Explaining the foundations of the scientificity of economic knowledge in the view of Allāmah Misbāh Yazdī and examining its challenges

This article aimed to elucidate the foundations of the scientificity of economics (taking it for granted that economics is a science) in the view of Allāmah Misbāh Yazdī and to examine the related challenges. Given the complexities of understanding the existential dimensions of the economic human and the dependence of economic subjects on human free will, significant challenges have been raised regarding the scientific status of economics. The objective of this article was to analyze these challenges from the perspective of Allāmah Misbāh and to provide answers based on Islamic epistemological, ontological, and anthropological foundations. The research method of this article was exploratory and relies on content analysis of Allamah Misbah's works. This study sought to explain the possibility of economics being a science by examining the specific characteristics of the humanities and addressing the challenges associated with it.
Method: This article employed an exploratory method and was conducted through content analysis of Allamah Misbah Yazdi's works. By referring to his texts and writings, the foundations of the scientific nature of economics and the related challenges were extracted and analyzed. The research approach was based on examining the epistemological, ontological, and anthropological foundations that Allamah Misbah has addressed in his works. Additionally, considering the differences between the humanities and natural and mathematical sciences, this article investigated the specific characteristics of economics as a human science and attempted to provide answers to the raised challenges by relying on Allamah Misbah's perspectives. The content analysis method in this research included extracting key concepts, categorizing them, and presenting logical analyses based on Islamic philosophical foundations.
Results: Based on the findings of this research, economics in Allamah Misbah's thought can be explained as a systematic science grounded in certain principles. Challenges such as the incompatibility of necessary economic laws with human free will, the relative lack of cognitive validity of economics compared to natural sciences, the difficulty of reaching a consensus on abstract economic concepts, the absence of an agreed-upon methodology in economics, and the influence of presuppositions on economic biases are among the issues examined in this article. Allamah Misbah, emphasizing Islamic epistemological foundations, affirms the possibility of economics being a science and believes that, despite existing complexities, economics can be recognized as a valid science. He also argues that methodological differences and the influence of various foundations on economics do not necessarily negate its scientific status but rather highlight the unique characteristics of this discipline.
Discussion and Conclusion: In this article, relying on Allamah Misbah, it has been demonstrated that economics, as a human science, can maintain its scientific validity despite the challenges raised. The emphasis on Islamic epistemological foundations and the possibility of certain and absolute knowledge are among the reasons that justify the scientific nature of economics. Additionally, Allamah Misbah, by analyzing challenges such as the role of human free will in economics and the influence of presuppositions on scientific biases, showed that these issues do not necessarily negate the scientific status of economics but rather reflect its unique characteristics. Ultimately, this article concluded that, based on Islamic philosophical foundations and Allamah Misbah's views, economics can be recognized as a valid and systematic science, provided that its foundations and principles are properly explained and analyzed. These findings can pave the way for future research in the fields of the philosophy of economics and Islamic humanities.