A study by two Muslim professors at George Washington University in 2010, titled ‘An Economic IslamicityIndex (EI2)’, provides a compelling reminder of why this book is so important. Using a set of criteria drawn from Islamic principles, including justice and morality, property rights, sanctity of contracts, treatment of workers, and freedom from corruption proposed in the study, the Islamicity Indices website has published ‘Islamicity Ranking’ since 2015. The indices measure four key dimensions: economic, legal and governance, human and political rights, and international relations. In 2022, the highest-ranking demographically Muslim country was Malaysia, at number 43; that means 42 non-Muslim countries ranked higher than the best Muslim country. While the methodology of the indices might be subjected to rigorous questioning, ‘You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.’ Muslims would do well to read this book to begin addressing this troubling situation.
