Many documents point towards the differing attitudes of religions toward

s merchants. Using these documents, we can see what the different religions felt
about the merchants and how those views changed.
The earlier documents shed light on first impressions of trade. The Musl
im Qu'ran (written about 620 C.E.) orders it's followers to "devour not each ot
her's property among [them]selves unlawfully save that be trading by mutual cons
ent." This shows that mercantilism was at least toleratd, as long as the people
weren't cheating each other with their trades. Reginald, a monk of Durham, told
a story of a man who gave up his tenets and beliefs for the art of trade, but la
ter "began to yearn for solitude, and to hold his merchandise in less esteem tha
n heretofore." Christians were first afraid of the effect mercantilism might hav
e on one's walk with God. Another christian scholar, Thomas Aquinas, states than
"no man should sell a thing to another man for more than it's worth." Christian
s felt that the people that sold and bought items would not be honest in the ite
ms' worth, and by making a profit, commit a sin.
Documents ranging from the fourteenth to sixteenth century show how the
religions' views on merchants changed over time. Ibn Khaldun, a leading muslim s
cholar, wrote that all the qualities of a merchant "lead to a decrease and weake
ning in virtue and manliness." The muslims at this time became fed up with merch
ants for cheating them out of fair trades, and no longer consider them real men,
but thieves and rogues. A letter from an italian merchant's mother asks that he
"Crave not for all; you have already enough to suffice you!" The mother is worr
ied for her son, which she believes has gone down a darker path because of his m
erchantry. Another letter writ of an italian merchant gave a response to an orde
r placed of english wool, stating that "in the name of God and profit, you would
have us my cotswold wool." These merchants use God as a crutch to pass their pr
oduct, and to make a profit.
A great additional source that could be used in this study would be a ch
ristian or muslim woman's view. These sources all come from a male's perspective
, keeping the whole thing biased. A woman might have insight on what merchants m
ight be able to do for the women, if the women were the ones to do the shopping
or needed certain items for cosmetics or housekeeping.
Note to Linder:
I started, timed myself, and stopped within a 40 min. writing period, so i know
how i'll do with the actual AP test.