رَّبِّ اَعُوۡذُ بِکَ مِنۡ ھَمَزٰتِ الشَّیٰطِیۡنِ ۙ واَعُوۡذُ بِکَ رَبِّ اَنۡ یَّحۡضُرُوۡن ؕ۔
بِسۡمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِۙ۔
Halal Livelihood.
The first need of worldly life is to earn a Halal Livelihood, for which Allah Almighty has ordered trade. Perhaps that is why on the Day of Judgment, when a servant is asked about fulfilling the pillars of religion, he will not be able to present the shortage of time as an excuse. Because trade is a socially permissible activity in which a person is somewhat free in choosing his convenience and time, and thus he has the practical ability to establish a balance between religious and worldly duties.
Question: A businessman is his own boss, so he is not bound by time. But what should a servant do?
Answer No 1: The servant may face difficulty in only one pillar, namely prayer (Namaz). That too in non-Muslim countries. For this, condition can be set before joining the job. And this is possible only when you have complete faith in the fact that sustenance is in the hands of God.
Answer No 2: Allah Almighty made days other than Friday bright for earning livelihood and commanded people to earn livelihood even after the Friday prayer. While He made the night for worship and rest. Allah Almighty has mentioned only Friday in the Quran in the daytime prayer. Apart from this, the time for Zuhr and Asr is for glorification, not for prayer.
God willing, if live, I will prove this issue in the chapter on prayer in the future. The topic will go astray in this chapter. Thank you.
وَّجَعَلۡنَا الَّيۡلَ لِبَاسًا ۙ ﴿۱۰﴾ وَّجَعَلۡنَا النَّهَارَ مَعَاشًا ﴿۱۱﴾
Q-78:10-11And We have made the night a veil/clothing (10) and We have made the day a time for earning a living.
God commands: When the Friday prayer is over, spread out throughout the land seeking the bounty (rizq) of God. This verse clearly states that the sustenance that you obtain through effort is in fact a gift from God. He expands it for whom He wills and restricts it for whom He wills. Indeed, He is aware of all things.
If someone feels proud of the wealth they have earned through hard work, then think about it! Isn't the most hardworking person the one who carries bricks, stones, and dirt on his head? May Allah grant all believers the ability to avoid arrogance. Amen
فَاِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلٰوةُ فَانْتَشِرُوۡا فِى الۡاَرۡضِ وَابۡتَغُوۡا مِنۡ فَضۡلِ اللّٰهِ ﴿۱۰﴾
Q-62:10So, when the prayer is finished, disperse in the land and seek of Allah's bounty.
لَهٗ مَقَالِيۡدُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِۚ يَبۡسُطُ الرِّزۡقَ لِمَنۡ يَّشَآءُ وَيَقۡدِرُؕ اِنَّهٗ بِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ عَلِيۡمٌ ﴿۱۲﴾
Q-42:12In His hand are the keys of the heavens and the earth. He expands the provision for whom He wills and restricts it for whom He wills. Indeed, He is the Knower of all things.
The trade of the nation of Shuaib (As).
The people of Midian were a prosperous and comfortable nation, but when Allah Almighty grants prosperity and abundant sustenance to a nation, that nation often forgets its Lord in arrogance. Thus, robbery, short-measures and deceit became common in the people of Madyan in the name of trade. Allah Almighty sent their own brother, Hazrat Shuaib (As), as a prophet to bring this nation to the right path.
وَاِلٰى مَدۡيَنَ اَخَاهُمۡ شُعَيۡبًا ؕ قَالَ يٰقَوۡمِ اعۡبُدُوا اللّٰهَ مَا لَـكُمۡ مِّنۡ اِلٰهٍ غَيۡرُهٗ ؕ وَلَا تَـنۡقُصُوا الۡمِكۡيَالَ وَالۡمِيۡزَانَ اِنِّىۡۤ اَرٰٮكُمۡ بِخَيۡرٍ وَّاِنِّىۡۤ اَخَافُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ عَذَابَ يَوۡمٍ مُّحِيۡطٍ ﴿۸۴﴾
And to the people of Madyan, we sent their brother Shu'ayb. He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no god but Him! And do not shortchange the measure. I see you prospering, but I fear for you the punishment of a vast Day."
Allah's message by Prophet Shuaib (As).
Shuaib (As) conveyed the message of Allah to his people.
