According to the standard narrative, economics is an objective and scientific study of universal laws applicable to economic affairs of modern societies. After a brief introduction, the second section of the article presents a counter‐narrative that disputes this claim, and provides an alternative point of view that situates modern economics within its European historical, political, and social context. We briefly discuss why the conventional methodology of modern economics makes false claims to objectivity and universality. The third section provides an alternative methodology that is based on the recognition that human behavior is inherently and unavoidably normative, and any study of human beings and societies must take this into account. The fourth section of the article brings out the norms concealed within the foundations of modern economics, since the avowed methodology does not permit explicit and open expression of these norms. The fifth section describes Islamic views that describe the normative ideals for our personal and social lives. In particular, Islam aims at the development of the potential for excellence that every human being is born with. It does not aim at accumulation of wealth and material possessions. Nor does it aim at achievement of happiness through the maximization of pleasure achieved by consumption. The sixth section describes the transformational strategies required for spiritual progress in different dimensions of our human existence. The seventh section describes some of the institutional structures required in the economic realm to assist in the achievement of the transformation towards the normative ideals. The final section explains how we should use our unique and precious lives to aim for higher goals than mere consumption of goods and acquisition of wealth.

中文翻译：

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伊斯兰的礼物：精神发展的经济

按照标准的叙述，经济学是对适用于现代社会经济事务的普遍规律的客观科学研究。在简要介绍之后，本文的第二部分提供了与该主张有异议的反叙述，并提供了一种替代观点，将现代经济学置于其欧洲历史，政治和社会背景下。我们简要讨论了为什么现代经济学的传统方法论对客观性和普遍性提出了错误的主张。第三部分提供了一种替代方法，该方法基于以下认识：人类行为是内在且不可避免的规范，对人类和社会的任何研究都必须考虑到这一点。本文的第四部分介绍了隐藏在现代经济学基础中的规范，因为公开的方法不允许这些准则的明确和公开表达。第五部分描述了伊斯兰的观点，这些观点描述了我们个人和社会生活的规范理想。伊斯兰特别致力于发展每个人与生俱来的卓越潜能。它并不旨在积累财富和物质财富。它也不旨在通过消费获得最大的快乐来实现幸福。第六部分描述了在人类生存的不同维度上精神进步所需的变革策略。第七部分描述了经济领域中有助于实现向规范理想的转变所需的一些制度结构。