Lawful Earnings : Islamic Perspective (2)

"Our life is a trust, and also, is a journey where the values which govern our lives will impact the outcome of our journey. Therefore it presents an opportunity and gives us the confidence that change is possible. Change is part of our destiny. We need to have a vision for that change and, as a Muslim, we need to appreciate and leverage the transformational power of Islam as a system of belief, values and ethics. In a qudsi hadith [Sahih Al-Bukhari], Allah says, 'I am just as My slave thinks I am,' i.e. I am able to do for him, what he thinks I can do for him. In this hadith, Allah is teaching us about our paradigm. Our destiny actually lies with us in how we think and behave, " the Moon went on.

"Some people regard certain kinds of work or professions as contemptible. However, the Prophet (ﷺ) denied the validity of this notion. He taught his Companions that the whole of a human being's dignity is tied up with his work— any sort of work— and that real disgrace and humiliation are in depending on other people's help. The Muslim can earn his livelihood by agriculture, trade, or industry or by any profession or employment as long as it does not involve doing, supporting, or propagating anything haram.

It is not permitted for man to avoid working for a living on the pretext of devoting his life to worship or dependence on Allah, as gold and silver certainly do not fall from the sky. It is also not permissible for him to depend on charity while he is able to earn what is sufficient for his own and his family's needs through his own efforts. The Prophet (ﷺ) made it haram for the Muslim to beg from others without dire necessity thus losing his honor and his dignity.

By such strong admonitions, the Prophet (ﷺ) intended to train the Muslim to safeguard his dignity, to develop self-reliance, and to be far-removed from dependence on others.

The Prophet (ﷺ) was, however, aware of situations of necessity. If, under the pressure of need, one is forced to ask for financial help from the government or from individuals, one is blameless. The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

لْمَسَائِلُ كُدُوحٌ يَكْدَحُ بِهَا الرَّجُلُ وَجْهَهُ فَمَنْ شَاءَ أَبْقَى عَلَى وَجْهِهِ وَمَنْ شَاءَ تَرَكَ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ الرَّجُلُ ذَا سُلْطَانٍ أَوْ فِي أَمْرٍ لاَ يَجِدُ مِنْهُ بُدًّا

'Acts of begging are lacerations with which a man disfigures his face, so he who wishes may preserve his self-respect, and he who wishes may abandon it; but this does not apply to one who begs from a ruler, or in a situation which makes it necessary.' [Sunan Abi Dawud; Sahih by Al-Albani]

When the Prophet (ﷺ) gave advice to Abu Bishr Qubaysah ibn al-Makharaq, he (ﷺ) said,

إِنَّ اَلْمَسْأَلَةَ لَا تَحِلُّ إِلَّا لِأَحَدِ ثَلَاثَةٍ: رَجُلٍ تَحَمَّلَ حَمَالَةً فَحَلَّتْ لَهُ اَلْمَسْأَلَةُ حَتَّى يُصِيبَهَا ثُمَّ يُمْسِكَ، وَرَجُلٍ أَصَابَتْهُ جَائِحَةٌ اِجْتَاحَتْ مَالَهُ, فَحَلَّتْ لَهُ اَلْمَسْأَلَةُ حَتَّى يُصِيبَ قِوَامًا مِنْ عَيْشٍ، وَرَجُلٍ أَصَابَتْهُ فَاقَةٌ حَتَّى يَقُولَ ثَلَاثَةٌ مِنْ ذَوِي الْحِجَى مِنْ قَوْمِهِ: لَقَدْ أَصَابَتْ فُلَانًا فَاقَةٌ, فَحَلَّتْ لَهُ اَلْمَسْأَلَةُ

'Begging is not lawful except to one of three (people): a man who has become a guarantor for a payment, for whom begging is lawful till he gets it, after which he must stop begging; a man whose wealth has been destroyed by a calamity which has befallen him, for whom begging is lawful till he gets what will support life; and a man who has been struck by poverty, the genuineness of which is confirmed by three intelligent members of his people, so it is lawful for him to beg.' [Reported by Muslim].

