Run a Business Islamically: The Sunna

Running a business in accordance with Islamic principles is a fundamental concern for Muslims in the modern world. This is the second in a series of articles from Running A Business Islamically.

We also see in the Sunna of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) numerous encouragements related to trade. Amongst them, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“The trader who is true and trustworthy will be resurrected with the Prophets and the Veracious and the Martyrs…”

There are two qualities: they are true in word and trustworthy in their conduct. Being a person who engages in business with the right attitude, purpose, and intention is a means of being from the best of believers.

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) also said, “What a great thing is virtuous wealth in the hands of a virtuous person.” The person spends it on the good for themselves, for their family and Allah’s creation.

The Best of Earning

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) told us, “The best of earning is that which is of your own hand.”

There are many different narrations on what is the best of earning and the scholars say it depends on context. Some narrations mention the best of earnings is through striving in the way of Allah.

Some scholars said the best of earning, being with one’s own hand, is manual work such as agriculture, for example. But, most scholars said that it refers to trade. This means that you are working for yourself rather than being merely an employee for others. 

The scholars also took indications from a number of other narrations that the upper hand is better than the lower hand. One of the interpretations is that the upper hand is the hand that does not need others. You can have the upper hand, even if you are working for others. That is, if you do not attach your heart to creation but to the Creator. However, it is easier if you have that autonomy. 

The Prophetic Example

What did the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) do before revelation? He engaged in a number of professions (Allah bless him and give him peace). Even as a youth, he worked as a shepherd, for example, as we know. From a young age, he traded (Allah bless him and give him peace).

He went on the trade expedition that Quraysh would go to, to the lands of Sham with his uncle, Abu Talib, when he was but a child. We know that was reportedly when the incident of Buhayrah the monk took place.

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was hired by our mother Khadija to trade on her behalf. That is actually what led to her choosing to get married to him, because she saw in his trade, that he is being true and trustworthy and of great character and virtue.

The Expedition of Distress

We see the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) encouraging his companions to trade. One of many examples of that is that are the companions who migrated from Makka to Madina. They left their homes and their wealth behind. Even though the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) made this arrangement of brotherhood between them and the Ansar (Helpers), the general response of the companions was, we do not want your wealth, just show us where the marketplace is and they started working. 

Within some years when there was the expedition of distress. Our master Uthman ibn Affan funded most of the provision and equipping of the army. He did not come to from Makka to Madina with wealth, but this was from the prophetic encouragement to engage in trade. They traded not simply to amass wealth, that is what Allah cautions:

 أَلۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱلتَّكَاثُرُ

 حَتَّىٰ زُرۡتُمُ ٱلۡمَقَابِرَ

“All of you are distracted by competing for worldly gain: 

Until you pay your final “visit” to far-stretching graveyards.” [Quran: 102:1-2; tr. Keller, Quran Beheld]

Rather, the prophetic encouragement was to seek, to earn, to empower oneself to attain the good of this life and the next, for oneself, one’s family, and for wider society. You see this in the example of the companions during the life of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), but also after the passing of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). 

Some of the companions were extraordinarily poor during the life of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). For example, Our master Abu Huraira dedicated himself fully to knowledge. He was so devoted to learning the Hadith of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), that sometimes he’d faint after Jumu’ah. People thought that he was having a fit, but it was only the extreme pain and weakness of hunger. Yet afterwards, he was extremely wealthy.