The Phenomenon of Prosperity According to Ibn Khaldun: An Economic Analysis in Light of Islamic Thought

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon of economic prosperity (Al-Rawaj Al-Iqtisadi) in the thought of Ibn Khaldoun, through a multidisciplinary perspective that combines Islamic economic principles, sociological analysis, and contemporary psychological concepts. It is based on the premise that prosperity, in Ibn Khaldoun's thought, is not reducible to price increases or the abundance of goods, but rather reflects the equilibrium of political, social, and economic structures.

The research focuses on a central Khaldounian triad: the safeguarding of wealth as the foundation of economic security; the prohibition of monopolies to ensure market justice; and the balance of supply and demand as an indicator of civilizational maturity. Ibn Khaldoun links the flourishing or stagnation of markets to three principal mechanisms: the role of the state as a coercive authority controlling the market through fiscal policies; sudden disruptions such as wars or famines; and the ethical conduct of economic actors, which influences trust and demand.

The study also connects this vision and classical conditioning theory in psychology, showing how profit and fairness function as reinforcing stimuli, while taxation and monopolization act as punitive factors, leading to changes in economic behavior. It concludes that prosperity, from Ibn Khaldoun’s perspective, is not merely an economic condition, but a civilizational phenomenon that reflects the interaction of the state, the market, and public ethics, and serves as an indicator of the flourishing or decline of civilization.

The study employs a critical comparative analytical method, grounded in Ibn Khaldoun’s Muqaddimah and supported by classical and contemporary references in Islamic economics and behavioral psychology.