Agricultural Development in the West Bank (ص 48)
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- Agricultural Development in the West Bank (ص 48)
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Yoranic injunctions which call on Noslems to "conduct thy
spiritual rituals but not forget your share in this life."
Mohamad is reported in the "Hadeeth" to have said "live your
second Life as if you are dying tonorrow, and your first as if you are
Ammortal."
am has in fact banned priesthood as a profession or way of
Life, demanding of all Moslems to work for their living while
similtaneously attending to their rituals. Islamic economic
Miidelines Leave ample room for private ownership and initiatives
within few constraints, most inportantly, a ban on cheating,
Stealing, monopoly of necessities, and usury. Unconditional
Accumilation of woalth through legitimate means is respected as
long as income earners pay their "zakat" income tax.
Qwpirical evaluation of the impact of Islamic faith on economic
life in the West Bank (and in most other Moslem countries) lends
tm evidence to a negative correlation, Famers, shop-keepers,
Artisans and small businessmen are noted for their enterprising
spirit and hard work, while at the same time most of them may be
overly pious. Camonly, they make their pilgrimage to Mecca and
observe their prayers regularly while attending to their work.
Famers and rural residents tend to be noticeably closer to
Teligious practices, while at the same time they are the harder
workers, In fact the close observer can detect a sense of missionary
fanticism in their attitudes toward farming, This could be illustrated
in the famous proverb rationalizing growing olive seedlings, which
Says "they (forefathers) planted and we eat, we plant and they eat
(coming generations)". Again the Prophet is said to have kissed
the hands of a farmer and noted that "those hands will not be
touched by fire in the Doonsday.""
Gntrary to theoretical arguments, the secularization of Moslem
communities through higher education and acculturation along
Western prototypes may have in fact drastically undermined the
unusually dedicated spirit to farming and manual professions.
This will be discussed in the next section, but it is safe
to conclude this section by emphasizing that Islamic beliefs and
Practices do not constitute a deterrent to development, particularly
in agriculture.
Attitudes to manual professions
A common feature of Middle Eastern societies is their marked bias
for white-collar jobs such as medicine, engineering, law, teaching,
and the government service. Professional occupations requiring
manual skills are rarely taken out of choice, but more often
due to failure to get a "cleaner" job. Undoubtedly, this attitude
has deterred faster economic development, to the extent that it
has impeded the mobilization of competent manpower to production
Sectors such as farming, industry, and handicrafts. Hence these
Sectors are frequently left nostly with mediocre works
Qontrary to arguments presented by some writers, this attitude
towards manual professions has little bearing on Islamic teachings.
Instead, it seems to have its roots in the nature of Turkish,
British, and Jordanian nule of the West Bank, when tangible
© perience demonstrated starkly the superior social and material
Temuneration which was accessible through certain types of
Professions, Thus, the popular preference for such jobs seems
‘to have been a totally rational decision on the part of youth
Mindful of their future careers. Their priorities, naturally,
bear directly on the quality of edication which they wuld like
to pursue - should they become free to do 80.
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- المنشئ
- Hisham Masoud Awartani
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