The fire erupted on Friday near the municipality of La Bisbal d’Emporda, close to the popular Costa Brava tourist region, which typically attracts large numbers of visitors during the summer season. Authorities said no injuries had been reported.

According to Catalonia’s regional fire service, the wildfire has consumed approximately 2,200 hectares (8.5 square miles) of woodland and vegetation. Firefighters said they had succeeded in containing more than two-thirds of the blaze after an intensive overnight operation involving hundreds of emergency personnel.

The regional fire service said crews had stabilized about 70 percent of the fire’s right flank and were focusing on consolidating those gains before changing weather conditions and shifting winds expected later on Saturday could complicate firefighting efforts.

“Our objective now is to consolidate before the winds change,” the fire service said in a statement, highlighting the importance of preventing the flames from spreading into new areas.

Catalonia’s regional emergency services said approximately 150 people were evacuated from a holiday camp as a precaution, including around 70 children. Officials did not indicate when evacuees would be allowed to return.

The wildfire is the latest to affect Spain during the summer fire season, when high temperatures, dry vegetation and strong winds combine to create conditions favorable for rapidly spreading fires.

Spain is among the European countries considered particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Scientists have warned that rising global temperatures are increasing the frequency, intensity and duration of extreme heat events, creating conditions that heighten the risk of large and destructive wildfires across the Mediterranean region.

The growing threat has become increasingly evident in recent years as Spain has experienced repeated episodes of prolonged drought and record-breaking summer temperatures, placing additional pressure on forests and emergency response services.

According to the European Forest Fire Information System, wildfires burned nearly 400,000 hectares of land across Spain last year, the highest annual total recorded by the monitoring system for the country. The figures underscored the scale of the wildfire challenge facing Spanish authorities as climate conditions become more severe.

Firefighters remained deployed across the affected area on Saturday, continuing efforts to secure containment lines and prevent renewed flare-ups as weather conditions evolved throughout the day.

The blaze spread across parts of the Herault and Aude departments, where emergency services struggled to contain the fire amid difficult terrain and limited access routes. By late evening, officials said the fire had been contained in some areas but remained out of control overall.

A source at the prefecture told AFP that firefighting operations were continuing despite challenging conditions on the ground. Water-dropping aircraft were deployed to support crews battling the flames in the hilly landscape.

Authorities said temperatures of around 30 degrees Celsius, combined with strong wind gusts and exceptionally dry vegetation, accelerated the fire’s spread across the affected region.

Around 200 residents in the communes of Pouzols-Minervois and Mailhac were either evacuated or instructed to remain indoors as smoke blanketed nearby communities.

“The smoke was so thick, so suffocating that firefighters told us to leave,” Danielle, a 99-year-old resident of Pouzols-Minervois who was evacuated, told AFP.

The wildfire comes a year after major fires devastated parts of the Corbieres region and follows a deadly heatwave that affected much of Europe in recent days. Meteorological forecasts have warned that another period of extreme heat is expected, raising concerns over an elevated wildfire risk across southern Europe.

Firefighters also responded to two smaller wildfires that broke out near Marseille in the communes of Rognac and Lancon-Provence, according to local emergency services.

French authorities continued monitoring weather conditions overnight as crews worked to prevent the main blaze from spreading further into surrounding communities and vegetation.

In the agricultural district of Al-Mishkhab in Najaf province, farmers are once again flooding fields and sowing rice after severe water shortages forced widespread restrictions on cultivation in recent years.

The turnaround follows heavy rainfall and increased river inflows that have replenished reservoirs and boosted water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates river systems, providing relief to one of the Middle East’s most water-stressed countries.

Farmer Alaa Al-Ibrahimi said he had been unable to cultivate rice last year because of water shortages but has resumed planting this season on approximately 100 dunams of land. Like many growers in the region, he views the improved water situation as an opportunity to restore income and support his family.

The Agriculture Ministry has dramatically expanded approved rice-growing areas this year. According to Deputy Agriculture Minister Mahdi Sahar Al-Jubouri, authorities have authorized cultivation on roughly 362,000 dunams compared with only 200 dunams during the peak of last year’s drought.

Officials attribute the increase to stronger water flows in Iraq’s two main rivers and a substantial improvement in national water reserves.

Water expert Harry Istepanian, founder of the Iraq Climate Change Center, said Iraq’s water storage capacity has risen from approximately 4.5 billion cubic meters in 2025 to around 30 billion cubic meters in 2026, marking one of the most significant annual recoveries in recent years.

