Irfan Shahid
Islam puts great emphasis on business transaction, especiallyHalalandHaram. Allah (سبحانہ وتعالی) clearly has defined the parameter ofHalal(legitimate) andHaram(illegitimate) in the Qur’ān. One should read the commandment of Allah regarding income before making his own judgement on the way of earning. Islam has made a scale to measure the legitimacy of income and profit on business.Allah said in the Qur’ān:
“Do not devour one another’s property wrongfully, nor throw it before the judges to devour a portion of other’s property sinfully and knowingly.” (Qur’ān, 2:188)
“Do not devour another’s property wrongfully unless it is by trade based on mutual consent.” (Qur’ān, 4:29)
Nowadays people are concerned more about the career, dignity, status and profession. Parents are teaching similar values to their children. The coming generation of Muslims is unaware about Islamicmuamilat(business dealings) due to this practice. Some people have synchronised Islam in Prayer only. It is noticed among the new generation of the migrated European society; some youths attend the prayer in the first row behind the Imam but when the prayer is finished they start selling opium, which is prohibited in Islam. It is felt that the following hadīth carries a lesson for the present generation of Muslims.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) said: “A time will come upon the people when they will not care as to how he gets his money whether legally or illegally.” (Bukhari)
Today people are much concerned abouthalalfoods, especially in the fast-food takeaways and corporate hotels.HalalandHaramare not limited to only fiscal things like pork, alcohol, interest and gambling.HalalandHaramare also in spiritual aspect of Shari’ah which is also based on operation and management.
A method of earning ishalal, but due to some manipulation and adultery, it may turn intoharam. For instance, a milkman daily sells milk which he gets from his cattle but one day he mixes some water or some chemical to increase the quantity of milk. This minute mixing makes his incomeharam. Shari’ah doesn’t allow earning income through this method. It is ظلم (oppression) in Islam. Ramadhan is a sacred month and dedicated to worship. Eating, drinking and having relationship with the wife is prohibited in the day but it is observed in many western countries during Ramadhan that some Muslims open their restaurants, inviting people to eat and drink. Moreover, they have written on the board that they are servingHalalfood. Running such a business in the month of Ramadhan isHaram.Halalincome is a spirit of the body; it induces the body to do charitable work.Haramincome never lets him do righteous work; it provokes the consumer to commit sin and do distractive work.
Halaldoes not only refer to how our food is prepared and how our animal is slaughtered but also to how we earn our money. Once upon a time, my friend sent me a photo of canned food produced in China. It was pork but on the top of the container was written that (ضبح علی طریقۃ الاسلام) (it is slaughtered on the method of Islam). Imagine! How seriously people have taken this issue which is next (فرض) compulsory after (الصلوۃ) Prayer.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) said: “Seeking of a halal earning is the (next) Fardh (duty) after the Fardh (Salah)”. (Baihaqi)
He also said: “The body which consumes illicit (Haram) earning is a proper fuel for hellfire.” (Bukhari)
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) said: “Leave what makes you doubt for things that do not make you doubt.” (Tirmidhi)
EarningHalalincome is a part of worship. Allah has promised to reward for earningHalalIncome.Allah (سبحانہ وتعالی) does not accept the call (دعا) of a person who eatsHaramincome.
The concept ofHalalandHaramis not limited to physical goods and services; it is also applicable to the method of earning and business operation.
The basic meaning ofHalalis lawful.Commodity and services permitted by Allah isHalal. In the Islamic terminology,Halalis referred to any physical goods and services allowed to use and take benefit from it. Most of the goods and services areHalalexcept a few declaredHaramin the Qur’ān and forbidden in the Hadīth.
It is a very strange situation when people are havingharamincome and searching forhalalfoods. When the reality ofHalalandHaramis explained to the people, they contrarily argue that they are paying zakah, so their income isHalal. They believe that they can earn some money throughharamactivities and Allah will forgive them when they spend some portion of the income on social welfare of people. Some people advise not to discuss Islam outside the masjid; they think market is a separate part of human life. Islam does not have any concern with market and method of earning while more than twenty-five per cent texts in the Holy Qur’ān and hadīth discuss the issues ofMuamilaat(Business Dealings).
Some may ask not to mix worldly affairs with Islam. They feel Islam is limited to five times prayer in the masjid. It seems that they haveimprisonedGod in Masjid. People are more concerned onhalalfood thanhalalincome. Islam covers the broader aspects of human life. Limiting Islam to physicalhalalandharamis a narrow thought. Islam is a complete system of life and solution to every human problem. EatingHaramIncome may change the human behaviour. Allah does not accept the supplication of a person who eats income earned throughharamactivities. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) has given an example of a person who travelled far, becoming dishevelled and dusty and he raises his hands to the sky, saying, “O Lord! O Lord!” while his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and he is nourished by the unlawful, so how can he be answered. (Sahih Muslim)
Moreover, Allah encourages people to eatHalalthings and discourage eatingHaramthings. As Allah says:
“O you mankind! Eat of what is on earth, lawful and good; and do not follow the footsteps of the devil, for he is to you an avowed enemy.” (Qur’ān 2:168)
This Qur’ānic verse explicitly indicates that consumption ofHaramfood and income induces a lot of mischiefs in human behaviour. Thus, it is disallowed to eat unlawful food and income. Allah has created most of the thingshalalfor human beings except a few that are clearly declared in the Qur’ān.
Allah has forbidden for you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that (any food and meat) which has been dedicated to other than Allah but if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits; then is he guiltless. Allah is often Forgiving Most Merciful. (Qur’ān 2:173)
Allah has mentioned in the Qur’ān the features and attributes of the goods and services that areHaram.
Forbidden for you are carrion, blood and pork, and what has been dedicated to other than Allah, and animals which have been strangled, and animals which have been killed by a blow, and animals which have fallen to their death, and animals which have been gored, and animals which wild beasts have eaten except those you are able to slaughter properly– and animals which have been sacrificed on altars, and deciding things by means of divining arrows – that is deviance. Today those who disbelieve have despaired of overcoming your religion. So, do not be afraid of them but be afraid of Me. Today I have perfected your religion for you and completed My blessing upon you, and I am pleased with Islam as a religion for you. But if anyone is forced by hunger, not intending any wrongdoing, Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Qur’ān 5:3)
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) said, “O people Allah is pure and He accepts only what is pure.” (Muslim)
Allah said, “O Messenger, eat from good things and act righteously, for I know what you do.” (Qur’ān, 23:51) and He further said: “O you who believe, eat from good things We have provided for you.” (Qur’ān, 2:172)
Before the advent of Dajjal,dua(supplication) will not be accepted due to eatingharamincome. Dajjal will be enforced on people when they will not have any sense to distinguish between the legitimate and the illegitimate. Mushrooming fast food industry is a key source of tangibleharamgoods. People will makedua(supplication) to get rid of Dajjal, but the supplication will not be accepted due to the consumption ofHaram. Most of the people will depend onharamfoods.It is noticed when a person feedsharamto his children; the latter also behave irrationally. Children are found involved in variousharamactivities, and they do not obey their parents. There are numerous negative impacts ofHaramIncome. Being a Muslim one should abstain fromHaramIncome,HaramFoods and Haram Business.
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