The View on Trade in Islam and Christianity

This is the views of trade in Christianity and Islam essay. One believing it was sinful while the other had thought of it as a way of life. However, later on, they became more similar. Christians, once believing it as sinful, have become tolerant to trade, while Muslims have made strict laws concerning trade because of its deceitfulness and tricks.

In the Bible, Jesus said that a rich man won’t go to heaven. This shows us that Christianity forbade trading. The Quran, however, gave rules on trade and said that only fair trading will allow a merchant to go to heaven. This shows that Islam allows the practice of commerce and endorsed fair trade. The letters in document 6 between the merchants show that they only wanted fair prices for the wool and paintings, while the mother, in a letter to her son, said that he already has much wealth should stop pursuing more and remember god. All of these documents prove that Christians did not approve of trading, unlike Muslims who made it part of their life and religion.

Islam and Christianity both share values of fair trade. Document 2 shows that Islam supports equal trade as the Quran says, “And give full measure when you measure out and weigh with true balance. This is fair and better in the end.” In document 4, Thomas Aquinas says that a man shall not sell anything for more than its worth. Both of these documents show that both religions believed in fair trade. It also shows that later on Christianity opened up to and accepted trade as an honest way of making money. Ibn Khaldun, in document 5, writes that commerce is a deceitful practice, full of lies and tricks, but at the same time, it’s a way of life that still requires Muslims to trade, but only in the fair exchange of goods. Document 7 shows that Muslims found it unjust for one merchant to make money and leave the other merchant in the same trade with nothing. Christianity and Islam oppose unjust trade.

To sum up, the attitude of both religions have changed over the years. In document 4, the Christians accepted trade as honest work while in document 7 the Muslims called for fair trade as they realized that people can be cheated easily. Christians, once believing it as sinful, have become tolerant to trade, while Muslims have made strict laws concerning trade because of its deceitfulness and tricks