal problems.
We move in the next section of this work to a new phase in
Islamic history. Re-emerging from the ashes of its decline, the Islamic
world has experienced what could be rightly described as a renais-
sance. It is a phase that is normally referred to by historians as Islam
returning triumphant. And surprisingly, those who burned its civi-
lization to ashes were those who later carried its banner to glory.