"O my people! Worship Allah, you have no god but Him. And fear the Day when you will be brought before that Allah Who created you and the first creation. Give full measure and weight, and be not of the losers. And weigh with a just balance. And deprive not people of their dues, and do not spread corruption in the earth. Because Allah does not like corruption and injustice on earth. And whatever lawfull (Halal) and pure profit remains, according to Allah's command, that is better for you and more blessed, if you are believers".
وَيٰقَوۡمِ اَوۡفُوا الۡمِكۡيَالَ وَالۡمِيۡزَانَ بِالۡقِسۡطِ وَلَا تَبۡخَسُوا النَّاسَ اَشۡيَآءَهُمۡ وَلَا تَعۡثَوۡا فِى الۡاَرۡضِ مُفۡسِدِيۡنَ ﴿۸۵﴾ بَقِيَّتُ اللّٰهِ خَيۡرٌ لَّـكُمۡ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ مُّؤۡمِنِيۡنَ ۚ وَمَاۤ اَنَا عَلَيۡكُمۡ بِحَفِيۡظٍ ﴿۸۶﴾
"And O my people, give full measure. And weigh with justice. And do not deprive people of their rights, nor do you commit corruption in the land. (85) What Allah has left (profit) for you is better for you, if you are believers. And I am not a guardian over you." (86)
وَاِلٰى مَدۡيَنَ اَخَاهُمۡ شُعَيۡبًا ؕ قَالَ يٰقَوۡمِ اعۡبُدُوا اللّٰهَ مَا لَـكُمۡ مِّنۡ اِلٰهٍ غَيۡرُهٗ ؕ قَدۡ جَآءَتۡكُمۡ بَيِّنَةٌ مِّنۡ رَّبِّكُمۡ فَاَوۡفُوا الۡكَيۡلَ وَالۡمِيۡزَانَ وَلَا تَبۡخَسُوا النَّاسَ اَشۡيَآءَهُمۡ وَلَا تُفۡسِدُوۡا فِى الۡاَرۡضِ بَعۡدَ اِصۡلَاحِهَا ؕ ذٰ لِكُمۡ خَيۡرٌ لَّـكُمۡ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ مُّؤۡمِنِيۡنَ ۚ ﴿۸۵﴾
Q-07:85And to the people of Madyan, we sent their brother Shu'ayb. He said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no god but Him! There has come to you a clear proof from your Lord. So, give full measure and weight, and do not deprive people of their rights, and do not spread corruption in the land after it has been set in order. That is better for you, if you are believers."
اَوۡفُوا الۡـكَيۡلَ وَلَا تَكُوۡنُوۡا مِنَ الۡمُخۡسِرِيۡنَۚ ﴿۱۸۱﴾ وَزِنُوۡا بِالۡقِسۡطَاسِ الۡمُسۡتَقِيۡمِۚ ﴿۱۸۲﴾ وَلَا تَبۡخَسُوا النَّاسَ اَشۡيَآءَهُمۡ وَلَا تَعۡثَوۡا فِى الۡاَرۡضِ مُفۡسِدِيۡنَۚ ﴿۱۸۳﴾ وَاتَّقُوا الَّذِىۡ خَلَقَكُمۡ وَالۡجِـبِلَّةَ الۡاَوَّلِيۡنَؕ ﴿۱۸۴﴾
Q-26:181-184Give full measure and weight, and do not be among the losers. (181) And weigh with a just balance. (182) And deprive not people of their dues, and do not spread corruption in the land. (183) And fear Him Who created you and the first creation. (184)
فَكُلُوۡا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللّٰهُ حَلٰلًا طَيِّبًا وَّاشۡكُرُوۡا نِعۡمَتَ اللّٰهِ اِنۡ كُنۡـتُمۡ اِيَّاهُ تَعۡبُدُوۡنَ ﴿۱۱۴﴾
Q-16:114So, eat of the lawful and pure livelihood that Allah has provided to you, and be grateful for His favors, if it is Him you worship.
Punishment on the people of Madyan.
Allah Almighty opens the doors of blessings from the earth and the sky for those who believe. Those protect the commands of Allah, fear His punishment, and do righteous deeds. A believer is never arrogant, because he knows well that this earth belongs to Allah; we are all its temporary inhabitants. Today we are, yesterday someone else was, and tomorrow someone else will be.
But the one whose heart is devoid of faith, even if he is apparently a Muslim, follows the path of lies, deceit, dishonesty, oppression and corruption in the land, following Devil. He becomes accustomed to using wrong weights and measures, taking interest, immorality, spying on his brothers, selling intoxicants, deceiving by taking false oaths, and unjustly consuming people's wealth. Such people do not observe the commands of Allah, so Allah Almighty seizes their deeds and sends down His punishment on them.
