Numerous malpractices are prevalent amongst merchants. This article mentions narrations from the best of creation صلى الله عليه وسلم warning against lying and deceiving in business. Also a narration of glad tidings is quoted for those who adhere to the divine guidelines.
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Guidelines to Businessmen
The following guidelines have been extracted from hadith for businessmen to adhere to:
- Always speak the truth
- Clarify matters [mention any defects]
- Be conscious of Allah
- Invest in Permissible stock
- Avoid Interest
- Do not take false oath
- Stay away from doubtful matters
- Don’t let it distract you from the true purpose [Worshiping Allah]
Clarify Matters and be truthful
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ، رَفَعَهُ إِلَى حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ الْبَيِّعَانِ بِالْخِيَارِ مَا لَمْ يَتَفَرَّقَا ـ أَوْ قَالَ حَتَّى يَتَفَرَّقَا ـ فَإِنْ صَدَقَا وَبَيَّنَا بُورِكَ لَهُمَا فِي بَيْعِهِمَا، وَإِنْ كَتَمَا وَكَذَبَا مُحِقَتْ بَرَكَةُ
بَيْعِهِمَا ”
Narrated Hakim bin Hizam [Allah bless him]:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “The seller and the buyer have the right to keep or return goods as long as they have not parted or till they part; and if both the parties spoke the truth and described the defects and qualities (of the goods), then they would be blessed in their transaction, and if they told lies or hid something, then the blessings of their transaction would be lost.“
Invest in Permissible stock
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ يَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ مَا يُبَالِي الرَّجُلُ مِنْ أَيْنَ أَصَابَ الْمَالَ مِنْ حَلاَلٍ أَوْ حَرَامٍ ” .
It was narrated that Abu Hurairah [Allah bless him] said:
“The Messenger of Allah said: ‘There will come a time when a man will not care where his wealth comes from, whether (the source is) Halal or Haram.” [Nasai: 4454]
Avoid Interest
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ يَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا فَمَنْ لَمْ يَأْكُلْهُ أَصَابَهُ مِنْ غُبَارِهِ ”
It was narrated that Abu Hurairah [Allah bless him] said:
“The Messenger of Allah said: “There will come a time when there will be no one left who does not consume Riba, and whoever does not consume it will nevertheless be affected by residue.”
Be conscious of Allah
عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ رِفَاعَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، أَنَّهُ خَرَجَ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى الْمُصَلَّى فَرَأَى النَّاسَ يَتَبَايَعُونَ فَقَالَ ” يَا مَعْشَرَ التُّجَّارِ ” . فَاسْتَجَابُوا لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَرَفَعُوا أَعْنَاقَهُمْ وَأَبْصَارَهُمْ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ ” إِنَّ التُّجَّارَ يُبْعَثُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فُجَّارًا إِلاَّ مَنِ اتَّقَى اللَّهَ وَبَرَّ وَصَدَقَ ”
The Messenger of Allah [Allah bless him] said: ‘Most businessmen will be with the wicked people. The only exception will be those businessmen who fear Allah, do good and always speak the truth’. [Tirmidhi: 1210]
Do not take false oath
عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” ثَلاَثَةٌ لاَ يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلاَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ يُزَكِّيهِمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ” . فَقَرَأَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ أَبُو ذَرٍّ خَابُوا وَخَسِرُوا . قَالَ ” الْمُسْبِلُ إِزَارَهُ وَالْمُنَفِّقُ سِلْعَتَهُ بِالْحَلِفِ الْكَاذِبِ وَالْمَنَّانُ عَطَاءَهُ ” .
In another narration Abu Dharr al-Ghifari [Allah bless him] relates that the Prophet [Allah bless him] said: ‘Allah will not even look at them and they will undergo a severe punishment.’ When I requested him further to specify who such wretched people were, he said: ‘He who drags his clothes below the ankle; he who reminds recipients of the favour done by him; and he who sells his merchandise by taking a false oath.’
[Nasai: 4458 and Sahih Muslim]
Stay away from doubtful matters
عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ الْحَلاَلُ بَيِّنٌ، وَالْحَرَامُ بَيِّنٌ وَبَيْنَهُمَا أُمُورٌ مُشْتَبِهَةٌ، فَمَنْ تَرَكَ مَا شُبِّهَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الإِثْمِ كَانَ لِمَا اسْتَبَانَ أَتْرَكَ، وَمَنِ اجْتَرَأَ عَلَى مَا يَشُكُّ فِيهِ مِنَ الإِثْمِ أَوْشَكَ أَنْ يُوَاقِعَ مَا اسْتَبَانَ، وَالْمَعَاصِي حِمَى اللَّهِ، مَنْ يَرْتَعْ حَوْلَ الْحِمَى يُوشِكْ أَنْ يُوَاقِعَهُ ”
Narrated An-Nu`man bin Bashir [Allah bless him]:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said “Both legal and illegal things are obvious, and in between them are (suspicious) doubtful matters. So whoever forsakes those doubtful things lest he may commit a sin, will definitely avoid what is clearly illegal; and whoever indulges in these (suspicious) doubtful things bravely, is likely to commit what is clearly illegal. Sins are Allah’s Hima (i.e. private pasture) and whoever pastures (his sheep) near it, is likely to get in it at any moment.” [Sahih Bukhari: 2051]
Vain Distraction
حَدَّثَنِي جَابِرٌ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ نُصَلِّي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذْ أَقْبَلَتْ مِنَ الشَّأْمِ عِيرٌ، تَحْمِلُ طَعَامًا، فَالْتَفَتُوا إِلَيْهَا، حَتَّى مَا بَقِيَ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلاَّ اثْنَا عَشَرَ رَجُلاً فَنَزَلَتْ {وَإِذَا رَأَوْا تِجَارَةً أَوْ لَهْوًا انْفَضُّوا إِلَيْهَا}
Narrated Jabir [Allah bless him]:
While we were offering the prayer with the Prophet (ﷺ) a caravan carrying food came from Sham. The people looked towards the caravan (and went to it) and only twelve persons remained with the Prophet. So, the Divine Inspiration came; “But when they see some bargain or some amusement, they disperse headlong to it.” (62.11)
To conclude this article, a narration of glad tidings is given to those who adhere to the divine guidelines:
Glad tidings to the truthful and trustworthy businessmen
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ التَّاجِرُ الصَّدُوقُ الأَمِينُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ ”
Abu Sa’eed narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“The truthful, trustworthy merchant is with the Prophets, the truthful, and the martyrs.” [Tirmidhi: 1209]
