Hadith 1: Obligation to Earn
طَلَبُ الْحَلَالِ وَاجِبٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ
Hadhrat Anas ibn Malik radhiallahu anhu narrates that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said,
“It is an incumbent duty upon every Muslim to earn a Halaal livelihood.” (Tabrani)
Hadith 2: Status of trade
طلب الحلال فريضة بعد الفريضة
Hadhrat Abdullah Ibn Masud radhiallahu anhu narrates that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “To earn a Halaal livelihood is compulsory after the completion of other Faraidh (compulsory acts).” (Bayhaqi)
Hadith 3: Being self sufficient
َمَا أَكَلَ أَحَدٌ طَعَامًا قَطُّ خَيْرًا مِنْ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ مِنْ عَمَلِ يَدِهِ، وَإِنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ دَاوُدَ ـ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ـ كَانَ يَأْكُلُ مِنْ عَمَلِ يَدِهِ
Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam is reported to have said, “No one has ever eaten any food which is better than that which he had earned through working with his hands. And verily Allah’s Prophet Dawood alaihis salaam used to eat of that which he earned with his hands.” (Bukhari)
Hadith 4: Best earnings
َما كسبَ الرَّجلُ كَسبًا أطيبُ من عملِ يدِه وما أنفقَ الرَّجلُ على نفسِه وأهلِه وولدِه وخادِمِه فهو صدَقةٌ
Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “There is no earning better than that which is earned with one’s hands. And whatever he spends on himself, his family, his children and his servants, is recorded as an act of charity.” (Ibn Majah)
Hadith 5: Business and sustenance
َتِسعةُ أعشارِ الرِّزقِ في التَّجارةِ
Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “Out of ten parts of sustenance, nine parts lie in business.” (Al Jaami al Sagheer)
Hadith 6: Reward of Business
َأيما رجل اكتسب مالا من حلال فأطعم نفسه أو كساها فمن دونه من خلق الله كان له به زكاة
Hadhrat Abu Saeed Khudri radhiallahu anhu narrates that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “The person who earns halaal wealth and thereafter he eats or clothes himself, or feeds or clothes any of Allah’s creation, that act will be recorded for him as a charitable deed.” (Ibn Hibban)
Hadith 7: Pure earnings
َطوبى لمن طاب كسبه
Naseeh Al-Ansi radhiallahu anhu relates from Rakb Al-Misri radhiallahu anhu that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “Glad tidings to those whose earnings are Halaal.” (Ibn Abi al Dunya)
Hadith 8: Financial independence
لأَنْ يَحْتَطِبَ أَحَدُكُمْ حُزْمَةً عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ أَحَدًا فَيُعْطِيَهُ أَوْ يَمْنَعَهُ
Hadhrat Abu Hurairah radhiallahu anhu relates that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “It is better for a person to carry a bundle of firewood on his back (and sell it) than to beg from someone who may give or may refuse.” (Bukhari)
Hadith 9: Noble status
التاجر الصدوق تحت ظل العرش يوم القيامة
Hadhrat Anas radhiallahu anhu reports that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “Indeed the honest and truthful trader shall be under the shade of the Throne of Allah on the Day of Qiyamah.” (Targheeb)
Hadith 10: Honourable profession
إنَّ اللهَ يحبُّ المؤمنَ المحترفَ
Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Umar radhiallahu anhuma reports that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “Verily Allah loves a believer who is engaged in trade.” (Tabrani)
Hadith 11: Working hard
إن الله تعالى يحب المؤمن المبتذل الذي لا يبالي ما لبس
Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “Allah Ta’ala loves the believer who is a hardworking businessman, who does not care what clothes he wears.” (Al Jaami al Sagheer)
Hadith 12: Hard work
من أمسى كالا من عمل يديه أمسى مغفورا له
Hadhrat Aishah radhiallahu anha relates that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “Whosoever exhausts himself with work will have all his sins forgiven by that evening.” (Tabrani)
Hadith 13: Gentle trader
رحم الله امرءًا سَمْحًا إذا باع، سَمْحًا إذا اشترى، سَمْحًا إذا اقتضى
Hadhrat Jaabir radhiallahu anhu reports that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “May Allah Ta’ala have mercy on the one who is gentle at the time of selling, buying and requesting payment.” (Bukhari)
Hadith 14: Honest trader
التاجر الصدوق الأمين مع النبيين والصديقين والشهداء
Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “Indeed the trader who is honest in both word and deed will on the Day of Qiyamah be with the Prophets of Allah Ta’ala and the pious, and the martyrs.” (Tirmidhi)
