Man is keen on his provision as much as he is keen on his life, so how does he get rid of worry about provision? How can he protect himself from committing sins for the sake of provision? How can he safeguard himself from being in a humiliating position for the sake of provision?
What is the Islamic concept of money? Who owns it? How is man entrusted with it, and why should he maintain it? Why has Allah prohibited squandering and wasting money? Why has Islam imposed upon a Muslim to gain his provision by himself? Are there unlawful ways of earning provision unknown to a great many Muslims? How does provision increase according to the Quran and the Prophetic Sunna? I hope that the following paragraphs will have decisive answers to these questions.
Allah has created the heavens and the earth and all the things existenting therein. He is the Only Owner of all things in existence. Allah says: "To Him belongs what is in the heavens and the earth, and all between them, and all beneath the soil." [XX ; 6] According to this verse, money, which is in people's hands, belongs only to Allah. Another evidence is Allah's Words: "And give them something out of Allah's money which He has given to you." [XXIV ; 33]
In the above Verse, Allah calls money which is in people's hands Allah's money, but Allah, the Almighty, favoured His servants by making them heirs thereof. Allah says: "Believe in Allah and his Messenger, and spend (in charity) out of the (sustenance) whereof He has made you heirs. For those of you who believe and spend (in charity) – for them is a great Reward." [CVII ; 7]
According to the teachings of Islam, Ownership belongs to Allah, Alone; and man has only the right for disposal with the things that Allah bestows upon him including money. Allah, the Almighty, will ask him about this money: how he earned it, and how he spent it. In this context, Imam Muslim narrated on authority of Abu Sa'id Al-Khoudri (May Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (PBUH) said: "The present world is delightful and verdant, and Allah has made you heirs thereof in order to see what you do."
But when ownership of money is attributed to mankind, as in Allah's Words: "You shall certainly be tried and tested in your possessions and yourselves, and you shall certainly hear much that will grieve you from those who received the Book before you and from polytheists. But if you preserve patiently and guard against evil, then that will be a determining factor in all affairs." [III ; 186], this does not mean that man is the owner of money, but rather that he has the right to utilize it as a kind of trial and test for him.
According to the Holy Quran, money is one of Allah's Favors which indicate His Mercy upon man. Allah bestowed it upon His Prophet (PBUH), saying: "Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter (and care)? And He found you straying, and He gave you guidance. And He found you in need, and made you independent." [XLIII ; 6-8]
Money is a Grace of Allah; and He called money Good. Allah says: "It is prescribed, when death approaches any one of you, if he leaves any Good that he make a bequest to parents and next of kin, according to reasonable usage; this is due right on the pious." [II ; 180]
The Prophet (PBUH) commended money when he said: "It is very good that a righteous man has righteous money."[1]
It was narrated that some of the Prophet's Companions (May Allah be pleased with them) said that the Prophet (PBUH) said "I like to have money whereby I can preserve my honour and draw nearer to my Lord."
Allah, the Almighty, made clear that money is the essence of life and that peoples' lives depend thereon. To this effect, He, All-Mighty, says: "And give not unto the foolish your property, which Allah has made a means of support for you, but feed and clothe them therewith, and speak to them words of kindness and justice." [IV ; 5]
Some interpreters of the Holy Quran said: this means that you live by it, and if you lose it, you will be lost. Thus, your life depends on it.
Since money is a great Divine Favor and the essence of human life, we should preserve it in order to fulfill our needs thereby. The Verse of Ad-Dain (i.e. debt), (II; 282), which is the longest verse in the Quran, affirms the necessity of preserving money by notarizing debts, calling upon witnesses, and taking mortgages.
Islam prohibits wasting money, with which Allah has entrusted people. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Allah has prohibited three things: gossip, much questioning, and wasting money."[2]
In explanation of the above Hadith, Imam An-Nawawi said that wasting money means: spending it unlawfully or exposing it to damage. The reason for this prohibition is because that is conducive to corruption - and Allah does not like those who corrupt - and because whosoever wastes his own money, he is apt to transgress against people's money, which is utmost corruption.
Allah, All-Mighty, strongly prohibits At-Tabtheer (squandering); and He describes squanderers as brothers of Satan. Allah says: "And render to kindred their due right, as (also) to those in want, and to the wayfarer; but squander not (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift. Verily, spendthrifts are brothers of the Evil One (Satan); and the Evil One is to his Lord ever ungrateful." [XVII ; 26-27]
At-Tabtheer (Squandering) can be precisely defined as: spending money unrightfully and in ways of disobedience to Allah. To this effect, narrated Imam Al-Boukhari: Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: "Do not squander" means "do not spend money in vain". Ibn Masa'oud also said: "Do not squander" means "do not spend money unrightfully". Imam Ash-Shawkani said that Satan is ungrateful, and a squanderer is Satan's brother; and consequently, a squanderer is ungrateful. If people comprehend and hearken to this fact, and abstain from squandering money in ways of disobedience and corruption, there will be plentiful money to satisfy the essential needs of all mankind. This is At-Tabtheer (squandering), but what about Al-Israf (wastefulness)?
