The Purpose of Life in Islamic Economics: A Conceptual Analysis of the Philosophical Foundations of Economic Activity
Keywords:
Life, Philosophical Foundations, Economic Activity, Conceptual AnalysisAbstract
This study aims to analyze the relationship between the purpose of human life in Islam and the fundamental principles of Islamic economics as the philosophical foundation of economic activity. This research is motivated by the tendency of previous studies on Islamic economics to focus primarily on technical and practical aspects, while discussions concerning the purpose of human life as the conceptual basis of economic activity remain relatively limited. The study employed a qualitative approach using a library research method. Data were collected from various scientific literature sources, including the Qur’an, Hadith, books, and scholarly journals related to Islamic economics, falah, and maqāṣid al-syarī‘ah. The data were analyzed using content analysis through the stages of data reduction, categorization, interpretation, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal that the purpose of human life in Islam serves as the primary philosophical foundation of Islamic economics, positioning economic activity as part of worship and human social responsibility. The concept of falah in Islamic economics reflects holistic well-being encompassing material, spiritual, and social dimensions in a balanced manner. Furthermore, the principles of Islamic economics, such as tauhid (monotheism), justice, balance, and social responsibility, are closely related to the human purpose as servants of Allah and vicegerents on earth. This study confirms that Islamic economics is not solely oriented toward economic growth, but also toward achieving comprehensive human welfare and social benefit.
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