Give Due Right to your Occupation

[ummtaalib]

Give Due Right to your Occupation

(Part 1)

 

By: Haqqseeker

 

It is the responsibility of a Muslim man to earn for himself and his family a pure and halal sustenance. Whether you are a lowly paid servant or a prestigious professional with a highly lucrative income, feeding your family with halal sustenance can be a means of earning immense rewards from Allah if you do it according to the commands of Allah and the Sunnah of Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam. Given below are some of the occupations and professions that you may be involved in and how you can turn these careers into a means of earning great blessings from Allah.

 

An employee: Work with all sincerity and trust. Try to train yourself to work efficiently. Maintain strict punctuality. Have good relationships with your colleagues and co-workers even if they are not Muslims. Always be content. Never ever think of taking anything that does not belong to you even if you are in a great need. This way you will win the confidence of your employer and insha- Allah, Allah will open ways for you from where you never expected.

 

A businessman: Whether you own a small shop or a large supermarket, be considerate about your customers all the time. See that you always give them the best. Never hide any faults or defects that might be in the items you are selling. If they return anything for one reason or another, never say ‘No’ to them. Accept the item and give them full refund. Sahaba who went to various countries won people into Islam merely by showing great qualities of muaamalat (business dealings) that were present in them through the influence of Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam. Always ensure that you stock halal items in your establishment. Lastly, treat all your employees with respect and always think of their needs.

 

An industrialist: if you are involved in the manufacturing business, especially that of the food products, you have to establish the best Islamic ways of manufacturing your products. If you are in the production of food items then ensure that the raw materials you use in the manufacture of your products should not be from haram or doubtful sources. The meat you use should be from animals slaughtered in the Zabihah way (slaughtered according to Islamic rites in order to be suitable for consumption). You should also understand that preparing Halal food also requires that it should be prepared in the most hygienic manner, meeting international food safety standards. In short, it should be contamination-free, chemical-free, healthy food. That way you will not only win many customers but you will also gain the pleasure of The Almighty Allah.

 

One very important aspect that we tend to overlook when investing our capital in our business is the source of that capital. It must be a pure source and it should not in the form of a loan obtained from a bank on payment of interest or any money acquired through unjust means.

 

Also ensure that you show kindness to your workers. Give them fair wages. The yardstick of justice, fairness, kindness, treating the employee as one would love to be treated and avoiding exploitation are the principles fixed by Islam. These should be kept in view while fixing wages and in the general employer-employee relationships.

 

An architect, a structural engineer etc.: Being one of the professionals mentioned here, you might have been partly responsible for bringing into existence a tall building resembling Burj Khalifa or an extraordinarily beautiful structure like Taj Mahal. You may start considering yourself a highly skilled person in your profession and this can breed a sense of pride in you. While you may be basking in the glory of your success you should not forget that everything of this world is transitory. It is going to come down one day. Whereas you should give full justice to the responsibilities your profession demands, your main concern should be to prepare for the life of the hereafter which is going to be your permanent abode. You should always be humble towards people and especially in front of Allah. Thank Allah profusely for whatever favors He has granted you, whether connected with the abundance of your resources or with your intellectual abilities.

 

A teacher: Your students are trusts handed to you by their parents. Teach them with all sincerity, whether they are Muslims or not. The principle quality you have to maintain is ‘love’. Show love to these children and Allah will make it easy for them to absorb whatever you teach them. As a Muslim teacher teaching in a non-Muslim country, you are able to manifest the importance of Islam through your behaviour. When the students and their parents will see the pure and pristine Islamic etiquettes in you, then they will be inspired to accept Islam. In this manner, a good Muslim teacher is also a da’ee (caller to the Faith) as he is able to spread Islam through his good behaviour. Impart to them the best tarbiyat (right upbringing). However, make sure that the lessons you are asked to teach them do not go against the Shariah.

 

To Be Continued…

 

Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)

Council of Muslim Theologians

[ummtaalib]

Give Due Right to your Occupation

(Part 2)

 

By: Haqqseeker

 

A Doctor: Being a doctor you are in one unique profession that offers you the opportunity to achieve dual-purpose objective in life:

 

1. Attaining closeness to Allah: A doctor or any other person connected to the medical profession can attain closeness to Allah if he ponders on the amazing way Allah has created the human body and the way each organ functions. Allah Ta’ala urges man to examine his own physical features in the following ayah: “Do they not reflect within themselves?” (Surah Ar-Rum verse 8)

 

At times a surgeon operates on the human body whilst its interior organs are displayed right in front of his eyes. If the operation involves open heart surgery where the chest is cut open and surgery is performed on the muscles, valves, or arteries of the heart, he gets the opportunity to witness the wonderful functions this organ performs. This is just one organ. The human body contains approximately 79 organs. The brain, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, tongue, teeth, lungs, kidneys, liver, etc. are all wonders from Allah and each one has a unique function or functions to perform.

