Surah Al-Qalam and the Tragedy of the Commons

Abstract

This paper examines Surah Al-Qalam (Chapter of the Pen) from the Qur’an, highlighting its economic and ethical implications through the lens of the ‘Tragedy of the Garden’ narrative (verses 17–32). The paper challenges traditional Tafsir interpretations and draws parallels with Garrett Hardin’s ‘Tragedy of the Commons’. Employing the Qur’anic exegesis method Tafsir-ul-Qur’an bil-Qur’an, the paper derives authentic Islamic principles such as stakeholder inclusion, sustainability, self-restraint, social responsibility, and cooperation over shared resources. The paper additionally explores contemporary applications of the Surah, including environmental conservation, public resource management, and sustainable corporate governance. By integrating modern concepts like game theory and stakeholder theory, the study demonstrates how Qur’anic principles can address current challenges, urging a re-evaluation of classical interpretations to unlock the Qur’an’s potential for advancing Islamic economic thought.