Since the creation of mankind, man has developed many ideologies of politics and economics through the centuries. As evolution of man had lived, his ideological thinking has developed with him. We have heard several ways of thinking and approaches in order to uphold the most convenient ideology that would match our way of life and fulfill all what we are all seeking for. In this thesis, I am going to illustrate different philosophies on its own ,then compare it to Islam. As a start, we all have been familiar with the concept of liberalism; we understand it is the meaning of freedom of expression, human rights, equality and democracy. We never had a close look on the development of that word and the real intension of that perception. As a start, Liberalism was taken from a Latin word meaning "freedom". It interprets the importance of liberty and equal rights; it intends for free trade, freedom of religion and human moralities. Returning to the Age of Enlightment, liberalism aimed at creating an ideology for hereditary, establishing an authority as head of state and head of government , his powers not being limited by a constitution or by law. Man in the 16th century believed in the conception of individuality of human nature. It was been believed that "now if individuals are moral entities, equal in value, they can submit to no will that is arbitrary or capricious. To do so would be to deny their moral equality, to deny the dignity which they possess as human beings endowed with reason." Liberalism has acknowledged that an individual can submit to an authority which is impersonal, objective and eternal. As the concept of liberalism was recognized, they agreed that freedom should be under a law which by this freedom is secured. In other words, humans are free as long as it is set under values and ethics and natural law. They depended on the conscience on how an individual should be approaching his liberal thinking and way of living. In the 17th century , it was believed that law can no longer be obligatory and man no longer need to be compelled by it. The acceptance of eternal truth, values and conscience has been lost and can no longer be depended on, instead liberalism is being driven by the concept of following one own logic of either to make the sovereign absolute or individual absolute. As the rise of math, physics, man has decided to remain God as the Creator, the great mechanic of a mechanism that ran by itself, but no longer the regent of the universe. Extending to the 18th century, law became related to the time and place and not anymore universal or absolute. In the 19th century, liberty has converted to the perception of the interest of the stronger and powerful, aiming at securing the oneself. Communism, an economic system, was established in the Soviet at the time of the world war and in China as well. It designed at depriving the concept of classes. Everyone is given an equal weight in the decision-making process. So, everyone in the society is an owner in the community of industry as a whole. One of the main who affected the concept of communism as an example for this economic system,was Joseph Stalin, premier of the Soviet Union and first General Secretary of the Communist Party 1922. His regime looked for agriculture, which ended in a failure and the violence of the peasants at that time. It concluded of 20,201 people executed as result of the anger that the regime caused. AS well as the death of 400,000 thousand cause of the crop failure. Stalin controlled too science ideologies, art and literature. On the other hand, he gave women rights to work and share in the society and he took care of education and health. Stalin believed that religion should be removed in order to maintain ideal communist society. He depended on anti-religion institutions and propaganda was spread against religion. It also resulted of monks and priests were executed and 10,000 were shot. Even churches were perished at that time. Capitalism, in contrast, was being applied by the 16th century in Europe. It meant that it is owned by one and profitable. Any organization built on the principle of capitalism is divided into wages, profits or loss. In addition, the government has no control on it by any means, but paying taxes for the government in return. It matched the idea of liberalism at that time. Socialism,differently from communism, depended on the publicity of production. The government are the ownership of the organizations. It is built on equal-powers, depends on production of goods for consumption through the market. By this movement, the workers are given a political crusade and are considered as the owners of the economy. They are given rights and are important in any political or economic issues. The socialism system was pioneered by Marx who aimed for the equality of human classes as the means of production. And so, socialism was the road that ended to the system of communism. Moving to scientism, as a lot are mistaken in the aim of this ideology, I would clearly like to embody this ideology. By the age of reason and acknowledging the importance of science, man realized that inspiration and spiritual methods are no longer matching with the new era. Scientists limited the work of God, denied all spiritual means and depended on what is seen to believe in. This philosophy, is related to research and scientific system. It is based on experiments, forming assumptions and interpreting results till the correct outcome is being relieved .This ideology was much affected by Darwin's theory "life on earth was emerged out of the evolution from one or few common ancestors." Going through all the previous ideologies man has recognized during the centuries, Islam is to be proven to include all these ideologies and all their followers looking for. As the beginning, Islam means "peace of mind" in order to live purity of heart and peace, you must submit yourself to God and His Divine law. Islam has discussed science and its importance, economy and its ethics, human rights and democracy, etc. A lot has accused Islam hasn't proven to be depending by scientific thinking. As by the experiments that were started in the 17th century, it was proven what was written in the Holy Quran thousands years ago. Scientists proves that the Holy Quran has mentioned what they didn't realize before the age of reason, such as the planets, the development of the baby inside the woman's womb and what man is created from. Scientists like Prof. Gerald, Prof. William, and Prof. Persuad, all have proven The Divine