Evaluating the Goal of Maximizing Profits in the Conventional Financial System from the Perspective of the Quran

Abstract

Economic liberalism is the most important intellectual and philosophical principle in capitalism, a fact which leads to unlimited freedom in regard to capital and consequently an absolute profit-making. This study aims to survey the maximum profit-making in capitalist financial systems, and through a descriptive- analytical method and Quranic interpretation, it has extracted Quranic verses about money and wealth to explain the issue on the basis of topic-based interpretation of financial economics. The results show that the Holy Quran has imposed limitations on all aspects of obtaining, distributing and consuming wealth, and money must be earned by observing divine limitations and without the intention of gaining wealth beyond one’s necessary worldly needs. Therefore, making wealth, though permitted at individual level, cannot be taken as the sole objective of a financial system.

Keywords

• profit
• quran
• capitalism
• conventional financial system