One may not spend his money in ways of disobedience but rather in lawful ways, like food, drink, dwelling, clothes, decoration and ornaments …etc. yet one may go beyond bounds of moderation, whether in quantity, quality, or both. Allah says: "O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer, eat and drink, but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not those who are wasteful." [VII ; 31]
Allah has legalized eating and drinking, but He has prohibited wastefulness. In his interpretation of the Holy Quran, Ibn 'Abbas said: "In this verse, Allah has legalized eating and drinking unless wastefully or boastfully." Some exegetes also said: Grammatically, omitting the object in the phrase "but waste not by excess" indicates generalization, which means "do not be wasteful in anything, not only in eating and drinking. Also, Allah says that he does not like those who are wasteful because they wrong themselves, do harm to their bodies, waste their money, and lose their Hereafter. Moreover, Allah has prohibited stinginess which results in blame. Allah says: "Make not your hand tied (like a niggard's) to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach, so that you become blameworthy and destitute." [XVII ; 29]
In his interpretation of the above Verse, Al-Baidawi said: It comprises a couple of exemplifications that are meant to dispraise and forbid both stinginess and wastefulness and replace them by something moderate and laudable standing in the middle of both extremes, namely generousity.
Ibn kathir also said: Allah's Words "so that you become blameworthy and destitute" mean that if you are stingy, you will become blameworthy by people; and if you stretch your hand more than your ability, you will become destitute with nothing to spend, just like a riding animal that has become too weak to move on.
Safety is to be found in Moderation. Narrated Al-Baihaqi on authority of Abu Houraira: The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Three things are deliverers, and three things are destroyers. The deliverers are: fearing Allah secretly and openly, speaking the truth in content and discontent, and moderation in riches and poverty. The destroyers are: a followed caprice, an obeyed stinginess, and self-admiration, which is the most dangerous of them all."[3]
Moderation in exspenditure is one of the good traits of Allah's righteous holy servants who, when they spend, they are not extravagant, nor are they niggardly, but they are moderate. Allah says: "Those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly, but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes)." [XXV ; 67]
Islam bids Muslims to work and exert every effort for earning livelihood, and considers seeking lawful livelihood as an obligation upon every Muslim, which comes directly after religious obligations such as prayer, fast, pilgrimage, and Zakat (almsgiving). Some scholars hold that an amount which is necessary for man to perform obligations is an obligation in itself, because the thing without which obligations can not be performed is an obligation. Hence, earning money is an obligation for paying debts, because paying debts is an obligation. Earning money is an obligation for spending upon one's wife, children, and parents, because spending upon them is an obligation. Ibn Al-Jawzi narrated that Muhammad Ibn 'Asem said that whenever Omar Ibn Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) saw a young man that called for his admiration, he would ask whether he had a job or not. If Omar was informed that the man had no job (i.e. idle), he would not show enough respect for him. Ibn Masa'oud (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I hate the man who lazes about doing nothing for the present world or the Hereafter.
Now, what about the perfect exemplars of earning livelihood? In fact, the Holy Prophets and Messengers of Allah, (PBUH), were the perfect exemplars of earning livelihood. This is because no human being, even a Holy Prophet or Messenger is above the need of earning a living. To this effect, Allah, Most Gracious, says: "And the Messengers whom We sent before you were all (men) who ate food and walked through the streets; We have made some of you as a trial for others, will you have patience? And Allah is One Who sees (all things)." [XXV ; 20] This means that the Holy Prophets and Messengers are mere human beings that have the same human qualities like other fellow humans, and, being as such, they are good exemplars of human beings. One of their human qualities is that they are in need to have food, and in order to gain it, they are in need to work.
Narrated Imam Al-Boukhari on authority of Al-Miqdam Ibn Ma'd Yakrib (May Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (PBUH) said: "No one has ever eaten any food better than eating from the work of his own hand; and Allah's Prophet David ate from the work of his own hand."
Our Prophet, Muhammad (PBUH), the leader of all Prophets and Messengers and the most honoured and beloved of all mankind in the sight of Allah, All-Mighty, used to pasture sheep, for a little money, for the people of Mecca. In this context, narrated Imam Al-Boukhari on authority of Abu Houraira: The Prophet (PBUH) said: "All of the Prophets whom Allah has sent forth did pasture sheep." His companions asked him: "Even you, O messenger of Allah!" He said: "And I used to pasture them (i.e. sheep) for Qarareet (i.e. a little money) for the people of Mecca." Hence, work is an honour for man.