work of God. Islam doesn't conflict with science and logic thinking, by logic thinking you conclude the world around you. As God has asked man to use his mind in everything goes around him, starting from the ability of life and death, to the planets and its system, to the difference of light and day till the law of the world. Coming to economics, Islam has put guidelines and rules to ensure justice and equality in all its aspects. It declared individual obligations and rights, property rights, importance of contracts, work and wealth, prohibition of interest and importance of competition. God has created man to worship God, not only by praying, but as well in many other means such as living with the laws of God, justice and ethics. "Indeed God is not concerned with your appreance nor your wealth, but rather your hearts and deeds." Said by the Prophet PBUH "Oh humankind ! Indeed We created you from a male and female, and we made you different nations and tribes, that you may come to know one other. Indeed the most honored amongst you are the most God conscious" Quran 49:13 So, by the rules that God has told us to live, preliminary with honesty, just, faith, fairness, we will sure establish a good economic ground of growth. As I would demonstrate, there are boundaries of Islam that should be taken care of and followed. First, in goods, God has told us that in weighting, we should be fair and we are forbidden to cheat in the amount of weight or lie about the quality of the good we are selling. Second, in having a new business agreement, God in the Holy Quran told us to write contract with having two witnesses in order to ensure one's right. In addition, God hasn't forbid profit, and we can buy and sell as we like as long we are following honesty and fairness. In having a business, you must know you're obligatory towards this business from wages and morality. Your money should never be out of gambling, stealing, cheating, or lottery as it counted as unfairness for other people are trying to work hard to fulfill their needs. You work hard to earn your wealth. As God mercifulness, He reminded us of the poor and their needs, as so He has asked us to give away a percentage of money to the poor after making sure that you have fulfilled all your other obligations of wages and expenses, etc. God has also asked us to help the needy by any means we can, as a proof of thankfulness to God for the great things He has given us. The most Merciful, has also forbidden us to take what is not ours, from orphans' money or by any means that has become out of cheat or stealing. In addition, Islam has encouraged competition to improve your goods and services. It moreover asked for cooperation between others to learn the concept of teamwork and help in order to erase the feeling of envy that can destroy anything. As a lot accused Islam for not knowing the concept of human rights and as it has been continuously the core problem among our nations, people tried to look for law to save it not realizing that it was mentioned in Islam. "The liberal understanding of free speech allows for humor, insult, lying, criticism and even hateful speech in so far, as it does not harm others". In Islam God has prohibited the insult of human kind, as He has created man to be the most highest of all creatures. God has said all humans are equal and that only are our deeds in life that makes us near or far from God. God has said that no one should insult or harm any other human being either by word or deed. Islam doesn't differ through their religion, race or color. Prophet Mohamed PBUH said" No Arab has any superiority over an non-Arab, nor does non- Arab have any superiority over an Arab, nor does a white man have any superiority over a black man, or the black man have any superiority over the white man. You are all the children of Adam, and Adam was created from clay." Islam as well, has prohibited killing anyone or to end one's life. "One who kills a man under covenants will not even smell the fragrance of paradise. " Said by the prophet. Islam has also given the right to live with dignity among people "You, who believe, do not let one (set of) people make fun of another set. Do not defame one another, do not insult by using nicknames. And do not backbite or speak ill of one another". Even women God has put her in a very special place, He has warned man to mistreat woman by any means, He has given her rights in inheritance. Women as well had rights and equality in many phases, He obliged man to take care of her financially and emotionally. He gave them right to elect as they did when they went to the Prophet to elect him to speak for them in any problems. Women in Islam helped in the spreader of faith, by meetings and by being beside their husbands at the time of war. Islam had certain obligation about the concept of democracy. At first, the meaning of democracy is “ demo”standing for people and ‘carcy' that meant power. So, by this it means that the law comes from man and not from the Divine. As man,is incomplete in himself and by having no real book of law to return to or seek advice from,it will mean that people will live in choas. Laws will be an outcome from self-interest rather than the benefit of mankind. Islam was very clear that anything that is related in life, you must at first return in to what God has said and His prophet,seeing if it matches or is against the Divine Law. At the sametime, God has asked the prophet to take the opnion of his friends and who are well in knowledge in order to preserve the rightous conclusion as long what is being discussed doesn't contradict with the laws of Allah. For example, at the time of war, the prophet discussed with his fellow friends the best way of war startegy and how to defend their town. God as well, has forbidden his prophet to force anyone to enter religion and if he is a muslem, he should be talken to, as long as the person didn't commit a crime that has to take an action with, like prison and so on. By this, I concIude, Islam has stated all what people has been searching for during the past centuries, no matter what name they chose for their ideology, Islam has said it first and asked for it. So, I really wonder why there is fear of what has called for equality, freedom, faith, honesty, fairness and dignity? References: The Decline of Liberalism as an Ideology by John Hawell Democracy – A religion by Mohamed El Makdasy www.witness-pioneer.org - www.about.com – www.islamreligion.com – www.scienceislam.com- www. Wikipedia- dictionary.com – www.tawheed.net
