38 chapter two
abuser heeds the warning, or the advice, and rectifies his action,
God is always forgiving, and he is generous in his reward for repen-
tance. Further, earthly creatures other than human beings have the
right to live on the goodness of the land, as they are meant to serve
humans in survival. The maltreatment of animals for food or work
is forbidden, and, equally, the misuse of natural resources is con-
demned. Finally, man is required, if not preordained, to civilize the
earth, for his sake and the sake of other creatures.
The Concept of Vicegerency, al-khilafah
The concept of vicegerency on earth indicates that man is the cen-
tre of the universe and God’s deputy on earth. This is the core of
the Islamic ideology on which the Islamic economic thought revolves
and to which almost all Muslim jurists, with the exception of the
very few, adhere. Stressing that man is the centre of the universe,
the Qur"àn states, “He it is who has created for you everything on
earth”, (Qur"àn, 2:29), and “has made subservient to you whatever
is in the heavens and the earth and granted you His bounties, man-
ifest and hidden”, (Qur"àn, 31:20, see also 16:12–14, 17:70, 22:65
and 45:12–13). In stating man’s viceregency on earth the Qur"àn
declares, “When your Lord said to the angels: ‘I am placing on the
earth one that shall rule as My deputy”’, “It is He who has made
you vicegerents on earth”, and “Have faith in God and His apos-
tle and give in alms of that on which He has made you vicegerents”,
(Qur"àn, 2:30, 35:39 and 57:7 respectively). By the concept of dep-
utizing, a deputy has to perform his duties in accordance with the
instructions directed to him by his superior. The deputizing supe-
rior, God, has laid down His rules of utilizing economic resources
in the manner He wishes it to be done. To put another way, what-
ever man has on earth of economic resources he has on the basis
of trusteeship. It is a trusteeship between God, the superior creator
and provider, and man, the user of what God has made available
to him. The use of these resources therefore is controlled by the
rules of trusteeship and any violation of these rules would render
the entrusted party, man, guilty of the abuse and misuse of the sub-
ject of trusteeship, earthly economic resources. Man is, therefore,
accountable to God and by the virtue of the rules of trusteeship, or
stewardship, any violation of these rules would merit God’s attribu-
tion and punishment. The degree of punishment, or even forgiveness
to the repentant, is left to God alone as the creator of these resources