Through his directions and attitudes – not as a Prophet and Messenger of this nation, but as the leader thereof – Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) made clear that it is the duty of Muslim rulers to provide jobs for the unemployed, to habilitate them psychologically and physically. Narrated Abu Dawoud on authority of Anas Ibn Malik (May Allah be pleased with him): A man of the Helpers came to the Prophet (PBUH) and asked him for some money. But the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Is not there anything in your house? He said: "Yes, there is a rug on which we sit, and a vessel by which we drink water." He (PBUH) said: "Fetch them to me!" So the man fetched them, and the Prophet (PBUH) took them and said to his Companions: "Who wants to buy these things?" A man said: "I'll buy them for one Dirham?" The Prophet (PBUH) called out: "Who pays more?" twice or three times, when a man said: "I'll take them for two Dirhams!" So the Prophet (PBUH) gave him the things, took the two Dirhams and gave them to the Helper man sayig: "Buy food by one Dirham and give it to your family, and buy an axe by the other, and bring it to me." So the man went and brought an axe; and the Prophet (PBUH) fixed a stick into it by his holy hands; and then he said: "Go and gather firewood, then sell it, and do not come back to me until fifteen days are up!" So the man went, gathered and sold some firewood. Then he came back after he had earned ten Dirhams, by some of which he bought clothes and food. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "This is better for you than coming on the Day of Judgment with a mark of mendicancy on your face. Mendicancy is appropriate only for three (kinds of) people: an extremely poor man, a man heavily endebted, and a man charged with heavy blood-money."
By virtue of the above Hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) habilitated this unemployed man psychologically when he ordered him to bring food to his family in order not to worry about them for a while and to devote himself to work. He also habilitated him materially, when he provided him with a tool to work thereby, after having fixed a stick to the axe the man had bought. The more important thing the Holy Prophet did was that he (PBUH) waited to see the consequences of the man's work, as he gave him fifteen days in order to see the extent of his success or failure.
Some of the directions that Omar Ibn Al-Khattab used to give to the governors that he appointed were: "Allah has made us His Viceroys over His creatures in order to provide food for them, to preserve their honour, and to provide jobs for them. If we accomplish such things for them, we deserve their gratitude and thankfulness. These hands have been created in order to work; but if they do not find a (decent) work of obedience, they seek (evil) works of disobedience. Therefore, get them involved in (decent) works of obedience before they get you involved in their (evil) works of disobedience."
The above-mentioned was about the Islamic concept of money and the lawful ways of earning and spending it. But what about unlawful ways of earning money and eating up people's money unrightfully. Allah says: "And do not eat up your property among yourselves for vanities, nor use it as bait for the judges, with intent that you may eat up wrongfully and knowingly a little of (other) people's property." [II ; 188]
The Verse "Do not eat up your property…" indicates a serious fact, namely sincere brotherhood, which Muslims should enjoy among themselves. This brotherhood is substantiated by the feeling that your brother's property is yours; and that it is your duty to preserve it and safeguard it from being wasted or damaged as if it were yours, and, hence, more deservedly, to abstain from eating it up unrightfully.
The Verse also indicates that if you eat up your brother's property, you weaken him, and, hence weaken your own self as well. It was narrated in "Sahih Al-Boukhari" And "Sahih Muslim" that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Every Muslim is sacrosanct for another Muslim: his property, his blood, and his honour."
Allah says: "And do not eat up your property among yourselves for vanities, nor use it as bait for the judges, with intent that you may eat up wrongfully and knowingly a little of (other) people's property." [II ; 188]
One example of eating up people's property in vanities is usury, whereby money produces money, work is hindered, unemployment spreads, prices go up, money becomes monopolized by rich people, and the gap between the poor and the rich becomes wider. Imam Muslim narrated that Jabir said: "The Prophet (PBUH) damned the one who eats up usury and the one who helps him eat up usuary, the one who writes (contracts) of usuary and the two witnesses thereof. Then he said: they are all alike (in evil and punishment)."
Onother example of eating up people's property in vanities is cheating, which is of many kinds and forms, most of which are attributed to deception by showing something and concealing another within it, as when one lies in describing something, like, for instance, to describe a bad thing as being good or a cheap commodity as being expensive. It is cheatful to mingle a bad commodity with a good one and to sell them as if they were both good, or when a seller claims falsely that he has bought a commodity for so-and-so in order to conceal his real profit thereof. It is cheatful to conceal defects or to defraud in weights, measures, numbers, length, or size…etc. It is cheatful to hide place of manufacture or production of a commodity or its date of expiry, or to change its qualities. It is cheatful to show a certain commodity in such a way as to make it seem better than it really is or to hide the bad qualities thereof. It is cheatful to allure a customer to buy a bad out-of-date or little-in-demand commodity or overcharge him, which is a most grievous kind of injustice and transgression.
