What did the biographer of godric and ibn khaldun see as valuable in mercantile activity?

Godric was a wealthy merchant who devoted his life to serving God. He showed that a man could serve God better by use of the fortunes he acquired to do Gods work. He later became Saint Godric. Mercantilism stated that the power of a nation was based on wealth which required accumulation of valuable commodities and a balance of trade.
Ibn Khaldun was a great Muslim historian who in 1375 wrote that all civilizations rise, grow then fall and also studied the effect on geography and climate on people.