Introduction and Critique of the Book " Early Islam and the Birth of Capitalism "

This article provides an introduction and critique of the book " Early Islam and the Birth of Capitalism" by Benedict Kohler. In this work, the author extensively uses historical evidence to argue that the motivation for wealth creation, entrepreneurship, engagement with free markets, and global trade has roots in the teachings of Islam and the culture of early Islamic centuries. In doing so, he critiques and complements Max Weber's idea in the famous book "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism" and attempts to demonstrate that the origin of capitalism can be traced back not to the era of the Protestant Reformation in Europe but to the early Islamic period in the Arabian Peninsula. Although this book is a noteworthy interdisciplinary research with many innovative points, some serious criticisms can be addressed, including the lack of reference to primary sources, overlooking ongoing debates and ambiguities regarding the history of Islam due to the insufficient availability of clear and sufficient evidence from the first two centuries of Islam, the relatively low reliance of the author on Quranic verses, neglecting a nuanced understanding of capitalism, and adopting a reductionist approach towards religion in downplaying its role to mere ideology.