Title: property and justice
Review: Social Justice and Islam confounds many prevalent prejudices about both Sayyid Qutb and Islam. The book, written after Qutb's sojourn in the United States, contains a sharp critique of sexual harassment and the commodification of women. The book explores the political implications of the Muslim practice of zakat. Zakat is ordinarily viewed as a form of charity, a type of alms for the poor. Qutb argues that zakat, properly understood, provides a means for rectifying the imbalances and momentary instabilities of the market while preserving private property and commerce; enables the protection and just distribution of common goods, and provides both principles and practices that secure social welfare without breeding dependency or diminishing human dignity. The most illuminating aspect of the book is the recognition of the importance of human dignity to economic justice and political order. Qutb is of interest not only to Muslims but to anyone interested in political economy.
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