The people of Madyan also denied Prophet Shuaib (As). So, the punishment of God came upon them in the form of an earthquake. They remained lifeless in their homes. It was as if they had never lived there. These people who wanted to harm Shuaib (peace be upon him) themselves became losers.
وَلَوۡ اَنَّ اَهۡلَ الۡقُرٰٓى اٰمَنُوۡا وَاتَّقَوۡا لَـفَتَحۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ بَرَكٰتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ وَلٰـكِنۡ كَذَّبُوۡا فَاَخَذۡنٰهُمۡ بِمَا كَانُوۡا يَكۡسِبُوۡنَ ﴿۹۶﴾
If the people of the towns had believed and feared Allah, we would have opened for them the gates of blessings from the heaven and the earth. But they denied, so We seized them for what they had done.
اَوَلَمۡ يَهۡدِ لِلَّذِيۡنَ يَرِثُوۡنَ الۡاَرۡضَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ اَهۡلِهَاۤ اَنۡ لَّوۡ نَشَآءُ اَصَبۡنٰهُمۡ بِذُنُوۡبِهِمۡ ۚ وَنَطۡبَعُ عَلٰى قُلُوۡبِهِمۡ فَهُمۡ لَا يَسۡمَعُوۡنَ ﴿۱۰۰﴾
Q-07:100Has it not become clear to those who inherit the earth after its first inhabitants? that, if We will, we can throw them into trouble for their sins and set a seal on their hearts so that they do not listen?
فَاَخَذَتۡهُمُ الرَّجۡفَةُ فَاَصۡبَحُوۡا فِىۡ دَارِهِمۡ جٰثِمِيۡنَ ۚ ﴿۹۱﴾ الَّذِيۡنَ كَذَّبُوۡا شُعَيۡبًا كَاَنۡ لَّمۡ يَغۡنَوۡا فِيۡهَا ۛۚ اَ لَّذِيۡنَ كَذَّبُوۡا شُعَيۡبًا كَانُوۡا هُمُ الۡخٰسِرِيۡنَ ﴿۹۲﴾
Q-07:91-92So, the earthquake seized them, and they lay dead in their homes. (91) Those who denied Shu'aib were destroyed as if they had never lived in them. So those who denied Shu'aib were the losers. (92)
God's punishments in today's time.
In today's era, various forms of Allah's punishment come to the fore, such as lack of blessings in sustenance, children becoming incapable and disobedient, increasing diseases in the family, curses coming out of the parents' tongues, the loss of peace of hearts, and the coming of death in a humiliating or harsh form. All these are signs of a lesson in this world, whereas there will be no portion left for them in the Hereafter.
Trading Halal.
Indeed, God has forbidden usury and permitted trade for the believers. But the trade that was permitted is not this trade that we do today.
قَالُوۡۤا اِنَّمَا الۡبَيۡعُ مِثۡلُ الرِّبٰوا ۘ وَاَحَلَّ اللّٰهُ الۡبَيۡعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبٰوا ؕ ﴿۲۷۵﴾
They say that buying and selling is like usury, although Allah has permitted trade and forbidden usury.
The nature of halal trade.
Allah Almighty says that trade should be such that it does not cause the believer to neglect glorifying Allah, establishing prayer, and paying zakat. The fear of the Hereafter should always be alive in the heart of a believing trader in such a way that that fear strengthens his good deeds and leads him to goodness and righteousness.
Allah Almighty, through His mercy and grace, rewards the good deeds of such a trader with the best reward in this world and the Hereafter.
Of course, many sincere servants of Allah engage in such pure trade, and we can do the same. For this, it is necessary that we make our trade pure and clean, and adapt our worldly pursuits according to the divine law, and not according to the methods of Devil.
Honesty in measuring and weighing, and avoiding false and impure means such as intoxicants, interest, gambling, idolatry, and lottery! these are the principles that make trade blessed and life prosperous. God willing, such a trader will be successful in this world and will be a leader in the Hereafter.
