“Allah Guides to His Light Whom He Wills” – The Muamilat of Rahma and Baraka by Shaykh Faid Said

Imam al Shatabi, may Allah be pleased with him (rehmatullah alaih) mentioned that the primary foundation of the Shari’ah of Islam is based on two principles: the first principle being Mercy (Rahma), and the second, justice.
This is evident, as Allah, may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala), says in the Qur’an (Surah Al-Hajj, 78): “And strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty…”
Allah, may he be glorified and exalted, (subhana wa ta’ala) has not placed anything upon us that is beyond our ability, as He says in Surah Al-Baqarah (286): “Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity…”
In the same Surah, Allah, may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala), says (Surah Al-Baqarah, 185): “Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship…”
Even when Allah, may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala), asks for something, despite the fact that He is our Master and can ask us anything, we see His Rahma even when asking us to complete the most compulsory of requests, as if He is giving us space to choose: “Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth?” (Surah Al-Hadid, 16)
In a Hadith narrated by Abu Hurrairah, Allah’s blessings be on him (radiallah anhu), Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him (sallallahu alayhi wasalam), said: “Verily this religion (deen) is easy, whoever tries to go deep into deen and makes things difficult, he will be overpowered by the deen!” [Bukhari]
How beautiful would the world be if we dealt with one another as Allah, may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala), deals with us!
Despite all of our evil and bad deeds, Ar-Rahman (The Most Merciful) has never stopped Giving us! Ar Rahman was, is and will remain the Most Merciful!
This is the very Rahma we see Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him (sallallahu alayhi wasalam), with when dealing with the worst of his enemies; those who disrespected him and his loved ones, and conspired to destroy Islam and him. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala), said about the accursed hypocrites (Surah An-Nisa, 140-3):
“And it has already come down to you in the Book that when you hear the verses of Allah [recited], they are denied [by them] and ridiculed; so do not sit with them until they enter into another conversation. Indeed, you would then be like them. Indeed Allah will gather the hypocrites and disbelievers in Hell all together. Those who wait [and watch] you. Then if you gain a victory from Allah , they say, “Were we not with you?” But if the disbelievers have a success, they say [to them], “Did we not gain the advantage over you, but we protected you from the believers?” Allah will judge between [all of] you on the Day of Resurrection, and never will Allah give the disbelievers over the believers a way [to overcome them]. Indeed, the hypocrites [think to] deceive Allah , but He is deceiving them. And when they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing [themselves to] the people and not remembering Allah except a little. Wavering between them, [belonging] neither to the believers nor to the disbelievers. And whoever Allah leaves astray – never will you find for him a way.”
And yet, Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him (sallallahu alayhi wasalam), did not kill them, put them in prison nor did he even disclose their names!
If we were to deal with one another like Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) and Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him (sallallahu alayhi wasalam), deal with us, our world would be very different from its current state!
In a Hadith, Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him (sallallahu alayhi wasalam), regarding muamilat (dealings), speaks of a transaction, about buying and selling and the rules of the marketplace. However, the transaction that is spoken of is not purely financial, nor is about morality, but rather, the Hadith elucidates our understanding of human nature.
In Bukhari and Muslim, Hakim ibn Khuzaym, Allah’s blessings be on him (radiallah anhu), narrated that when a buyer and seller commit to a transaction, they have the choice and ability to reverse the transaction up until the point of their parting. If the parties to the transaction were clear and sincere, Allah, may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala), will put blessing (baraka) in their transaction. If the parties were deceitful, Allah may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala), will remove the baraka from that transaction.
In this Hadith we see the Rahma of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala), as Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) is not only speaking of transactions and their legality or morality, instead he is speaking of Baraka! He is speaking of the increase in benefit and Rahma of what you are doing. It is not how much you are making, but rather how beneficial it is to you, your family and those who are around you.
It might be that someone might not make a profit from a given transaction, but the baraka from their action might instead be reflected in their good health, ease, protection, honor, peace, love and to be surrounded by love from the environment around you.
Baraka has not limit or end! Baraka is connected to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala).
Do we not see what Allah, may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala), said in Surah Al-Mulk (1): “Blessed is He in whose hand is dominion, and He is over all things competent,” and in Surah Al-Furqan (1): “Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His Servant that he may be to the worlds a warner.”