The Prophet (ﷺ) worked as a merchant, trading with his uncle, then with Umm AI-Mu'mineen Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid, radhiyallahu 'anha. And there were found wealthy people amongst the Companions (like Abu Bakr, 'Uthmaan, 'Abdul-Rahmaan bin 'Awf, Talhah bin 'Ubaydullaah and others, radhiyallahu 'anhum) who attained their wealth through trade and used their wealth to support the struggle in Allah's Cause.

And such was Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq, radhiyallahu 'anhu, for he would buy and sell and sacrifice his wealth to support lslam and the Muslims, from the time he was in Makkah before migrating, as well as after migrating. He would give away much of his wealth for the Cause of Allah.

Likewise was 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan, radhiyallahu 'anhu, who supplied the poor in the army with equipment and 'Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Awf, radhiyallahu 'anhu, who would donate money to the Muslims at the time of need and at the time ofJihaad. The Salaf (the pious predecessors) encouraged one another and their students to 'adhere to the marketplace'.

Therefore, seeking the means of sustenance according to the permissible channels—the greatest of which are buying and selling— has much good in it.

In business, Muslims should realize that the sooner they consider Islam in the lifetime of the business, the easier it will be to implement business practices that are consistent with their religious beliefs. Muslim investors, for example, may seize a particular business opportunity but only later discover that the relevant business models are typically sustained by haram elements. If they continue to engage in that business with its haram aspects, they will clearly be harming themselves. Even if they extract themselves, and as much of their original investment as possible, their net gain is almost always negative, particularly if one considers the opportunity cost of bogus investment activities.

Businesses that earn their revenue from haram products or services such as pork, gambling, alcohol, drugs or prostitution are undoubtedly prohibited. Many Muslims fool themselves by arguing that although they sell alcohol in their liquor stores, they do not consume it themselves. Muslims should completely avoid such businesses, instead of trying to find ways to rationalize their involvement in them.

In the Qur'an, while referring to His bounties and favors to man, Allah mentions the principles required for the pursuit of agriculture. He has spread out the earth and made it suitable and fertile for cultivation and production; this is a bounty to human beings which they ought to recall and to be thankful for Allah has also provided water in abundance. He sends it down as rain and makes it flow in streams to revive the earth after it is dead. Further, He sends the winds, with 'good tidings' to drive the clouds and scatter the seeds. All of these, are encouragement for man to engage in agricultural activity, for it has been made easy for him as a divine favor. The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

فَلاَ يَغْرِسُ الْمُسْلِمُ غَرْسًا فَيَأْكُلَ مِنْهُ إِنْسَانٌ وَلاَ دَابَّةٌ وَلاَ طَيْرٌ إِلاَّ كَانَ لَهُ صَدَقَةً إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ

'No Muslim who plants (trees) and from their fruits the human beings or the beasts or birds eat, but that would be taken as an act of charity on the Day of Resurrection.' [Sahih Muslim]

The reward of the person who plants a tree or a crop continues as long as the produce of this tree or crop is eaten or used, even though he may have sold it to someone else. Scholars have said, 'It is Allah's generosity that He continues to add to the reward of a person even after his death, just as when he was alive, for six things: for the charity whose benefits continue, for knowledge which is used, for righteous children who pray for him, for the trees he planted, for the crops he sowed, and for territorial borders he guarded.'

But It is prohibited to cultivate a plant, which is haram for eating or which has no other known use except what is harmful.

From the Islamic point of view, it would be extremely undesirable if people limited their economic efforts solely to one field, a situation analogous to supposing that the inexhaustible oceans had no use other than the extraction of pearls from their depths.

Muslims must develop such industries, crafts, and professions as are essential for the life of a community, for the strength of a free and powerful nation, and for the posterity and wealth of a country. As the great scholars and jurists have explained, the essential industries and professions are not merely permitted by the Islamic Shari'ah, they are in fact an obligation on the Muslim community as a whole. Such obligations are termed 'the obligations of sufficiency' ( fard kifayah); that is to say, the Muslim community must include among its members people engaged in every essential science, industry, and profession in numbers sufficient to meet its needs. If there is a shortage of qualified persons in some fields of science or industry, the entire Muslim community is blameworthy, especially those in positions of authority.