رِجَالٌ ۙ لَّا تُلۡهِيۡهِمۡ تِجَارَةٌ وَّلَا بَيۡعٌ عَنۡ ذِكۡرِ اللّٰهِ وَاِقَامِ الصَّلٰوةِ وَاِيۡتَآءِ الزَّكٰوةِ ۙ يَخَافُوۡنَ يَوۡمًا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيۡهِ الۡقُلُوۡبُ وَالۡاَبۡصَارُ ﴿۳۷﴾ لِيَجۡزِيَهُمُ اللّٰهُ اَحۡسَنَ مَا عَمِلُوۡا وَيَزِيۡدَهُمۡ مِّنۡ فَضۡلِهٖؕ وَاللّٰهُ يَرۡزُقُ مَنۡ يَّشَآءُ بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٍ ﴿۳۸﴾
Those whom neither trade nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah. And they establish prayer and give zakah. They fear a Day in which hearts and eyes will be turned away. (37) That Allah may reward them for the best of their deeds and increase them out of His bounty. And Allah provides for whom He wills without measure. (38)
وَيۡلٌ لِّلۡمُطَفِّفِيۡنَۙ ﴿۱﴾ الَّذِيۡنَ اِذَا اكۡتَالُوۡا عَلَى النَّاسِ يَسۡتَوۡفُوۡنَ ﴿۲﴾ وَاِذَا كَالُوۡهُمۡ اَوْ وَّزَنُوۡهُمۡ يُخۡسِرُوۡنَؕ ﴿۳﴾ اَلَا يَظُنُّ اُولٰٓٮِٕكَ اَنَّهُمۡ مَّبۡعُوۡثُوۡنَۙ ﴿۴﴾ لِيَوۡمٍ عَظِيۡمٍۙ ﴿۵﴾ يَّوۡمَ يَقُوۡمُ النَّاسُ لِرَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَؕ ﴿۶﴾
Q-83:01-06Woe to those who short weight and measure. (1) Those who weigh or measure accurately when they buy goods. (2) But when they give to others, they reduce it. (3) Do they not realize that they will be raised. (4) For a great Day. (5) The Day when people will stand before the Lord of the Worlds. (6)
يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِنَّمَا الۡخَمۡرُ وَالۡمَيۡسِرُ وَالۡاَنۡصَابُ وَالۡاَزۡلَامُ رِجۡسٌ مِّنۡ عَمَلِ الشَّيۡطٰنِ فَاجۡتَنِبُوۡهُ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُوۡنَ.
Q-05:90O you who believe! Indeed, intoxicants, gambling, idols and dice are abominable. These are the works of Devil. So, avoid them altogether that you may prosper. (90)
Blessings in halal livelihood.
For a person who believes in one God, unlawful sustenance is not suitable. For a believer, whatever lawful sustenance is available in trade, even if it is small in quantity, is better for him, because Allah Almighty bestows blessings on lawful sustenance. He opens the way for His believing servants to shower blessings from the earth and the heavens. True success is not in the abundance of wealth, but in pure earnings and the blessings of Allah therein.
اَوۡفُوا الۡمِكۡيَالَ وَالۡمِيۡزَانَ بِالۡقِسۡطِ وَلَا تَبۡخَسُوا النَّاسَ اَشۡيَآءَهُمۡ وَلَا تَعۡثَوۡا فِى الۡاَرۡضِ مُفۡسِدِيۡنَ.
Shuaib said to his people: Give full measure and weight with justice, and do not deprive people of their property, and do not be like those who spread corruption in the land.
بَقِيَّتُ اللّٰهِ خَيۡرٌ لَّـكُمۡ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ مُّؤۡمِنِيۡنَ ۚ وَمَاۤ اَنَا عَلَيۡكُمۡ بِحَفِيۡظٍ ﴿۸۶﴾
Q-11:86Shuaib said to his people: "What Allah has left for you is better for you, if you are believers. And I am not a guardian over you."
یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا کُلُوۡا مِنۡ طَیِّبٰتِ مَا رَزَقۡنٰکُمۡ وَاشۡکُرُوۡا لِلّٰہِ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ اِیَّاہُ تَعۡبُدُوۡنَ ﴿۱۷۲﴾
Q-02:172O you who believe! Eat from pure livelihood that Allah has provided for you, and be grateful to Allah, if it is Him you worship.
فَكُلُوۡا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللّٰهُ حَلٰلًا طَيِّبًا وَّاشۡكُرُوۡا نِعۡمَتَ اللّٰهِ اِنۡ كُنۡـتُمۡ اِيَّاهُ تَعۡبُدُوۡنَ ﴿۱۱۴﴾
Q-16:114So, eat of the lawful and good provisions that Allah has provided, and be grateful for His favors, if it is Him you worship.
وَلَوۡ اَنَّ اَهۡلَ الۡقُرٰٓى اٰمَنُوۡا وَاتَّقَوۡا لَـفَتَحۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ بَرَكٰتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ ﴿۹۶﴾
Q-07:96And if the people of the towns had believed and feared Allah, we would have opened for them the gates of blessings from the heavens and the earth.
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