'The Suq ( Market ) and Waqf of Madina' by Umar Vadillo

'Ibn Khaldun who was a qadi, was considered to be the Father of History because he was the first person who encountered an understanding of history in the way of interpretation of events. Not just relating events, but interpreting it. Ibn Khaldun said 'What makes a city ? What distinguish a city from a settlement? It is the existence of the market-place.' So, when there is no market-place, a place is still called a settlement. It does not become a Medina yet. It becomes a Medina when it has a market-place.'

'The Muslims of Madina did not invent the market-places. Just like we did not invent the gold coins. It had existed from the beginning of societies. That society itself allocated a space, that was a public space, … public, meaning own by everybody, where the people can trade.'

'A super-market is a monopoly. It destroys trading, destroys distributions and ultimately destroys production because eventually it becomes part of the monopoly that controls retailing.'

'The society with monopolies has nothing to do with trading, and that society has nothing to do with Islam.'

'It is sufficient to start with the fact that the restoration of the market-places into muslim societies is a fundamental pillar in our war against riba (usury).'

'So when people ask me is there any country in the world now using the gold dinar? I tell them not to ask me that question. I tell them to ask me 'Was there any Muslim country using the gold dinar when the Caliphate was established? I answered them ' ALL without exception. ''

'The silk routes and other routes. Every spot on the lines of the trade routes on the map of the muslim world represents a major market. These were the very heart of the trading activities of the muslims world when they were masters of trade. It is very clear in this picture that we were a middle kingdom. Therefore, land trading was fundamental in our wealth.'

'Market places, before and after Islam, were public institutions. They were own by the people. They belong to the people. And Rasul (saw) actually documented in his saying the fact that the Suq is a sadaqah to the people. Meaning, the institution that regulates the market place is the Waqf.'

'Rasul (saw) said, ' The sunnah of the market is like the sunnah of the masjid.''

'Rasul (saw) said 'This is your market. Do not divide it into sections. Do not impose taxes.''

'It is a fundamental right of every individual to have a place ( space ) to trade without any limitations. Monopolistic super-markets break down the fundamental freedom of societies to do trading.'

'Privatisation of markets have killed trading. '

'The sukka are the people of the market. The sukka were dominantly women. The tujar, the traders, the people who were in the caravans were mostly men. This was not exclusive at all. It is also known there were some men in the market of Madina. The retail in the market place were mostly run by women. The women run the society. The market place is their domain.'

'What made Kelantan special in my view is the market of Siti Khadeeja. What makes their women special because they have this entrepreneural spirit. I remembered going to Pasar Siti Khadeeja. 20 yrs ago. Now, the whole thing is falling apart. It is very sad. Extremely sad. In those days it was absolutely vibrant.'

'With the coming of the British to the middle east, among the first measures they undertook was the nationalisation of the wakf. The wakf that represented the wealth of thousands of people in the society. It is the property of Allah (swt). It cannot be sold or repossessed, or anything of the kind. It was taken over. It was systematically nationalised solely in order to create the first condition for the establishment of the capitalist institutions.'

'In the same way that Henry VIII nationalised all the properties of the Christian monasteries for giving birth to the perfect monarchy that later on became the first modern state. The same way the British did later with the waqf of the muslims.'

'That's the beauty, the beauty is that Allah (swt) build the world bil-Haqq. The thing that give us the strength and put light to where the darkness is .. is Madina al-Munawarra. Al -Munawarra … the Light. Nur. This is our Light.'