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Lesson Earning a Living and Seeking Sustenance
The Importance of Wealth
A person needs money to fulfill his basic needs; food, drink, a place to stay, clothing, etc., as well as many other benefits and interests that improve the nature of his life. Islam has given a great deal of importance to money and has legislated many rulings related to acquiring and spending it.
A livelihood and seeking sustenance refers to all the means and actions done by a person to obtain money and the things he needs in his life, whether through trade, industry or agriculture, etc.
The Ruling of Earning a Living and Seeking Sustenance
If the purpose of a person's livelihood is to boast and compete with others in how much they get, then these earnings are disliked and, according to some scholars, forbidden.
A Muslim trying to earn a living and seek wealth must obtain the relevant knowledge. Awareness of the rulings of financial transactions, such as the rulings of selling, leasing, running a business, usury, and other such transactions he carries out so that in his quest for a livelihood, he does not fall into matters Allah has forbidden.
Etiquettes of Earning a living and Seeking Sustenance
1. Some of the necessary etiquettes involved in seeking sustenance include: Not to delay or put off any one of the obligations that Allah has prescribed, as these obligations must be the very basis upon which a Mualim organizes his time and efforts around.
2. Also included in the necessary ettiuqutes are the following: The Muslm's pursuit of sustenance does not lead to him harming others, as there should be no harm received by others or reciprocated.
3. A person must have good intentions so that it prevents him and those under his care from asking others and seeking help with money so he can do acts of obedience. Therefore his intention should not be to collect wealth, compete and boast with others regarding it, or have other misguided purposes.
When a Muslim is sincere in seeking sustenance and intends to give charity to people with what he gains and improve their lives, this pursuit of sustenance is a form of worship, and he will attain high status. The Prophet ﷺ said: «The most beloved of people to Allah are those who benefit other people the most.» (Al-Awsat. Tabarany, 6026)
Maintaining a balance between earning a livelihood with all other personal needs so that accumulating wealth does not go from being a means to becoming the goal. Salman said to Abu Darda: "Indeed, your lord has a right over you. Your body has a right over you, and your family has a right over you. So give everything and everyone their right. He went to the Prophet ﷺ and mentioned that to him, so the Prophet ﷺ said: «Salman has spoken the truth» (Al-Bukhari, 1968)
5. Trust in Allah in the quest for livelihood: The reality of having trust is that a person uses the legal means available to him along with his heart attached to Allah (in trust).
6. A person should have certainty that his sustenance is from Allah alone and that it is not from the earnings themselves, because he may use the means of seeking sustenance and not achieve it because of a wisdom that only Allah knows.
7. Being content with what Allah has set and not feeling that sustenance is not forthcoming. Sustenance has been set by Allah, the amount and the time it is given. A Muslim seeks sustenance with etiquette and contentment with what Allah has written for him, seeking what is permissible and staying away from what is forbidden, The Prophet ﷺ said: «O people, fear Allah and be moderate in seeking a living, for no soul will die until it has received all its provision, even if it is slow in coming. So fear Allah and be moderate in seeking provision; take that which is permissible and leave that which is forbidden.» (Ibn Majah, 2144)