The improved conditions are expected to boost domestic rice production to around 300,000 metric tons this season, according to government estimates. Last year’s harvest was negligible after authorities curtailed cultivation because of the water crisis.

Most of the harvest will be purchased by the government for distribution through Iraq’s food ration program, which supplies subsidized staples to millions of households. Despite the increase in local production, Iraq is still expected to import approximately 800,000 metric tons of rice to satisfy domestic demand.

Farmers are also adjusting planting strategies to maximize returns. While the aromatic Anbar variety remains highly valued in Iraqi markets, many producers have shifted toward jasmine rice, which offers higher yields and stronger commercial returns.

The recovery comes amid broader concerns about Iraq’s long-term environmental outlook. The United Nations ranks Iraq among the countries most vulnerable to climate-related risks, with rising temperatures, declining rainfall and increasing pressure on water resources threatening agricultural productivity.

Experts caution that this year’s improvement reflects favorable weather conditions rather than a structural solution to the country’s water challenges.

“The recovery is real, but it is not yet sustainable,” Istepanian said, warning that a single dry season could reverse recent gains.

Iraq’s water security is further complicated by its dependence on cross-border river systems. The country receives a significant share of its water from rivers originating in neighboring Türkiye and Iran, where dam construction and water management policies have long affected downstream flows.

This year’s increase in river volumes was aided by heavy rainfall and snowmelt in upstream countries, which filled reservoirs and resulted in additional releases into shared waterways.

Analysts say sustaining agricultural growth will require continued regional cooperation on water management, investments in irrigation efficiency and reforms aimed at reducing waste in one of the region’s most water-intensive farming sectors.

For farmers across Iraq’s rice-growing heartland, however, the immediate priority remains making the most of a season many feared would never return after years of drought and uncertainty.

Stepwells, deep wells accessed by descending stairways, were widely used between the 11th and 18th centuries to store rainwater and provide year-round access to groundwater. Once common across large parts of India, many fell into disuse during British colonial rule and were gradually abandoned, buried or converted into dumping sites.

The revival effort has gained momentum as India faces growing water stress. According to World Bank data, around 600 million people in the country experience water shortages, while climate-related droughts have intensified pressure on already strained resources.

One of the most prominent restoration projects is the Bansilalpet stepwell in Secunderabad, in the southern state of Telangana. The 18th-century structure, originally built during the rule of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, had deteriorated into a waste disposal site before being restored in 2022 by the nonprofit Rainwater Project.

Kalpana Ramesh, an urban designer and founder of the organization, said the initiative sought to reconnect communities with traditional water systems while improving local environmental conditions. The restored site has since become a public gathering space and tourist attraction, drawing thousands of visitors each month.

Ramesh said the project demonstrates how existing heritage infrastructure could contribute to water security without requiring entirely new construction. Her organization has restored 30 stepwells across Telangana and is currently working on six additional sites.

The restoration model is also being adopted in other regions. In Maharashtra, another state facing recurring water stress, Pune-based nonprofit Sevavardhi has revived 26 stepwells since 2023, focusing on drought-prone districts.

Its first major project was completed in Jejuri, a pilgrimage town near Pune. According to Sevavardhi Chairwoman Girija Sirshikar, the restored stepwell now supplies substantial quantities of water during the dry months, helping local communities cope with seasonal shortages.

The organization plans to restore at least 100 stepwells over the next several years, combining water conservation objectives with the preservation of historical architecture.

Experts involved in the projects say stepwells offer multiple benefits beyond water storage. Their design allows rainwater to recharge underground aquifers naturally, while their shaded, below-ground structures can provide relief from extreme heat. Historically, they also served as important social and community spaces.

The renewed interest in stepwells reflects a broader search for sustainable water-management solutions as India grapples with rising temperatures, rapid urbanization and increasing demand for freshwater resources.

Conservationists argue that restoring existing stepwells could complement modern infrastructure projects, particularly in historic cities where many of the structures remain intact beneath decades of neglect.

As water scarcity becomes an increasingly pressing challenge across India, the revival of these medieval engineering systems is drawing attention as a practical and culturally significant tool for strengthening long-term water resilience.

The report by UNICEF said it cross-referenced population data of roughly 2.4 billion children with the geographic distribution of eight major climate hazards, including coastal flooding, river flooding, drought, tropical storms, heat waves, extreme heat, wildfires and sandstorms.

It found that around 1.1 billion children are exposed to at least three climate hazards, with the most common combination being drought, extreme heat above 35 degrees Celsius, and heat waves. That specific combination alone affects about 296 million children globally.

