Summary: This paper explores the care economy, the network of paid and unpaid labor sustaining human life, as a foundational moral dimension of Islamic economics. While modern Muslim-majority countries often measure development through material indicators such as GDP, investment, and industrial growth, this framework argues that Islamic economic thought inherently integrates ethical and human values. The care economy encompasses activities such as childcare, eldercare, domestic work, and community support, tasks frequently excluded from economic accounting yet essential for social continuity. Drawing upon the principles of rahmah (compassion), adl (justice), ihsan (benevolence), and amanah (responsibility), the study situates care as the core of a value-based economy aligned with the maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah (objectives of Islamic law). It further highlights the moral dissonance between these ideals and prevailing public policies that undervalue caregiving and environmental stewardship. The paper proposes integrating care-oriented indicators, social protection systems, and gender-inclusive labor policies into national economic frameworks. By re-centering compassion and justice in policymaking, Muslim societies can advance toward falah, holistic prosperity encompassing moral, social, and spiritual well-being. Ultimately, this study redefines Islamic economics not as an economy of profit but as an economy of care that sustains and dignifies life in accordance with divine ethics.
Human Dignity and the Moral Orientation of Economic Life
In many Muslim-majority countries, economic policy remains primarily driven by metrics of growth, industrialization, and investment flows. Development success is still measured by GDP, trade balance, and productivity indexes, while the moral and human dimensions of economic life often remain overlooked. Yet within Islamic civilization, economics has never been detached from ethics. It is not merely a system of material exchange but a means of nurturing, sustaining, and dignifying life.
One of the most relevant frameworks for reclaiming this moral orientation today is the care economy. The term refers to all forms of human activity, both paid and unpaid, that contribute to the maintenance of life and social well-being: nurturing children, caring for the elderly or the sick, supporting persons with disabilities, teaching, cleaning, and organizing households and communities.
The care economy constitutes the invisible foundation of all productive sectors. Without…