Hadith 15: Ethical trade
إِنَّ التُجَّارَ يُبعَثُونَ يَومَ القِيَامَةِ فُجَّارًا ، إِلَّا مَن اتَّقَى اللَّهَ وَبَرَّ وَصَدَقَ
Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “On the Day of Qiyamah the traders will be raised as transgressors and sinners, except those who feared (Allah Ta’ala) and spoke the truth (and did not commit sin in their business dealings).” (Tirmidhi)
Hadith 16: Business ethics
إنَّ أَطْيَبَ الكَسْبِ كَسْبُ التجارِ : الذين إذا حَدَّثوا لم يَكْذِبوا ، وإذا ائْتُمِنوا لم يَخُونُوا ، و إذاوَعَدُوا لم يُخْلِفوا ، وإذا اشْتَرَوْا لم يَذُمُّوا ، وإذا باعُوا لم يُطْرُوا ، وإذا كان عليهم لم يَمْطُلُوا وإذا كان لهم لم يُعَسِّرُوا
Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam is reported to have said, “Verily the best earnings are the earnings of the traders who utter no lie when they speak, who do not deceive when they are held in trust, who do not default when they promise, who do not discredit goods when they buy, and do not praise their own goods unduly when they sell, and are not evasive when they are called upon to pay and do not harass unduly when they claim their dues.” (Targheeb)
Hadith 17: Business principles
إن التاجر إذا كان فيه أربع خصال طاب كسبه، وإذا اشترى لم يذم، وإذا باع لم يمدح، ولم يدلس في البيع ولم يحلف فيما بين ذلك
Hadhrat Abu Umaamah radhiallahu anhu reports that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “When four qualities are found in a trader, his earnings are pure, 1. if he does not discredit the quality of the goods he buys, 2. if he does not unduly praise the goods he sells, 3. if he does not cheat when he sells and, 4. does not take oaths when he buys and sells.” (Al Isbahani)
Hadith 18: Support the trader
أوصيكم بالتجار خيرا فإنهم برد الآفاق، وأمناء الله في الأرض
Hadhrat Ibn Abbas radhiallahu anhuma said, “I advise you to treat the traders well for they are the messengers between the heavens and the trustees of Allah Ta’ala on earth.” (Daylami)
Hadith 19: Economic independence
عليكم بالتجارة لا تفتنكم هذه الحمراء على دنياكم
Hadhrat Umar radhiallahu anhu said: “I advise you to participate in trade, so that these red ones (non-Muslims) do not become an impediment for you in your worldly affairs.” (Atabiya)
Hadith 20: Early morning trade
اللَّهمَّ بارك لأمَّتي في بكورِها
Hadhrat Sakhar Ghaamidi radhiallahu anhu reports that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam used to make dua, “O Allah bless my Ummah (nation) in their efforts in the early hours of the morning.” (Tirmidhi)
Hadhrat Sakhar radhiallahu anhu was a trader and he was particular about dispatching his trade agents early in the morning. In this manner, he made tremendous profit and greatly increased his wealth.
Hadith 21: Agriculture
مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَغْرِسُ غَرْسًا، أَوْ يَزْرَعُ زَرْعًا، فَيَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ طَيْرٌ أَوْ إِنْسَانٌ أَوْ بَهِيمَةٌ، إِلاَّ كَانَ لَهُ بِهِ صَدَقَةٌ
Hadhrat Anas radhiallahu anhu reports that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “There is none amongst the Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, except that it is regarded as a charity for him.” (Muslim)
Hadith 22: Prestige in trade
وعن كعب بن عجرة قال : مر علي النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – فرأى أصحاب النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – في جلدة ونشاطة فقالوا : يا رسول الله ، لو كان هذا في سبيل الله ؟ فقال رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم : ” إن كان خرج يسعى على ولده صغارا فهو في سبيل الله ، وإن كان خرج يسعى على أبوين شيخين كبيرين فهو في سبيل الله ، وإن كان خرج يسعى على نفسه يعفها فهو في سبيل الله ، وإن كان خرج يسعى رياء ومفاخرة فهو في سبيل الشيطان
Hadhrat Ka’b ibn Ujrah radhiallahu anhu says says, “A man once passed by Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. When the Sahaba saw his strength and energy, they said, ‘If only he was out (fighting) in the path of Allah.’ Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said: ‘If he is out earning a livelihood (to spend on his) children, then he is in the path of Allah, and if he is out striving to earn a livelihood (to spend on his) old parents, then he is in the path of Allah. If he is striving to earn a livelihood for himself so that he can abstain from begging then too he is in the path of Allah. However, if he is striving to earn a livelihood to boast and be proud and arrogant then he is the path of the devil.” (Tabrani)