(Sharia Reflection on Inequality and Distribution Stagnation)
Abundant resources, but the majority of people in it still live in poverty?
This is not just an irony, but a bitter reality that occurs in many countries that are said to be rich.
There are agricultural products. The sea is vast. The mines are full. The rice fields are fertile.
But only a small portion enjoys the wealth. The rest? Survive day by day.
What is wrong?
The problem is not because we are under-producing. Nor is it because Allah ﷻ does not give us much sustenance. In fact, Allah has spread the potential of His blessings very widely.
You know, what really matters is the concept of ownership and distribution . Just imagine, if there are assets that should belong to the public, such as mines, water, and energy, but are controlled by individuals and corporations?
And all of this is neatly wrapped up in one concept, namely the free market. A system that assumes that everything can be owned by anyone, without limits. There is no separation between personal rights and public rights. Not even seeing social responsibility for ownership.
The important thing is to have capital, he can control everything. In fact, Islam is very clear in distinguishing: which is private property, which is public property, and which is state property.
When these boundaries are violated, wealth stops flowing. Distribution breaks down. Inequality widens. And this is the essence of hoarding in the modern context: not just storing things, but locking access, withholding rights, and allowing injustice to grow.
The Meaning of Hoarding and Its Silently Painful Impact
When we hear the word “hoarding,” our minds might immediately go to people who stock up on goods in warehouses to sell at a high price during a crisis. That’s true. But in Islam, the meaning of hoarding is broader and deeper .
First, there is the term ihtikār , storing goods needed by many people, then withholding them from the market for personal gain. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
” لاَ يَحْتَكِرُ إِلاَّ خَاطِئ ٌ”
“No one hoards except the sinner.”
(HR. Muslim )
But it doesn’t stop there. There is also what is called kanzul māl keeping assets without fulfilling their rights. In QS At-Taubah: 34–35, Allah ﷻ warns firmly:
“Those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allah, then tell them a painful punishment…”
Well, nowadays, the form of hoarding is increasingly varied. Not just rice, oil, or basic necessities. But also:
- Vacant land that has been intentionally left for years for speculation.
- Money and assets are parked in large quantities, without any productive activity.
- Power and market access are monopolized by a small elite.
- Even natural resource management permits that should belong to the people are controlled by large companies.
The effects are slow but devastating. Prices rise. Distribution is blocked. Small businesses cannot compete. Meanwhile, the lower classes become victims: it is difficult to buy, difficult to produce, and increasingly depressed.
Hoarding like this silently cuts off the social function of wealth , which should be a tool for sharing, but instead becomes a tool for control.
And worse, this is not just an individual sin. If left unchecked, it becomes a structural disease that makes the economic system look healthy, but is actually unhealthy and unfair.
With pleasure. Here is the continuation of the article:
Also read: Ethical Risk Management in Islamic Investment
Ownership in Islam vs. Unlimited Free Market System
One of the roots of the hoarding problem is the way we view ownership .
In a free market economic system, everything can be privately owned. Whether it is land, mines, water sources, even bottled air, as long as it can be bought and owned, it is legitimate. It does not matter whether the goods concern the livelihood of many people or not.
The problem is, this view is very contrary to Islam. Islam actually regulates ownership strictly and hierarchically . There are at least three types of ownership in the view of sharia:
- Individual property (al-milk al-fardi) – the result of lawful work, inheritance, legitimate buying and selling.
- Public property (al-milk al-‘amm) – such as water, fire, pastures, seas, and large mines.
- State property (al-milk ad-daulah) – assets managed by the state in accordance with sharia principles.
In the Islamic system, public property should not be controlled by individuals or private parties . It must be managed together, the results returned to the community. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
” المسلمون شركاء في ثلاث: في الكلأ، والماء، والنار “
“Muslims are partners in three things: pasture, water, and fire.”
(HR. Abu Dawud )
But in a free market system, all of that can be privatized. The result? Public ownership shifts into private hands. The distribution of wealth becomes more unequal. The strong control the livelihoods of many people, the weak have no bargaining power.
This is why hoarding can be systemic , not just a personal mistake. When the concept of ownership in Islam is ignored, the economic system loses its way. Wealth is no longer a means of worship and welfare, but a tool of accumulation and domination.
And as long as the distribution of assets is not based on sharia, then justice will only be jargon, not reality.
With pleasure. Here is the continuation of Chapter 3 , Conclusion , and Reference List in a style that remains relaxed, syar’i, flowing and concise , as in the previous section.
Also read: Being Grateful with Investment Returns
Distribution Is Not an Addition, But the Foundation of Islamic Economics
Often, distribution is understood as a side activity, a kind of social charity to “patch up” the inequality that has occurred. In fact, in Islam, distribution is the core of the economic system itself .
It’s not that you share after you’re rich, but from the start, wealth has social rights that must be fulfilled.
Islam teaches that wealth should not be stagnant. It should flow. From the rich to the weak, from the rich to the poor. It is not just a recommendation, but part of the system.
There is zakat which is obligatory. There is infaq, sedekah, and waqf which are recommended. There is a prohibition on hoarding and the state’s obligation to keep distribution alive through hisbah (market supervision), management of public property, and enforcement of justice.
Allah ﷻ confirms in Al-Hasyr : 7:
” كَيْ لَا يَكُونَ دُولَةًۭ بَيْنَ ٱلْأَغْنِيَآءِ مِنكُم ْ”
“So that wealth does not only circulate among the rich among you.”
So clearly, justice in Islamic economics does not rest on numerical equality , but on guaranteeing basic rights . Everyone should be able to live decently. Every family has the right to fair economic access. Even individuals are encouraged to be able to meet their additional needs.
Distribution is not optional. It is the breath of justice .
Also read: How to Avoid Panic in Investment Losses
Conclusion
If we want to fix the economic problems of the people, we must start by dismantling the misconception about hoarding .
The meaning of hoarding in Islam is not limited to storing goods and raising prices. It can be present in the form of control of shared resources by a handful of people, a blocked distribution system, and ownership that is not based on sharia.
Our main problem is not lack of production. But because the distribution system is broken, and the limits of ownership are violated . And this is inseparable from the influence of the free market economic system that allows anyone to own anything, as long as they are strong and powerful.
Islam should regulate four main pillars as the foundation of its economic system, namely ownership, management, distribution, and foreign trade.
Hoarding is a symptom of a system that does not place trust and justice in its place. And as long as that system does not change, inequality will continue to widen no matter how much wealth we are given.
Also read: Spirit of Togetherness in Islamic Crowdfunding
Reference
The Qur’an and its Translation . Access via https://tafsirweb.com
Muslim. Sahih Muslim . Access via https://www.hadits.id/hadits/muslim
Abu Dawud. Sunan Abu Dawud . Access via https://www.hadits.id/hadits/dawud
An-Nabhani, T. (1990). An-Nizham al-Iqtishadi fi al-Islam (Economic System in Islam). Beirut: Dar al-Ummah.
