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One of the topics dealt with in the Holy Quran and Hadith is the question of trade and business as elaborated in the books of jurisprudence. Some scholars have written separate books on it. In this relation, we can mention Makasib written by the master of jurisprudents Sheikh Ansari, and Anees al-Tejarat written for the Farsi-speakers by Allamah Naraghi, which is the best of its kind. As for books of Hadith, which deal with trade and business, we can mention such books as Wasa’il al-Shiah, and Bihar al-Anwar, one or two volumes of which have been devoted to this topic. In these books, there are traditions on the merits of trade and business and the care one must take in relation to them. Jameel ibn Salih has reported Imam Sadiq (AS) as saying about the verse: “Our Lord! Grant us good in this word and good in the hereafter.” [1], “The meaning of good is the pleasure of God and paradise in the hereafter, abundant sustenance, and good temper in the world.” [2] Imam Sadiq (AS) has reported Imam Ali (AS) as saying to Mawali: [3] “Engage in trade, and God will give you blessings, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (SA) say: “Sustenance has ten parts, nine of which are in trade and one part is in other things.” [4] It has been narrated that Asbaat came to see the Imam who asked after Umar ibn Muslim. Asbaat said: “He is a righteous man, but he has put trading aside.” The Imam said: “It is an act of Satan.” The Imam repeated this three times and said: “Do you not know that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) bought a flock of sheep from Damascus and sold them with profit in a [1] Qur'an, 2:201. [2] Wasa’il al-Shiah, vol. 12, p. 3. [3] Mawali (plural form of mawla) means “one’s manumitted slaves”. [4] Wasa’il al-Shiah, vol. 12 p. 5. |
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way that he paid his debt and divided the rest among the relatives.? On this occasion, God revealed the following verse: “Men whom neither merchandise nor selling diverts from remembrance of Allah.” [1] The Imam (AS) has also been reported as saying: “Leaving trade will diminish one’s wisdom.” [2] It has been narrated: “The disciples of Jesus (AS) were walking behind him and whenever they got hungry, they would ask: ‘O Spirit of Allah! We are hungry.’ Jesus (AS) touched the earth and water gushed out. The disciples drank from it and said: ‘O Spirit of Allah, Who is better than us! When we get hungry, you give us food, and when we get thirsty, you quench our thirst. We truly have faith in you and follow you?’ Jesus (AS) said: ‘Better than you is one who works with his own hands and eats from what he himself earns.’” [3] Imam Sadiq (AS) has been reported as saying: “God revealed to Prophet Dawood (David) (AS): “You were a good servant if you did not eat from the public treasury. You do not do work with your own hands!” Prophet David began weeping. God revealed to iron: “Be soft and lenient for My servant, Dawood!” God Almighty made iron soft for him in a way that Prophet Dawood (a.s.) would make a cuirass every day and sell it for a thousand Dirhams. He made 360 cuirasses, selling them for 360 thousand Dirhams and was never in need of the public treasury.” [4] [1] Qur'an, 24:37. [2] Wasa’il al-Shiah, vol. 12, p. 5. [3] Safeenat al-Bihar, vol. 2, p. 478. [4] Ibid. |
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Having a share of the public treasury does not necessarily mean a bad thing, but in the story of Prophet Dawood, there was wisdom behind it. Mohammad ibn Munkadir reports: “On a hot day, I went to Medina where I saw Imam al-Baqir (AS) leaning on two slaves due to his being corpulent. I said to myself: ‘A great man of Quraish working at this hour of day in search of the material world! I will certainly give him an advice.’ Therefore, I approached and saluted him. While gasping, the Imam (AS) greeted me back. Sweat was pouring from his head and face because of hot weather. I said: ‘May Allah improve your affairs! A great man of Quraish seeking the world at this time of the day! What will happen if death overtakes you in this situation?’ Taking his hands away from the shoulders of the two slaves and leaning against the wall, he said: ‘By Allah, if death overtakes me and I am in this situation, I will be in a state of obedience to Allah by which I can preserve my value from you and people. I am afraid of death only when I am committing a sin!’ I said: ‘May Allah bless you! I intended to give you advice, but you gave me advice.’” [1] Furthermore, trade and business must be accompanied with an understanding of the Islamic rules. Al-Asbagh ibn Nabatah reports: “I heard Ameerul Mo’minin say from on the pulpit: ‘O group of tradesmen! First, you should learn and know the rules of lawful and unlawful trade and then engage in trade. By God, usury amongst this Ummah is more hidden than an ant walking on a black stone. Let your faith be intermingled with truthfulness. A tradesman is a transgressor and transgressors are in fire unless you give with justice and take with justice.” [2] Imam Baqir (AS) has been reported by Jabir as saying: “Ameerul Mo’minin used to walk in the marketplace with a whip in his hand. He stopped in a place and said: ‘O group of tradesmen! Fear Allah!’ Then, he would remind [1] Wasa’il al-Shiah, vol. 12, p. 10. [2] Ibid., p. 282. |
