AL-DAWUDI: A NORTH AFRICAN MALIKITE OBSERVER OF THE ECONOMIC DISORDER UNDER THE FATIMID REGIME

Abstract

The present paper contextualizes the North African Malikite scholar Abu Ja^cfar Ahmad ibn Nasr al-Dawudi's views in his interdisciplinary work, Kitab al-Amwal, which typifies the interaction of economics, politics, religious ethics and jurisprudence. This study gives us a considerable insight into the main causes of the economic crisis under the Fatimid regime. This article has a bipartite division in the main. The first part is an introduction to al-Dawudi and his book, its coverage, methodology, sources, and influence to the reader. The second part analyzes his economic views on major issues, such as 'individual economic behaviour,' 'the rights of the needy to the private possessions of the affluent,' 'the poverty line versus the solicitation line,' 'the legal status of the conquered lands,' and the 'economic offenses and anti-corruption policy.'

JEL Classification: B110, B310, N370, N470, P590