Muslims in the British city of Norwich have revived the traditions of the Islamic market based on encouraging a number of fair business practices, with the aim of supporting societies and helping them combat the economic repercussions of the Corona pandemic.

In this report published by the British Middle East Eye website, writer Nashwa Gwanluk said that according to the Open Trade Network, an organization based in Norwich that supports the principle of trade and entrepreneurship for all, the markets during the early days of Islam represented The lifeline of society, and the first bastion of social prestige and wealth.

The writer stated that in the new Norwich market, merchants are not taxed or forced to pay fees, and they are not allowed to reduce prices in an excessive way.

In fact, this initiative is considered one of the projects of the Open Trade Network, in partnership with the local Al-Ihsan Mosque and the Islamic Center, and is supervised by members of the Muslim community in the city, among them Jamal Seeley and Rahima Brant, who worked together before in running a kitchen for the poor and affected by the pandemic in the month of Ramadan the past.

Brant says they are starting to think about the next step they should take. "Continuously feeding people is really just a temporary solution, it won't stop anything, it won't change anything," she said.

Open space

The idea of ​​hosting some form of social center for merchants, makers, bakers, artists, farmers, and street food vendors has been around for a long time.

"It's something we've been talking about for years ... a big space where people can do free trade, and it's the kind of activities that reduce the burden on supermarkets," says Sealy.

The author quoted Dr. Asadullah Yati, a professor of Arabic language and jurisprudence at the German University of "Weimar" (Bauhaus-Universität Weimar), that "markets in traditional Islamic societies were not based on the establishment of fixed and organized stores, grocery stores, wholesale stores or shops." Supermarket. Supermarkets only store and monopolize goods in order to control and manipulate prices. "

In Norwich there is a famous traditional English market dating back to the 11th century, with fixed stalls in the market center selling everything from fabric to food.

But the new free market, which is held one day a month, represents an opportunity to support local merchants, and a social response to the urgent needs of the people affected by the pandemic.

In fact, some of the stalls are run by merchants who set up small businesses after losing their jobs during the lockdown.

The spirit of giving

Due to the pandemic, a tour of Lalita Kumar, a freelance artist and former duty manager at the Norwich Theater, who booked a stall in the week of the market opening to promote her collection of Indian-made clothing, which she called "Lalita Wardrobe", has been canceled.

"The spirit of giving and support for independent small businesses at such a difficult time was a ray of hope," says Kumar.

She added that she was lucky, as she was running this project when the pandemic spread across the country.

"All of our local seasonal markets have been canceled, which is very scary for small creative businesses like Mashrouy," she added.

Another former theater employee, Jimmy Woodhouse (22), has launched the "Jimmy Battisery" project, after losing her job this year at the Royal Norwich Theater, which offered the market to use its car park without paying any fees.

Woodhouse, a specialist in making homemade sweets and custom-made cakes, commented, "I feel that the market gave me a wonderful opportunity, and I am very happy to participate in such a diverse event, which gave me a platform to promote and market my small business in difficult times, and I am grateful for that."

The author pointed out that the absence of subscription or rental fees in the Norwich Duty Free was a major attraction for local merchants, whether they were beginners or experienced.

According to Brant, this is "an ancient prophetic direction, and we are certain of its success."

Market regulation

Locations are allocated according to first-come-first-served, whether at the time of registration or when choosing where to place the stalls on that day.

Although the principles are based on Islamic teachings, the market still operates by the rules of the traditional English marketplace.

When merchants register, they know that we are doing so according to Islamic market principles, ”says Brant.

As for the visitors and shoppers, they "do not know that it is an Islamic market ... it is only a market."

Local artists perform in a square that also serves as a dining hall during Market Day.

Despite the small size of the market surrounding the car park for the City Theater, which includes fewer than 50 stalls, the atmosphere remains lively.

Because of the risk of bankruptcy threatening retailers on the main streets after the curfew due to the Corona pandemic, Sealy says that their efforts stemmed from a desire to confront large companies that have benefited from food monopolization and electronic marketing.

The response, Seely confirms, has been amazing, as all stalls were booked during the second edition of the Market in September within a minute of the announcement.

The market provided an opportunity for the Muslim community to bring about change in society as a whole and "take care of everyone," as Brandt put it, especially at a time when negative thoughts about Islam abounded.

"It's very easy to sit down and discuss the fundamentals of changing the world for the better while we drink coffee," Brant added. "But I think it is really important that we serve individuals and communities, and do what we can to benefit people. Without that, what's the point of all this?"