The report highlighted that exposure is heavily concentrated in parts of South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Countries with large child populations, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria, account for some of the highest absolute numbers of affected children.

Nigeria alone has about 74 million children exposed to at least three hazards, while Pakistan has 34 million and India 32 million, according to the report.

It also found that nearly all children globally — about 2.3 billion — are exposed to at least one climate hazard, while 2 billion face at least two and 364 million are exposed to four or more.

The report warned that 123,000 children face seven or more climate hazards, including about 46,000 in Myanmar, underscoring extreme exposure in some regions.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said children are “at the forefront of the impact of climate change,” according to the report, which also noted that vulnerability is intensified in countries with limited capacity to respond to disasters.

UNICEF researcher Tom Slaymaker said climate risks are concentrated in “hot spots” in Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia, though he added that no country is entirely spared from climate-related threats.

The report noted that in some countries such as Chad, more than 95 percent of children are exposed to at least three climate hazards, driven by compounding risks and weak infrastructure.

It also identified 39 small island states as particularly vulnerable due to limited freshwater resources, import dependence and exposure to extreme weather events, including hurricanes.

Years of drought, recurring floods, armed conflict and shrinking humanitarian assistance have forced millions of Somalis into increasingly precarious conditions, with many displaced families now struggling to survive in overcrowded camps around the capital, Mogadishu.

Among them is 38-year-old Zeynab Ibrahim, a single mother who fled her hometown near Burhakaba in central Somalia after years of failed rains devastated local agriculture and pushed her family into extreme hardship.For three years, Ibrahim watched as drought tightened its grip on her community.

Reservoirs dried up, crops failed and food became increasingly scarce. Hunger and disease spread through the area, claiming numerous lives, including four of her 10 children.“We tried every means to survive – selling dried grass and digging up water from the barren earth.

Unfortunately, there was nothing left, so we had no choice but to escape to save our children,” Ibrahim said while sitting outside a makeshift shelter in an internally displaced persons camp in Mogadishu’s Kahda district.The journey to the capital came only after all other options had been exhausted.

Assisted by a truck driver transporting other displaced families from drought-stricken areas around Burhakaba, she joined the growing number of Somalis seeking refuge in the city.“So hunger is what brought us here,” she said.Ibrahim is one of more than one million displaced people now living in informal settlements across Mogadishu, where many families continue to face severe shortages of food, clean water and basic services despite escaping the immediate effects of drought in rural areas.

Before being displaced, her family relied entirely on farming for survival. Maize, beans, sesame and vegetables grown on their land provided both food and income. As rainfall disappeared, however, agricultural production collapsed.

“Our livelihoods depended on what we could grow on the ground, including maize, beans, sesame and vegetables. But the ground dried because there was no rain,” she said.Her experience reflects a broader pattern unfolding across Somalia, where communities increasingly face overlapping climate and security pressures.

Repeated droughts destroy crops and livestock, while floods that follow periods of extreme dryness often wash away fragile infrastructure and further undermine agricultural recovery.For many households, these environmental shocks occur against a backdrop of persistent conflict and insecurity, limiting opportunities to rebuild livelihoods or safely return home.

The result has been a growing displacement crisis that has reshaped communities across the country. Families forced from rural areas frequently arrive in urban centers with few possessions and limited means of earning an income, increasing their dependence on humanitarian support at a time when aid resources are under strain.

Adan Roble, another displaced Somali, said the combined effects of environmental disasters and insecurity have left many families struggling to meet even their most basic needs.“Imagine losing everything and trying to survive without food and clean water, while fighting continues and drones keep flying overhead,” Roble said.

Roble has experienced multiple climate-related disasters. Years of drought destroyed his crops and rendered his farmland unproductive, undermining the economic foundation on which his family depended.Stories such as those of Ibrahim and Roble illustrate the mounting challenges facing Somalia as climate-related shocks become more frequent and severe.

Rural communities that depend heavily on rain-fed agriculture are often among the most vulnerable, with prolonged dry periods quickly translating into crop failures, livestock losses and widespread food insecurity.For many displaced families, arriving in Mogadishu has provided safety from immediate environmental threats but not from poverty.

Conditions in many informal settlements remain difficult, with limited access to employment opportunities, healthcare, sanitation and reliable food supplies.As climate pressures, conflict and humanitarian constraints converge, displaced households continue to face uncertain futures.