No one should be surprised when we say that medicine as well as arithmetic are of the sciences which are fard kifayah, as are the basic industries, such as agriculture, weaving, politics, and even cupping and tailoring. For, if a town should lack an experts or specialists, it might be, extinction would overtake its people and they would be driven to expose themselves to destruction. Did He, Who sent down a malady, not also send down its remedy, give guidance for its use, and prepare the means for administering it? It is not, therefore, permissible to expose oneself to destruction by neglecting the remedy.'

The Qur'an mentions many industries dan crafts, terming them Allah’s favor and bounty. Allah made iron soft for Prophet Dawud, alayhissalam, commanding him to make coats of mail, to protect him from violence. And Allah made a fountain of molten copper flow for Solomon; and of the jinn there were those who worked in front of him by his Rabb's permission. Allah built for Dhul-Qarnayn the high dam buildings. Allah mentions the story of Prophet Nuh, alayhissalam, and the construction of the ark, and He also mentions great ships in the size of mountains which sail the seas. The Qur'an also mentions hunting in all its varied forms, from the catching of fish, and the pursuit of land animals to diving in the deep for pearls, coral, and the like. In addition to this, the Quran informs us about the value of iron, in in which there is great strength and benefits for mankind.

The Qur'an tells the story of Prophet Musa, alayhissalam, who worked for eight years as a hired man to gain the hand of an old man's daughter in marriage. Musa was an excellent worker and employee.

The Muslim is free to seek employment in the service of the government, an organization, or an individual as long as he is able to do his work satisfactorily and carry out his duties. However, he is not permitted to seek a job for which he is unfit, especially if the job carries judicial or executive authority, except for the one who is qualified for it and fulfills his responsibilities toward it. If not, on the Day of Resurrection it will be a cause of regret and shame, because it is a trust.

If a person knows, however, that there is no one else qualified to do a particular job except himself, and that if he does not come forward to take it, public interests will be endangered, he should come forward.

Al-Hakim recorded that Ibn 'Abbas, radhiyallahu 'anhu, said, 'Dawud was a maker of coats of mail and shields, Adam was a farmer, Nuh a carpenter, Idris a tailor, and Musa a shepherd.' Since every Prophet of Allah had some occupation, the Muslim should derive satisfaction in his occupation or profession. Islam gave dignity to many professions. Any sort of work which fills a need in the society or brings real benefit is regarded as good, provided the person performs it in a proper manner, as is required by Islam.

Concerning the permissibility of working as an employee of a government, organization, or individual, excludes those jobs which are injurious to the cause of Islam or which harm Muslims. Accordingly, it is not permissible for a Muslim to be an officer or soldier in an army which is fighting against Muslims, nor to work in a corporation or factory which manufactures armaments to be used against Muslims, nor in an organization which is hostile to Islam and fights its adherents. Similarly, any service rendered in support of injustice or in promoting what is haram is itself haram. For example, it is prohibited to the Muslim to be an employee in an organization which deals in riba, in a bar or liquor shop, nightclub, dance hall, and the like.

Islam does not prohibit any trade except that which involves injustice, cheating, making exorbitant profits, and the promotion of something haram. Islam has prohibited certain professions and industries to its followers because they are harmful to the beliefs, morals, honor, or good manners of the society. Prostitution, for example, is legal in many countries of the West; permits and licenses are issued to those who play this trade, and prostitutes enjoy rights similar to other professionals. Islam absolutely rejects and condemns this practice, and forbids any female, to earn money by trading herself in sexual relations.

Similarly, Islam does not permit sexually exciting dancing or any other erotic activity. Islam prohibits every sort of sexual contact and sexual relationship outside marriage. This is the secret behind the significant words of the Qur’an prohibiting zina.

Islam also prohibits the acquisition of statues and even more strongly the making of them. As for drawing, painting, or photography, are either permitted or at worst detestable, depending on what comes closest to the spirit of the Islamic legislation. Of course, their subject matter should not be sexually provocative, as, for example, the erotic parts of the female body or a man and woman in a state of intimacy, and should not be of someone sacred or respected, such as the angels or the Prophets.