So when you obtain Baraka, this is what you are getting! This is the connection you receive!
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala), even described the area of Baitul Maqdis as blessed. There is no limit for Baraka. Even when you buy and sell, you can get close to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala), and obtain this Baraka!
Imam Muhammad ash-Shaybani, may Allah be please with him (rehmatullah alaih), student of Imam Abu Hanifah, may Allah be please with him (rehmatullah alaih), and the pillar of the madhab (school of jurisprudence), when he was asked to write about zuhd (asceticism), he instead wrote about buying, selling and transactions. When asked why, he said if you do not know the precepts of halal and haram, how can you even expect to speak of zuhd!
Even when we buy and sell, we can make our transactions a means for us to get closer to Allah may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala), with this baraka.
That is why Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him (sallallahu alayhi wasalam), connected honesty in buying and selling with baraka, and dishonesty in transacting not with monetary loss, but with the absence of baraka. What a punishment! Even though you may be successful in that transaction, the lack of baraka will cause the jealousy of people, and suffering in what you have obtained!
In doing so, Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him (sallallahu alayhi wasalam), has transformed the way we look at things, and not only that, but he transformed our beings! He is telling us that success is not measured by how much profit you are make, and it is not measured by the number of transactions you complete, rather, success is measured by the baraka you are receiving from Allah, may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala).
The Hadith shows us the baraka of business, and that not everyone has to be in a particular trade, as Allah, may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala), has created us all different in terms of language, color and even interests!
Everything that we are interested in can bring us closer to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala), if we do that which interests us with honesty and sincerity; with that intention, our interest may turn into a business and interest of baraka!
Returning to the earlier point on understanding human nature, why do we have a choice, during the course of the transaction? Why did Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) give us a choice? The choice is connected to two components of the transaction: price and product. All sellers want the highest price for the product, whereas all buyers want the lowest price. As a result, we often make quick decisions and then regret dawns on our prior eagerness to obtain a given product, which after being obtained our rational mind takes hold. Hence, buyer’s remorse sets in thinking we paid too much, and if, when trying to return the product, the seller were to say no, the buyer would walk away with a broken heart and may hold a grudge against the seller; and the feeling of having been deceitful will be left for the seller, who will have to live knowing what he has done. In some instances, the seller might give the wrong price, and the price in the market may actually be higher than what he has sold the product for, and hence the importance having a choice.
That is why Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) gave the buyer and seller a choice, as it gives them a chance to rectify their actions in that moment. With regards to the second component, the product, the buyer, before purchasing the product, may feel that he needs to purchase the product, but then after buying it, his thoughts may waver and he may ask himself if he really needs it. For the seller, the product may be the last of his supply, and therefore he may want to keep it; the choice is a source of Rahma.
Why this Hadith? Reading this Hadith caused us to stop and wonder at the consideration of Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him (sallallahu alayhi wasalam)! What consideration and concern for all! That is why Allah , may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala), described Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him (sallallahu alayhi wasalam), as a “Mercy to all the worlds” (Surah Anbiya, 107).
Also, this Hadith helps us to understand the human condition, how we as humans are not always stable, and we often waver in and out of regret and chance; this condition even extends to the sharpest of minds, including those involved in business.
The Hadith shows us the important aspects of life, and highlights giving others a second chance, as this leads us to understand the nature of each other, which is very important. It is always important to keep promises and our word; however, it is much more important to correct and rectify, as Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him (sallallahu alayhi wasalam), mentions in a Hadith narrated by Abu Hurrairah, Allah’s blessings be on him (radiallah anhu): Whoever swears to do something and then they find something better, let them fast three days, as kafara (in substitution), and choose that which is better. [Tirmidhi, 1530]
It is important to keep your word, but when you discover a better way or outcome, you should accept the later, as Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) has shown us the way of Baraka and Rahma, because he knows our human nature.
This our understanding of the Hadith, and with this Hadith we urge everyone to look at the guidance of Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him (sallallahu alayhi wasalam), and to understand that we, as humans, are weak, and with all our deficiencies, we need to understand each other, and make things easy for one another, as Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him (sallallahu alayhi wasalam), has shown us in this Hadith.
May Allah, may He be glorified and exalted (subhana wa ta’ala), forgive us, and make us worthy to follow the Baraka of Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him (sallallahu alayhi wasalam).
Shaykh Faid Mohammed Said