1. The Function Money Represents

We are not in control of the universe, let alone ourselves; we can’t choose our birth, we don’t know when we will die, and we can’t even decide when to go to the bathroom. Everything is created by a designer (Allah). Everything is a design. This design, a mathematical function, enables us to observe, realise new findings, and advance. The design gives humans the ability to intend and act on good or bad faith. Responsible for our decisions, we live our lives with hardship and ease, good and evil, converging and diverging—you name the sides of the coin. Nothing is stable for humans as part of the design. Things happen out of our control, naturally. We intend, act, and find ourselves in the exact spot we are supposed to be by design. We have choices over our intentions and actions, but all scenarios are within the mathematical formula. For example, one year it might rain less, resulting in reduced agricultural production. People can't change the outcome, but they can choose how to respond: live within their means when production is low and wait for the next year, sell their farm and change careers, come up with a solution, or consider other possible scenarios. Life happens, and humans adapt. The same applies to the economy and finance. We learn a profession, often enduring challenges in the early days, build relationships, invest our resources, take risks, and ultimately achieve outcomes. Some of us manufacture products or services, while others transport and distribute them. Some of us conduct trade, and some of us venture out into nature for food. There are those among us who lay down their lives to protect the rest. Some of us explore the universe to discover what lies ahead, while others are healers within the neighbourhood, and many more contribute in various ways. All these physical efforts create tangible economic production. We use money as a medium of exchange for the economic productions we create and trade. But sometimes we need large amounts of money upfront to scale or improve what we are doing or to start a new venture. We partner with other humans to share the risk and rewards, get free money, or take on debt and pay later.