A Research Study on Historical Background of Kharaj-Land Tax- and its Islamic Perspective

Abstract

Islam is the torch bearer of collective justice. It has been insisted upon to establish of justice in all walk of life. Before Islam all  kinds of cruelties and injustice were prevalent in society abolished by Islam which benefited mankind a lot. One of these is economic cruelty and exploitation system. The ruling class used to impose heavy taxes on public in order to fulfill their luxuries and extravagance. The ruler used to obtain a huge share from the production of farmers in the shape of “Kharaj”. Consequently the life of public had become miserable and it has become impossible for general public to become prosperous. Islam revolutionized this system and introduced mankind with a just economic system which ended the cruelty and exploitation. Islam gave a just and balanced system of taxes and their uses by which every individual of society can benefit on equal basis. The wealth rotates in society instead of being limited in a specific class. This ends poverty and the sense of deprivation from the society. Kharaj is one of these taxes. How was Kharaj promulgated before Islam? What was the system of collection of Kharaj? After Islam what changes occurred in the promulgation and collection of Kharaj? This article will discuss historical and research based analysis of these points.

Keywords: Kharaj, Islam, Umar, Sawad e Iraq, Usman