When studying the lives of our devout predecessors, it becomes apparent that they were involved in trade, diligently sought to fulfill their worldly needs, and even engaged in manual labor. However, they never regarded these activities as sources of disgrace or beneath their dignity.
The second Imam of Qiraat-e-‘Asharah, Imam Ibn Katheer Al-Makki (may Allah have mercy upon him), earned his epithet "Daari" due to his occupation as a seller of perfumes and fragrances. Imam Hafs bin Sulaimaan (may Allah have mercy upon him), another esteemed Imam of Qiraat, was involved in the trade of clothing. Even highly revered scholars of the Quran, such as Imam Abu Hanifah (may Allah have mercy upon him), Hadhrat ‘Abdullaah bin Mubaarak (may Allah have mercy upon him), and Imam Ibnul-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy upon him), engaged in the sale of materials and textiles.
These devoted servants of the Quran never considered trade, business, or any form of menial work associated with earning a halal livelihood as tarnishing their character. It is inconceivable that they would deem any halal means of livelihood as disgraceful or beneath their dignity, given their awareness of the fact that even great Prophets (peace be upon them) engaged in occupations such as manual labor and farming.
Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) was a farmer,
Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) was a carpenter,
Prophet Idrees (peace be upon him) was a tailor,
Prophets Hud (peace be upon him) and Salih (peace be upon him) were businessmen,
Prophets Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and Loot (peace be upon him) were also involved in farming,
Prophet Shu’aib (peace be upon him) raised livestock and sold the derived wool and milk,
Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) was a shepherd,
Prophet David (peace be upon him) manufactured armor as a blacksmith,
Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him), despite being a mighty king responsible for a vast kingdom, engaged in weaving and selling baskets.
Allah Almighty clearly states in the Noble Qur'an:
"We do not seek earning livelihood from you. We will provide it to you."
Therefore, why do we become so preoccupied with the dilemma of sustenance? Allah Ta’aalaa is the sole Provider of sustenance (rizq). When we reach the age of responsibility, we should rely on Allah Ta’aalaa and adopt a halal means or source of livelihood that is understandable to us, and then proceed with our religious obligations. We must internalize and embrace the Islamic teaching that as long as the chosen means or source of livelihood is halal, it should never be regarded as disgraceful or beneath the dignity of Muslims. These are concepts of disbelief (kufr) that hold no influence over a true believer (mu'min). It should also be made abundantly clear to us Muslims that a scientist or a sewer cleaner, a doctor or a cobbler, an engineer or a shepherd, a businessman or a blacksmith, and so on—none of them hold superiority over another in the sight of Allah Ta’aalaa, except for the one who possesses greater piety. The only Islamic requirement for earning a living is that it must be derived from a halal source, and that is all.
What the Western disbelievers have propagated regarding earning a livelihood in this era of satanic and deceptive advancements is fundamentally at odds with the Islamic belief regarding sustenance (rizq). As Muslims, we have become so infatuated with these Western disbelievers' concepts that we deem it necessary, even obligatory to send our precious lives into the secular schools of the disbelievers, where the foundations of faith are undermined and replaced with atheism, disbelief, and polytheism. In these educational institutions, which lack basic human values and morals, we are transformed into materialistic beings. We squander 25 to 30 years of our lives pursuing qualifications solely for the purpose of earning a livelihood, and the rest of our lives are spent in the relentless pursuit of that livelihood, day in and day out, like frenzied animals.
The architects of this disbelieving system were individuals such as Mathew Arnold (d. 1888) from England and Horace Mann (d. 1859) from America. Mann's six principles, which form the basis of public schools, are worth noting:
A republic cannot remain ignorant and free; hence, universal education is necessary. (In essence, this implies creating a nation of enslaved individuals whose minds are colonized.)
Such education must be funded, controlled, and sustained by an engaged public.
The best form of education is one that includes children from all religious, social, and ethnic backgrounds.
While education should be profoundly moral, it must be free from sectarian religious influence. (It must be secular, devoid of any religious intervention.)
Education should be imbued with the spirit, methods, and discipline of a free society, eliminating harsh teaching practices.
Only well-trained professional teachers can provide such an education.
One of the key figures behind the current education system, John D. Rockefeller, once stated:
"I don't want a nation of thinkers, I want a nation of workers."
In an article titled "The Origin of Education & Mandatory Schooling," which exposes the global slavery system of education, the author writes:
"From an early age, we are compelled to enter a mandatory school system that requires and encourages youth to dedicate a significant portion of their lives, six hours a day. Each child must learn the accepted version of reality to fit into the specific mold desired by the elite. Like television, a substantial part of schooling is simply programming.
Essentially, the purpose of school is to shape the perception of students. We are placed in institutions from a young age, where we are taught how the world works and what we need to do to survive in it. School ingrains the idea that we must excel academically to secure employment, earn money, and fulfill our obligations. It has nothing to do with the genuine growth and development that human beings require. The concept of grades and marks does not signify intelligence. In school, we are introduced to the concept of authority figures, the functioning of the world, and the definition of intelligence."
We place undue importance on theoretical degrees and exaggerated professions, even more so than the practical teachings of our Prophets (peace be upon them). By conforming to the ideals of the disbelievers, we Muslims have immersed ourselves in a life centered around earning, consuming, and frivolous pleasures.
Is this what is expected of us as Muslims?
Are we merely sent to this transient and deceitful abode called dunya for such purposes?
Certainly not! We are here in this world to learn, practice, and propagate our pure and pristine faith, thereby attaining success in this world and the Hereafter by earning the eternal pleasure of Allah Ta’aalaa. Ultimately, we aspire to be granted the highest and greatest reward of beholding the vision of Allah Ta’aalaa in Jannah (Paradise).
This story narrated by Hajee Farooq sahib DB guided me in my entire life.
Quote::
There was a king and he was wali of Allah.
Another learned person challenged him in his court, "How is it possible"
The king ordered his servants to place a glass of water on a plate and handed it over to the person and instructed them to take the person for a short tour of his empire. Also if this water spills...... behead him.
After the visit, the king asked the person "How are my palaces, gardens etc."
The person replied he never saw what was around him, he concentrated on glass of water.
The king replied "the same way I live in palaces but my total concentration is on my Imaan, that made me wali of Allah"
So if we are in any profession, business, if we can protect our imaan and strictly follow hukm of Allah and sunnah of Rasulullah SAS, we can survive.
End of Quote:
Taqdeer has brought you to UK, think wisely and consult the elders before taking such important decisions.
Many people quote this story from fazail sadaqat; snake and a bird.
A snake was blind and was staying on top of a dried Date tree. Allah SWT arranged for a bird, the bird used to pick fresh dates from other trees and feed the blind snake.
There are two lessons here. One message is; Allah will not allow any living being, it can be a snake to die. Allah shall arrange for its food. So the message taken by zealots is you don't go to job, don't open your shop, or keep a minimum profile in earning for survival. Allah will feed you.
Shaykh advice; why don't you see the same story from different angle. You be a healthy bird so that Allah can use you to feed the weak.
If some one has skill to earn more, do it. Take it as an opportunity from Allah (like the bird) to help the weak. If you can offer quality education for your children, do it, (but not at the cost of deen). Teach them to spend less on themselves and spend on the needy and the weak.
I myself experienced it, we are getting huge salaries, if we keep our lifestyle simple, we can save a huge amount, we can spend the saved money on the weak and the needy families. If not your son, sponsor a weak brother to graduate as an aalim. Or share expenses of marriage, education in Aalim family.
During covid lock down days, my family spend about a million rupees on the weak families.
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
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