Rausey Mason

APWH Period 3B
Mr. Harris
1/6/15
DBQ Essay Merchants
Throughout history the attitudes towards merchants have varied due to the
dishonesty of the practice, but the necessities that have to be purchased through
merchants often overshadow that. The attitudes among Christians and Muslims varied
towards merchants and traders between the years 80-1500 and this is proved in
documents 2,3, and 6 where there are positive attitudes, while in documents 1,4,5, and 7
there are negative attitudes towards them.
First and foremost, in document two, (Quran 620-650 C.E.) it states that: If the
two parties speak the truth and make it manifest, their transaction shall be blessed, and if
they conceal and tell a lie, the blessing of their transaction shall be obliterated. It also
says that: On the Day of Judgment the truthful merchant will take the ranks with the
martyrs of faith, which basically means you will live forever in eternal light. This
excerpt has a positive attitude towards honest merchants, but if one is dishonest they will
face the consequences of their decision. In document 3 (The life of St. Godric 1170 C.E.)
It is written that Saint Godric spent sixteen years a merchant, but then began to think of
spending on charity and Gods honor and service, and gave the goods he had so
laboriously acquired to the poor and took the cross as a pilgrim to Jerusalem. Now since
the point of view of this excerpt is of a monk, but a monk that was a colleague of St.
Godric it is likely that there was some bias, but if this man truly did give up his life of a
merchant and entered Saint hood he deserves all credit that Reginald gave him. Finally,
document 6, the final document with a positive attitude was a letter from a merchants

mother which says You know God has granted you to acquire great riches in this world,
may he be praised and you have borne, and are bearing, great burdens. Point of view
comes seriously into effect here seeing as the merchants mother writes it. Since a mother
will always love and support their child it wouldnt matter if this was the most dishonest
merchant on the seas his mother would be biased towards him making this document very
unreliable, but still positive nonetheless. All in all these documents all have one central
idea both Christian and Muslims agree that if one is either honest or gives back to the less
fortunate being a merchant is perfectly fine.
On the contrary in document one (Bible, (Mathew) 70-80 C.E.), it says: Then
said Jesus unto his disciples, verify I say unto you, that a rich man shall hardly enter the
Kingdom of heaven and I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle than a rich man into heaven. This is completely different than the Quran, which
says that an honest rich man will live with the martyrs of faith, while in the bible states
even for an honest rich man it is almost impossible to entre the kingdom of heaven. In
document 4 (Summa Theologica 1272 C.E.), Thomas Aquinas, the leading theologian of
the time states that: I answer that it is altogether to have recourse to deceit in order to
sell a thing for more than its price, and no man should sell what is not his, though he
may charge the loss he suffers. This ties almost directly into document 5 (Universal
History), also written by a leading scholar, in the Muslim world, Ibn Khaldun. He says
that: The manner of tradesmen are inferior to rulers and are far removed from manliness
and uprightness Traders seek profit, which necessitates flattery, evasiveness,
litigation, and disputation, all of which are properties of this profession. Point of view is
also a factor within both documents are written by some of the most informed men in the

world during their times where only about 50 years apart. These men understood the
lying and deceit that occurred between merchants and their buyers making their claims
valid to a certain point, which is the assumption that there are honest merchants out there.
Ibn Khalduns claim contrasts with the Quran in that he believes that all merchants are
liars and cheats, while Thomas Aquinas, a Christians, document has almost direct
correlation with the Quran stating that if the price exceeds a things worth than there is no
longer equality of justice making the purchase unjust and no longer blessed in terms of
religion. Document 7, the last document bearing negative connotations was an Islamic
court decision in the 17th century that stated: Whenever cotton yarn comes to town, the
aforementioned arrives, pays and extra price and takes It from its owner, and the other
weavers remain deprived. This document isnt directly negative towards the merchant,
but the practices often followed in order to get what one wants, which often means being
dishonest. This leaves a poor name on merchants in the end because they are often
blamed for encouraging these practices.
All in all there was some evidence of change over time between when the Quran
was written in 620-650 C.E., which praised honest merchants, while later accounts
between the 14th and 17th centuries were completely against merchants and their
practices. There was continuity shown within Christian views for the most part where in
the beginning the bible stated that it was nearly impossible for a rich man to enter heaven,
but when St. Godric gave up his career as a merchant and gave back to the poor he was
granted sainthood. This leads into my overlying conclusion, which is that honest
merchants can both be allowed into the Kingdom of Heaven for Christians if they give
back their wealth to those who need it or join the Martyrs of the Islamic faith just simply

as honest men. If not, they shall receive the negative name that later history had put on
the majority of merchants during that time which constituted being a liar, deceitful, and
basically a sinner.