Families that once relied on farming and livestock now find themselves dependent on irregular aid and struggling to rebuild their lives far from the land that once sustained them.

For Ibrahim, the move to Mogadishu was not a choice but a last resort after years of watching her community deteriorate. Although she escaped the drought that devastated her hometown, the daily struggle against hunger and deprivation continues in the camp she now calls home.

A United Nations human rights report has warned that conditions in Afghanistan continue to deteriorate sharply under the country’s de facto Taliban authorities, with women and girls facing the most severe restrictions and millions struggling amid a deepening humanitarian crisis.

The assessment, presented by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk at the latest session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, covers developments between August 2025 and January 2026. It highlights a convergence of economic decline, reduced international aid, environmental stress, and governance policies that have significantly constrained civil liberties.

According to the report, approximately 21.9 million people around 45 percent of Afghanistan’s population—are expected to require humanitarian assistance in 2026. The situation has been exacerbated by a reduction in external funding, the return of nearly three million Afghans from neighboring countries during 2025, and persistent drought conditions affecting livelihoods and food security.

Türk said a series of directives issued since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 has had a “crushing impact” on the population, particularly women and girls. These measures, the report states, have effectively excluded women from most areas of public and professional life.

Since September 2025, Taliban security forces have barred Afghan women, including United Nations staff and contractors, from entering UN premises across the country. The restriction remained in place as of late January 2026, significantly limiting the organization’s operational capacity and its ability to deliver humanitarian assistance.The report also details the formal dismissal of women civil servants.

After being instructed to remain at home following the Taliban takeover while receiving a reduced monthly salary of 5,000 Afghanis, women were informed in January 2026 that their employment had been terminated without due process or compensation. The UN noted the absence of transparency and mitigation measures in this decision.

Educational restrictions remain in place, with girls excluded from schooling beyond the sixth grade and barred from higher education since December 2022. The report notes that medical graduation examinations were conducted in November 2025 without female candidates for a second consecutive year, following a ban on women attending medical institutes imposed in December 2024.

Additional measures have further limited women’s participation in public life. Authorities have enforced dress codes under the “Law on the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice,” and although the requirement for full-body covering appears to have been relaxed in some areas, women not adhering to prescribed attire continue to face denial of access to public transport, markets, and services.

The closure of beauty salons and the removal of books authored by women from libraries and bookstores, regardless of subject matter, have further restricted cultural and intellectual expression.“The de facto authorities have, in effect, criminalized the presence of women and girls in public life,” Türk said, adding that these policies affect access to healthcare, civic participation, and freedom of movement and expression.

The report also identifies broader human rights concerns, including the use of public executions and corporal punishment. Since 2021, authorities have carried out 12 public executions, including two during the reporting period, often in sports stadiums. Public floggings are reported to occur on a weekly basis.In late September 2025, Afghanistan experienced a nationwide shutdown of its fibre optic network, resulting in a 48-hour blackout of internet and mobile services.

The disruption affected healthcare delivery, emergency response systems, aviation operations, and financial services, according to the report, which noted that no official explanation was provided.Media freedom has also come under increased pressure. Journalists face arbitrary detention and restrictions on content, while live political talk shows have been banned since February 2025.

Broadcasting of music and drama has also been prohibited. Women journalists who remain active in the profession encounter additional barriers, including reported incidents of being silenced during official briefings.Türk described the overall situation as severe, citing widespread poverty and limited access to essential services.

“Millions of Afghans live in utter poverty, deprived of their right to adequate food, clean water, and access to education, healthcare and employment,” he said. He added that natural disasters, including two earthquakes in late 2025, have compounded existing challenges, while funding cuts have weakened humanitarian response efforts.

Security conditions along Afghanistan’s borders have also contributed to instability. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan documented 70 civilian deaths and 478 injuries attributed to Pakistani military actions during cross-border incidents in the final quarter of 2025.

The report notes that these figures exceed annual civilian casualty levels recorded in previous years, with the most intense period occurring between October 10 and 17, when more than 500 civilians were affected.In response to these developments, the UN has called on Afghanistan’s de facto authorities to reverse policies that restrict fundamental rights.

Recommendations include restoring women’s access to education and employment, halting executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty, ending arbitrary detentions, and ensuring fair trial standards. The report also calls for respect for freedom of expression and unimpeded humanitarian access.

The UN has urged member states to suspend forced returns of Afghan nationals, warning that deportees face credible risks of persecution, torture, and other serious harm. It has also emphasized the importance of supporting a newly established Independent Investigative Mechanism mandated to collect evidence of potential international crimes.

