The Concept of Economic Development in the Thought of Selected Muslim Scholars

Objective - Islam is a total way of life, and covers all dimensions of life. The life of the world is temporary; it is simply a transitional place before one embarks on final destination. Bearing this mind, the worldly life should be framed within Islamic paradigm, but that should not hinder Muslims to make progress and development in this temporary world as evidenced in history. During the “golden era” of Islamic civilization, Islam had produced such brilliant scientists as Ibn Hayyan (ca. 8th – 9th centuries), al-Kindi (801–873), al-Khawarizmi (ca. 8th–9th centuries), al- Battani (850–922), al-Razi (ca. 854–925/935), al-Farabi (ca. 870–950), Ibn Sina (908–946), al-Zahrawi (936–1013), Ibn Hayyan (965–1040), Omar Khayyam (1048–1131), and Ibn al-Nafis (1213–1288). In economic, Islamic civilization gave birth to scholars like al-Ghazali (1058–1111), al-Mawardi (1075–1158), Ibn Taimiyah (1263–1328), Ibn Khaldun (732-808), al-Maqrizi (1364-1442), and many others who had made great contribution to the development of Islamic economic thought.This paper is an attempt to explore the ideas and thoughts of those Muslim scholars on the concept of economic development and its relevance to the contemporary era.Method - Content AnalysisResult - Economic development is one of the objectives in achieving the welfare of the ummah and it must be based on Islamic valuesConcusions - Economic development is one of the objectives in achieving the welfare of the ummah. However, development must be based on Islamic value. Various scholars of classical and contemporary thought in the concept of development provide an opportunity for us to improve the current condition of the ummah

Kontribusi Subsidi Langsung Tunai dalam Menopang Kebutuhan Hidup Masyarakat Miskin di Medan Labuhan Sumatera Utara

Kebijakan pemerintah dalam menaikkan Bahan Bakar Minyak (BBM), mengakibatkan sebagian besar kondisi hidup masyarakat mengalami keterpurukan terutamanya masyarakat miskin. Ini disebabkan terjadinya kenaikan biaya-biaya kebutuhan dasar masyarakat seperti biaya pendidikan, kesehatan, transportasi dan kebutuhan hidup sehari-hari. Data Indef dan SHR memperlihatkan jumlah orang miskin di Indonesia mengalami peningkatan menjadi sebesar 18,7 % dari 16,7 % (Penelitian 2005). Walaupun pemerintah memberikan kompensasi kenaikan BBM salah satunya melalui Subsidi Langsung Tunai, tetap tidak memberikan dampak positif bagi perbaikan kondisi hidup masyarakat miskin. Hasil penelitian di Kecamatan Medan Labuhan, memperlihatkan pendistribusian Subsidi Langsung Tunai tidak memberikan kontribusi positif terhadap perbaikan kondisi hidup mereka. Adapun efisiensi pendistribusian anggaran dana Subsidi Langsung Tunai terhadap masyarakat miskin di Kecamatan Medan Labuhan melalui tiga tahap senantiasa mengalami selisih, sebab dana yang tersedia dengan realisasi dana yang didistribusikan sering mengalami kelebihan akibat ada sebagian besar masyarakat tidak mendapatkan Subsidi Langsung Tunai. Sedangkan kondisi masyarakat sebelum dan sesudah menerima Subsidi Langsung Tunai kondisi kehidupan rumah tangga mereka tidak berobah atau tetap miskin