ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM 65 those who violate the sanctity of that institution is particularly merciless. The Quran lists five crimes for which the severest penal-tics are imposed. Two of them are plunder and theft. The first is punishable by death, the second by amputation of the hand, or even death for repeaters. It is interesting to note that traditional Islamic law holds private property so sacred that even in the event of default it prohibits the confiscation of the debtor's property; the inviolability of his person is not so carefully protected, and he may even be arrested and thrown into prison.112 By virtue of varying historical and socio-economic conditions in the newly independent countries, the revolutionary efforts of the masses will show many distinctive features to the forms of non-capitalist development, termed "socialism" in many countries. Actually what this denotes is no "third" or "middle" economic structure, but rather, a traditional phase from the colonial, feudal or semi-feudal economy to socialism, without passing through the stage of capitalism as a whole or that of industrial capitalism. In those states where there is a united national anti-imperialist front and revolutionary-democratic forces stand at the helm, the theoretical basis of the official political course is shaped by influences emanating from different classes, including the proletariat, if there is one, and the peasantry, petty-bourgeoisie and intelligentsia. As a result, these official ideologies, while containing progressive elements, arc extremely eclectic in nature. The fact remains, however, that for all disparity between "national" socialist theories and scientific socialism, the former arc often of great positive value objectively insofar as they pave the way for the progressive development of the newly independent countries. B G BAIG 1 See Muhammad Usman, Iqbal and Economic Problems, p 56. 2 Ibid, p 60. ^ Ibid, p 67. 4 The Pakistan Times, Lahore, 12 April 1963. 5 See the Quran (4, 8-15). « M Siddiqi, What is Islam? , p 75. 7 Derived from ^aka, "to be pure". e The Pakistan Constitution of 1962, in Article 18 of the chapter on. Principles of Policy, speaks of the need to eliminate riba (usury). 9 Pakistan Economics, 1959, p 229. 10 Mufakkri, Nassers Islamic Socialism. 11 Kabus-name, p 21. 11 See M Hamidullah, Islam and Communism.