Islam prohibits any participation in the promotion of alcoholic beverages, whether it be in their manufacture, distribution, or consumption, and that anyone who participated in any of these is cursed by the Prophet (ﷺ). The case of other intoxicants and drugs, such as hashish, cocaine, and the like, is the same; manufacturing, distributing, or consuming any of them is prohibited.

Commercial transactions and other lawful means of earnings must be set with religious guidelines, so that the Muslim can avoid falling into forbidden transactions and unlawful forms of earning. And from many kand of transactions, Allah forbid Riba. There are two major forms of Riba are defined in Islam. They are Riba Al-qurud, which relates to usury involving loans, and Riba Al-Buyu, which relates to usury in trade.

Insurance has been the subject of discussion and reaserach by scholars. The conclussion of majority of them is that insurance is prohibited, because commercial insurance contains the elements of Gharar ( a contract where the results are not known), Maysir (a form of gambling) and Riba.

Gambling is prohibited, nowadays, there are many forms of gambling, including: lotteries and raffles, in which people pay money to buy numbers, then numbers are drawn for first prize, second prize, and so on for a variety of prizes. This is prohibited, even when it is supposedly done for charity. Buying a product which includes something unknown, or paying for a number for a draw which will decide who gets what.

Offering or accepting bribes are prohibited. Giving a bribe to a Qaadi or judge to make him turn a blind eye to the truth or to make a false claim succeed is a sin, because it leads to oppression and injustice for the person who is in the right, and it spreads corruption. Similarly, someone in official is prohibited to accept a gift, to benefit others by injustice."

"And as a closing," said the Moon, "The general rule in regard to earning a living is that Islam does not permit its followers to earn money in any way they like, rather it differentiates between lawful and unlawful methods based on the criterion of the overall well-being of the society. This differentiation is based on the general principle that any transaction in which one person's gain results in another's loss is unlawful, while any transaction which is fair and beneficial to all the parties concerned and which is transacted by mutual consent is lawful. This is where it is important, in working and seeking a lawful earning, there are two things that accompany our paradigm: Al-Adl and Al-Ihsan, that is, we put something in its place and we perfect our work as perfectly as possible, not for being praised or other reasons, but because Allah witnesses what we do. And Allah knows best."

Her rays of light went dim, then the Moon hummed softly,

إِلهِي لَسْتُ لِلْفِرْدَوْسِ أَهْلاً

Ilahi, I don't deserve to be a resident of Paradise

وَلاَ أَقْوَى عَلىَ النَّارِ الجَحِيْمِ

And could not stand the embers of hellfire

فَهَبْ ليِ تَوْبَةً وَاغْفِرْ ذُنُوْبيِ

So, accept my repentance and forgive my sins

فَإِنَّكَ غَافِرُ الذَّنْبِ العَظِيْمِ

For truly Thou art the Forgiver of great sins

ذُنُوْبيِ مِثْلُ أَعْدَادِ الرِّمَالِ

My sins are as many as the grains of sand

فَهَبْ ليِ تَوْبَةً يَاذاَالجَلاَلِ

So, accept my repentance, O Owner of Glory

وَعُمْرِي نَاقِصٌ فيِ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ

And my age, not even a day

وَذَنْبيِ زَئِدٌ كَيْفَ احْتِمَالِ

And my regrets are piling up

إِلهِي عَبْدُكَ العَاصِي أَتَاكَ

Ilahi, Thy servant who disobeyed Thee, has come before Thee

فَإِنْ تَغْفِرْ فَأَنْتَ لِذَا أَهْلٌ

Indeed, if Thou forgive, then Thou art the Owner of forgiveness

فَإِنْ تَطْرُدْ فَمَنْ نَرْجُو سِوَاكَ

And if Thou turn away, where else would I go, except Thee?

Citations & References:
- Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam, 2001, Al-Falah Foundation
- Darussalam Research Divsion, Rizq and Lawful Earnings, 2014, Darussalam
- Mohammad Rahman, Your Money Matters: The Islamic Approach to Business, Money, and Work, 2014, IIPH

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