 

2. Serving humanity: A doctor can serve humanity like no other professional can. For any person, good health is a vital thing and he is ready to do anything to achieve it. You are in a profession where Allah has granted you to become the means of achieving that ‘good health’.

 

However, there are some conditions that you have to fulfill to achieve the two purposes mentioned above:

 

Firstly, you must treat your patients with the intention of pleasing Allah only and without the element of greed involved in it. Consider your patients as persons very close to you. Some time back a doctor passed away in India and his funeral was attended by thousands of people, all wailing beyond control. The reason? He never charged his patients more than twenty rupees per visit and as a result he had attained the title “Rs. 20 doctor”!

 

Secondly, if as a surgeon you are about to operate on your patient, then offer two Rakaats of Salatul Haajat (a prayer offered for the accomplishment of particular purpose or need). Whilst performing the surgery it is very important to constantly make zikr of Allah the Most High. Allah will insha-Allah make things easy for you and He may grant you success in your endeavour.

 

Thirdly, if an operation goes well and the patient starts recovering then you must thank Allah profusely and offer your gratitude to Him in whatever way you can. This is the time when the element of pride must never enter your heart.

 

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Out of numerous occupations and professions only seven have been touched briefly here. Due to some limitations like space, time, etc. it is beyond our reach to deal with all the occupations. However, given below are some vital points that can help you in whatever job or occupation you are involved in:

 

i) Never miss a single one of your five daily Salah, however busy you may be. Salah has been given the status of a head in a body as illustrated in the hadith given below:

 

Sayyiduna Ibn Umar Radhiyallahu Anhu narrates: The Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam  stated the following: “The place of prayer (Salah) in religion is like the place of the head in the body.” (Majmaul-Awsat)

 

ii) A deception runs deep through many of us that if Allah has given us a lot of wealth it means that Allah is pleased with us. We easily confuse material “success” as a criterion of the pleasure of Allah. We tend to forget that Allah gives the luxury and the materials of this lowly life to even the worst criminals and tyrants, such as Fir’aun and Qaroon, and Allah withholds it from some of His closest fellows. We all know that Allah’s most beloved servant Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam spent his entire life in extreme poverty, so much so that according to a hadith for three consecutive crescents no fire used to burn in his house (i.e. nothing used to be cooked).

 

iii) As a Muslim, we have to firmly believe that all the wealth of this world belongs to Allah. Humans are only the appointed trustees to manage and distribute the wealth among them and among those who are needy. If Allah has endowed a person with plenty of wealth, then ensure that besides paying zakat, look at the needs of the poor, the deprived ones and the physically handicapped ones around us. Support charities like orphanages, widow homes etc. Many Muslims are starving due to the ongoing wars. Donate freely to some reliable NGO’s that are helping these people who are suffering immensely. Lastly, but most importantly, give plenty as Sadaqatul-Jaaria  to projects like building masajid, madaris etc.

 

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A very special occupation: In conclusion there is one work, occupation, profession or whatever you want to call it that is unique in every respect. If you were to write about it and even if you fill volumes you cannot give justice to it. The occupation we are talking about is that of a ‘housewife’. A housewife is a woman whose responsibility is running or managing her family’s home—caring for her children and giving them proper Islamic tarbiyat (training or upbringing), cooking, arranging to buy goods that the family needs in everyday life, housekeeping and maintaining the home.

 

However, the most important role she has to play is that of an ‘ideal wife’. Allah says in His Noble Qur’an:

 

“And among His Signs is that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find tranquillity in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect.” (Surah Ar-Rum verse 21)

 

She has to be his solace, his right hand in every respect, the one who shares his problems, guards his wealth, saves him from indulging in haram. And what reward she gets for being an ideal wife? In a hadith Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam said:

 

“If a woman dies while her husband is pleased with her, she will enter Paradise.” (Tirmidhi)

 

Allah Ta’ala has created a woman and moulded her in such a way that she fits perfectly in that occupation.

 

May Allah guide us to give due justice to whatever profession we are in such a manner that we win His pleasure. Ameen.

 

Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)

Council of Muslim Theologians