Islam lays the foundation of all its systems, whether political, economic, social or any other, on one fundamental principle — that the ultimate sovereignty and ownership belongs only to God Almighty. As it is stated in Surah az-Zukhruf that:1

That is, greatly blessed is Allah to whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. Similarly, all that is between them is also under His ownership and control. To Him also belongs the knowledge of the last Hour — when all of these have served their purpose and the time for them to perish has arrived. Ultimately, everything will be brought back to Him.

In this verse Almighty God announces that the rules over the heavens and the earth and whatever lies between the two is under His ownership and control. Furthermore, it is God alone who knows the destined time when every living being, after fulfilling the purpose of its creation, must face its end and return to Almighty Allah. In brief, this verse lays down that the kingdom of the heavens and earth really belongs to God, and everything that exists therein is destined to return to Him.

When a person is made responsible for a specific task, or is entrusted with something of value, he is answerable to the one who entrusted him with those responsibilities; but a person who regards himself free and unanswerable to anyone would be inclined to do whatever he pleases. This verse of the Holy Quran is a reminder that all worldly governments, kingdoms and powers are under God’s command and are granted to human beings only as a trust. Man must not consider himself unaccountable just because he has the power and ownership of material wealth that he is given in this world. He may appear to have authority and ownership on the surface, but in truth he is only holding a trust from God. Human beings are answerable before God that they rightfully discharged the trust that was reposed in them.