Economic Models and Islamic Faith: A Critical Assessment of Reductionist Approaches

This paper critically examines the application of economic models to Islamic religious principles and practices. While the economics of religion has emerged as a growing field of study, we argue that its application to Islam often results in reductionist interpretations that strip the religion of its essence by reducing complex spiritual experiences to material motivations. Through detailed case studies of recent influential works, we show how economic models tend to misrepresent Islamic practices by overlooking theological foundations, imposing materialistic interpretations, making ahistorical assumptions, and completely ignoring dimensions of welfare that are long-rooted in the study of Maqāṣid al-sharīʻah (Higher objectives of al-sharīʿa). The paper concludes that the current application of economic models to Islamic principles often obstructs rather than enhances our understanding of religious belief and practice. This critique contributes to broader discussions about the limits of economic methodology in studying religious and spiritual dimensions of the human experience.