Türk noted that accountability efforts have gained some traction, referencing arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court in July 2025. He called on states to cooperate with ongoing investigations and provide financial support for accountability mechanisms.

Separately, a civil society-led People’s Tribunal for Women of Afghanistan delivered a symbolic judgment in December 2025, finding the Taliban and associated authorities responsible for crimes against humanity, including gender-based persecution and arbitrary detention.

The tribunal also called for the recognition of “gender apartheid” as a distinct international crime.Türk endorsed efforts to formalize this concept in international law, stating that defining gender apartheid would be a critical step toward addressing systemic discrimination. He urged Afghan authorities to reconsider policies excluding women from public life, emphasizing their central role in the country’s future.

“Women and girls are the present and the future, and the country cannot thrive without them.”

A proposed genetically modified mustard crop in Canada is intensifying divisions between farmers seeking climate resilience and an export-dependent industry wary of losing premium global markets that demand non-GMO produce.

Dallas Leduc, a fourth-generation farmer in Saskatchewan, sees promise in the new genetically modified mustard hybrid being developed by BASF. Farming more than 10,000 acres in a region marked by sandy soils and persistent drought stress, Leduc said the crop could improve yields and profitability in an increasingly challenging environment.

He described the innovation as a practical tool to sustain farm incomes under harsh climatic conditions.The new crop, designed to produce oil similar to canola while tolerating herbicides, is expected to be more resilient in arid conditions where traditional canola often fails. BASF aims to secure regulatory approval in the United States as early as next year, with Canadian commercialization expected to follow within a few years.

However, the technology has drawn strong opposition from mustard growers and exporters who rely on strict non-GMO standards in key overseas markets. Trent Dewar, a Saskatchewan farmer producing specialty mustard for international buyers, warned that even minimal contamination from genetically modified crops could undermine Canada’s reputation as a reliable supplier of non-GMO mustard.

Mustard exports, valued at around $150 million annually, are small compared to Canada’s canola sector, which generates approximately $8.9 billion. Yet for producers in semi-arid regions such as Palliser’s Triangle, mustard has historically provided a stable income where other crops struggle.

Industry representatives say the risk of cross-contamination is significant because the genetically modified hybrid and traditional mustard belong to the same species, Brassica juncea. This allows pollen from one crop to fertilize the other, raising concerns about unintended mixing through wind or pollinators.

Norm Hall, chair of Sask Mustard, said the industry is lobbying federal authorities to block the introduction of the new crop, citing the potential impact on export markets. He described resistance among growers as widespread, noting that many had not anticipated such a development being considered.

France, which imports roughly half of its mustard seed from Canada, maintains strict non-GMO standards. Christophe Planes, sales and marketing director at French processor Reine de Dijon, said the company systematically tests all supplies to ensure compliance. He indicated that the presence of genetically modified traces, even at low levels, could disrupt sourcing decisions.

Contracts reviewed by Reuters show that many buyers require non-GMO certification, although specific tolerance thresholds are often determined by individual purchasers. Industry participants say this ambiguity adds to uncertainty about how markets would respond if contamination were detected.

Canada’s mustard sector remains sensitive to historical precedent. In 2009, traces of a genetically modified flax variety known as Triffid were found in European shipments, leading to a collapse in exports that have yet to fully recover. Growers and exporters say this episode underscores the risks associated with introducing genetically modified crops into supply chains reliant on strict quality standards.

Peter Gorski of Broadgrain, which markets Canadian specialty crops globally, said international buyers view contamination risks with extreme caution. He compared the potential presence of GMO material in mustard shipments to a foreign object in food products, reflecting the severity of market reactions.

BASF, for its part, maintains that safeguards can be implemented to prevent cross-contamination. Brent Collins, who heads the company’s seeds and traits division in Canada, described the hybrid as a necessary innovation that could expand canola production into new areas and meet growing global demand for vegetable oils.

The company estimates that up to two million acres could eventually be cultivated with the hybrid crop across Canada and the United States, particularly in regions where existing oilseed varieties perform poorly. Collins said BASF is working to address growers’ concerns and ensure coexistence between genetically modified and traditional crops.

Industry groups remain unconvinced. Rick Mitzel, executive director of Sask Mustard, said coexistence is not feasible given the biological characteristics of the plant. He argued that even small-scale adoption could jeopardize the integrity of non-GMO supply chains.

