Early Islam and the Birth of Capitalism [Paperback]

The title of the book by an historian and former banker was surely devised with an eye to the marketing: it . . . [will] appeal to all readers interested in the world's dominant economic system who retain a healthy curiosity about its origins, and also tho those with an interest in Islam and its contribution to civilization. . . .Overall, this has been an easy, enjoyable and at times riveting read. . . .Well-referenced as it is, this is an excellent primer. . . [I]t is an enlightening spring through a fascinating period of history, illuminated by comparisons with other eras and regions and indeed fictions such as One Thousand and One Nights.The British economic historian Benedikt Koehler sheds light on an entirely different Muhammad: the entrepreneur from Mecca and the founder of economic institutions which  long before Italian cities of the Renaissance  gave an impetus to capitalist business practices.This book advances a very powerful hypothesis; the author claims that capitalism originated in Islam with Makkah as its birthplace, instead of Christianity and medieval city-states in Italy during the Renaissance&. Overall, I believe this book is an eye-opener to many readers interested in Islam and capitalism. The tremendous effort the author made in developing and analyzing such an original hypothesis by delving into the medieval scholarly sources is worth crediting. The book may be one of the stepping stones for Muslims to better understand capitalism. I hope the book can create many avenues for discussion and exchange of ideas between capitalism supporters and Islamic scholars in the future for the betterment of humanity.With a deft hand, Benedikt Koehler weaves parables and precedents into a thesis so compellingfor the American Muslim reader, so painfully intuitiveit begs the question how could contemporary capitalisms seed not be present in the earliest of Islamic life and thought. Koehler demonstrates why explaining the origins of capitalism cannot be lil“!