Islam also strongly prohibits customers to underestimate commodities or eploit the seller's ignorance of the real value or price of his commodity. That is why the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), forbade receiving new comers to the market-place because they might be ignorant of the real price of their commodities.
A third example of eating up people's property in vanities is monopoly, which can be defined as: withholding a commodity and abstaining from selling it until its price becomes higher than usual because of its scarcity, non-existence or bad need thereof. Imam Abu Yousuf said: "Everything whose withholding causes harm to people is monopoly." Some scholars also hold: "Every deception which results in increasing the demand for a certain commodity and scarcity thereof, in order to increase its price, is monopoly." This is because the extra profit, which a monopolist gains, is unlawful, for it is not in return for an extra amount of commodity, improvement of the qualities thereof, or an extra service offered by the seller. Also, this extra price is not charged out of the real contentment of the buyer but rather his urgent need of the commodity, which he is forced to buy for more than its real value.
By virue of a great many Prophetic Hadiths, a monopolist is cursed, wrongful and deprived of the Mercy of Allah, All-Mighty, Who promises him to enter Hell-Fire. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "No one monopolizes unless one is wrongful."
A Provider is well repaid, but a Monopolizer is cursed. And whosoever monopolizes food in order to raise its price and gain extra profit is disconnected with Allah and deprived of His Mercy. How evil a monopolist is! If Allah decreases prices, he is discontented; and if He increases them, he is pleased. Whosoever abstains from monopolizing, out of fear from Allah and mercy to fellow humans, attains the sublime qualities that Muslims should enjoy in both manners and transactions.
Some unlawful ways of earning livelihood might be unknown to many Muslims; but such evil ones as gambling, stealing, Ghulul (taking something unlawfully from booties before distribution thereof), bribery, usurpation, and plunder, are common and well-known examples of eating up people's property in vanities.
Now, the question is: Is there any means to increase provision mentioned in the Holy Quran and the Prophetic Sunna?! Taking into consideration that every man is keen on increasing his provision, I put forward some texts and leave it up to dear readers to deduce the relevant rules.
First Question: Is there a relationship between Provision and Uprightness?
Allah, Most Gracious, says: "If they had only remained on the Right Way, We should certainly have bestowed on them rain in abundance." [CXXII ; 16], "If the people of the towns had but believed and feared Allah, We should indeed have opened out to them (All kinds of) blessings from heaven and earth; but they rejected (the truth), and We brought them to book for their misdeeds." [VII ; 96]
Second Question: Is there a relationship between Provision and Prayer?
Consider Allah's Words: "Enjoin prayer on your people, and be constant therein. We ask you not to provide sustenance; We provide it for you. But the (fruit of) the Hereafter is for righteousness." [XX ; 132]
Third Question: Is there a relationship between Provision and Asking Allah's Forgiveness?
Contemplate Allah's Words: "So I said: 'Ask forgiveness from your Lord, for He is Oft-Forgiving. He will send rain to you in abundance. And give you increase of wealth and sons, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers (of flowing water)." [CXXI ; 10-12]
Fifth Question: Is there a relationship between Provision and being grateful to Allah?
Deliberate Allah's Words: "And remember! Your Lord caused to be declared (publicity): 'If you are grateful, I will add more (favours) unto you; but if you show ingratitude, truly My Punishment is terrible indeed." [XIV ; 7]
Sixth Question: Is there a relationship between Provision and maintenance of kinship ties?
Consider the Holy Prophet's words: "Whosoever likes that his provision be increased and his lifetime extended, let him maintain ties with his kin."[4]
Seventh Question: Is there a relationship between Provision and giving charities?
It was narrated in Prophetic Tradition: "Seek increase of Provision by giving charities, for charities increase Provision."
Eighth Question: Is there a relationship between Provision and honesty?
Consider the following Hadith: "Honesty is Riches". In the every sense of the word, Honsty is the best policy; and an honest person wins not only people's money but their trust and confidence as well.
Nineth Question: Is there a relationship between Provision and perfection of one's work?
Contemplate the following Hadith: "Allah loves that if a slave (of His) does something to do it well." In other words, he who does his job well is loved not only by Allah, All-Mighty, but by other fellow humans as well; and, consequently, his provision is enlarged.
To wrap up, principles, values, and ideals do not exist except through a living model that substantiates them and turns them into actual realities. In other words, a living model is an eternal human pattern and model for the forthcoming generations.
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