The debate reflects broader tensions between technological innovation and market access in global agriculture. While genetically modified crops can enhance productivity and resilience, their acceptance varies widely across regions, particularly in Europe, where regulatory frameworks and consumer preferences remain restrictive.

The stakes extend beyond Canadian producers. Kacy Gehring of Mountain States Oilseeds in Idaho said uncertainty surrounding GMO contamination could discourage farmers from growing mustard altogether, potentially affecting global supply chains and food manufacturing.

Despite the concerns, some farmers remain committed to adopting the new technology. Leduc acknowledged the risks but said economic pressures leave little choice. Operating in a region increasingly affected by drought and climate variability, he said access to more resilient crops could be critical to maintaining viability.

The divide between proponents and opponents has widened as commercialization approaches, with industry meetings reflecting growing urgency among traditional mustard stakeholders.

Calls for legal and political action have intensified, although representatives acknowledge that regulatory frameworks in Canada do not typically consider market impacts when approving new crop technologies.

It did not matter which society, religion or caste the poor belonged to. Everyone was given equally whether he was Arab or Non-Arab, Muslim or not.

Islam and Muslims are widely misunderstood in contemporary times due to constant demonization through media, movies and other means. Many progressive states in today’s globalized and capitalist society does not serve as a solution for the problems faced by individuals especially those who are less privileged.

The Islamic values of Governance via an exemplar of Umar II who ruled various parts of Arabia by his exceptional approach is a great model that can eradicate many issues including economic downfall.

The focus of this article is how the economic model under his rule was successful in eradication of poverty and how his model served as a solution for those who otherwise were underprivileged.

The Umayyads had started using their court wealth, not in the interest of its people, rather to uphold their kingship and the prestige of their family, which was contrary to the rules laid out by authentic religious scriptures and the way of the Prophet.

Umar II was however different than his predecessors. His reign was short lived yet proved to be more prosperous in the sense of internal reform.

His popular policies of treating his people with justice and at the same time enforcing discipline among officials to avoid corruption and put an end to violation of people’s rights made him successful in introducing security and opulence.

One of the main values of economic reform in Islam that was enforced by Umar II was the system of Zakah and taxation.

Zakah is a sum of money depending on the wealth owned and is paid by the Muslim rich elite of the society which was collected in the Bait al Maal (a place used to preserve the money) and then used for the needs of the poor and needy. This part of money only belonged to those who were in need and no one else could have access to it not even himself or his family.

The taxation which was also a specific amount of money collected from the other elite who did not accept Islam but compared to Zakah was lesser and served as security for those people.

His belief was that he wanted the people under his rule to be equal in terms of economy. He wanted the elite to transfer a certain amount of wealth to the poor so that they would be equivalent in terms of wealth.

It did not matter which society, religion or caste the poor belonged to. Everyone was given equally whether he was Arab or Non-Arab, Muslim or not.

Even the traveler was treated with equality and kindness and helped when needed. He built guest houses on the roads which the travelers could use freely and built water wells that travelers could use for drinking.

He also reversed the tax policies that were laid by the oppressive Hajjaj, a ruler who preceded him, who imposed high tariffs on the people who owned land. The land tax was paid by anyone regardless of their belief, and Umar II laid out tariffs for those land that were not heavy on the owners yet helped in supporting the state.

He had also opened free trade in the land and sea, yet how the wealth was dealt with greatly differed from his predecessors as well as successors. He did not want to destroy the dynasty but wished to base it on the foundations laid out by authentic religious commands.

The only property that belonged to the state and its use was from what they gained in battles that took place. His main aim was to establish equality amongst the Arabs and Non-Arab, so that each person would feel a sense of belonging in the society.

He wanted the people to have at least the basic necessities of life and be sufficient in terms of wealth. His reform in economy helped the people emerge from poverty and lead to betterment in standard of living to the extent that when the ministers would move to distribute charity, there was not a single person who needed it.

There are many other aspects of the economy that was reformed in his two-and-a-half-year rule which brought about exemplary changes in the condition of the people especially those who were under privileged in society.

Ruling parties in contemporary times have made capitalism, neo-liberalism and globalization their first and foremost priority which intends to serve only the elite of the society and sidelines those less privileged.

This exemplar of the economic model of Umar II who wanted to establish equality amongst the residents under his rule, based on the authentic Islamic values of governance can serve as a solution to the problem in today’s societies.

Noorah Jukaku is masters student in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences in National Chiao Tung University Taiwan. She has completed Bachelors in Sharee’ah and Usool Al Deen from University of Sharjah and co-author of the book “The Blissful Union”.