ASPECTS OF ECONOMIC CONSUMPTION IN MALAY CLASSICAL LITERATURE ACCORDING TO SHEIKH DAUD AL-FATANI

Abstract

Sheikh Daud bin ‘Abdullah al-Fatani (1131-1265AH/1718-1847AD) is one of the prominent Malay Islamic Scholar that emerged during the transition period of the eighteenth and nineteenth century. He is well known as a productive and prolific scholar that can be observed in many aspects. Therefore, this article attempts to analyze his opinions towards the aspects of consumption as discussed in his book Furu‘ al-Masa’il and specifically refering to the chapter of muamalat. This article employs the content analysis methodology through the thematic approach in identifying the aspects of consumption. This article has identified at least nine aspects of economic consumption that is employed in the literature that comprise of price tags, freedom to buy and sell goods, the rightful way of consumption, arbitration, safeguarding the rights of the consumers, guarantee of selling and purchasing rights of consumers, choice, discounts and the prohibition of hiding. The research findings indirectly show an evergreen opinion of Sheikh Daud al-Fatani in his kitab Furu‘ al-Masa’il that is a very deep and ever relevant at any time either in the past, present or in the future.