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them of what was related to trade: usury, selling with underweight, injustice, false oath, besides fairness and justice.” [1] In addition to knowing the rules of trade, a Muslim should act according to his own duty and safeguard the dignity and honor of Muslims and Islam. He should not do anything for which the enemies of Islam will mock at us. A tradesman must be a model for Islam, not a source of dishonor. He should observe what is recommended and not blameworthy in business or trade. He should practice what is lawful and avoid what is unlawful like monopoly, underweight selling, and usury. Truly, one of the activities of human beings in the world is business and trade. If transactions are made justly, they are permissible, praiseworthy and even obligatory. However, if they are not done correctly and are contrary to the rules of Islam, they are blameworthy or unlawful. One of the cases that trade is blamed for is to earn wealth through usury against which God has warned in the Holy Quran: “…Allah does not bless usury, and He causes charitable deeds to prosper.” [2] Elsewhere, God has said: “O ye who believe! Observe your duty to Allah, and give up what remains (due to you) from usury, if ye are (in truth) believers. And if you do not, then be warned of war (against you) from Allah and His messenger.” [3] Usury has been discussed in detail in books of jurisprudence and is considered as a major sin. The rulings on it can be found in the same books. [1] Ibid., p. 284. [2] Qur'an, 2:276. [3] Qur'an, 2:278-279. |
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As for the punishment of usury, Imam Sadiq (AS) has been reported as saying: “One Dirham of usury to God is worse than seventy acts of incest committed in the House of God.” [1] The Holy Prophet (SAW) has been reported as saying: “One who swallows down usury, God will fill his stomach with the fire of hell as much as he has swallowed down usury. Should he earn a wealth after that, God will not accept anything of his act. God and His angels will curse him, as long as a measure of one carat from usury is with him.” [2] The Holy prophet (SAW) has also been reported as saying: “The worst trade is the one mixed with usury.”[3] Such a trade is forbidden in all religions and by all prophets. Allamah Qutb Ravandi in his book Da’awat has reported: “The Messenger of Allah (SAW), during his night journey, saw a red river with a man swimming in it. On the bank of the river, there was sitting a man with many stones around him. The swimmer would often come to this man and open his mouth. The man sitting on the bank of the river would put a stone in the swimmer’s mouth. This was his repeated doing. The Holy prophet (SAW) asked about it and it was said to him: “He has eaten usury during his life.” [4] Imam Ali (AS) has been reported by Imam Baqir (AS) as saying: “One who eats usury, the agent, the one who writes (the contract), and the two witnesses involved in the dealing of usury are equal in the sin.” [5] [1] Safeenat al-Bihar, vol. 1, p. 507. [2] Ibid., p. 505. [3] Ibid., p. 507. [4] Ibid., p. 507. [5] Wasa’il al-Shiah, vol. 12, p. 430. |
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Allamah Tabarsi mentions that Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “The Messenger of Allah has cursed five groups of people concerning usury; the eater of usury, the agent, the two witnesses, and the writer (of the contract).” [1] It is for this reason that the Lord of the universe has made piety obligatory in the matter of usury. Whenever the question of sale and usury are raised, God says, “Fear Allah” so that human beings are warned against it and keep away from this punishment. Abu Hamzah ath-Thumali has reported Imam Baqir (AS) as saying: “The Messenger of Allah (SAW), during the farewell (last) Hajj, delivered a sermon, saying: “O people! By Allah! There is nothing that takes you nearer to Paradise and keeps you away from Fire except that I have enjoined on it to you, and there is nothing that takes you near to fire and keeps you away from Paradise except that I have forbidden it. Be aware! Gabriel inspired me that no one dies unless he has fully received his sustenance. Therefore, be careful of your duty to Allah. Behave well in seeking sustenance. Take care not to get anything unlawfully when your sustenance comes late; for what is with God cannot be sought except by obedience to Him.” [2] [1] Ibid. [2] Al-Kafi, chapter of piety. |
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