Run a Business Islamically: The Witness of History

Running a business in accordance with Islamic principles is a fundamental concern for Muslims in the modern world. This is the third in a series of articles from Running A Business Islamically.

The Companions spread out, both in calling to Allah (da‘wah) and also in trade. They had reached Central Asia, India, the lands of the Europeans, and the outskirts of Constantinople late in the life of some of the companions. Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, for example, wanted to be on that expedition. He was extremely elderly and that is why he is buried right at the old historic walls of Constantinople. 

They made it there by calling to Allah, striving in the way of Allah (Jihad) and trade. That is how Islam spread during the lifetime of the Companions. One of the main ways that Islam spread was through righteous traders. Many of the righteous sought to start their own business because the marketplace was one of the most detrimental places on earth. 

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“The most beloved of places to Allah are the mosques, and the most hated of places to Allah are the markets.”

Islam is real guidance from the Most Real, Allah. The human being has been created weak. That is why we come together in society. So if any corners can be cut, they will be cut, at least by some people. If people can get their way by lying, they will lie. If people can get their way by cheating, they will cheat. If people can get their way through deception, they will deceive. At least some people will do so. Except those who have a commitment to principle and a concern to uphold those principles.

Lawful Provision

The marketplace has lying, cheating, deception, injustice, wrongdoing, and harm prevalent. Some of the greatest types of harm take place in the marketplace. So all the righteous realize they had to earn a living but this marketplace stinks: there’s lying, cheating, deception, and injustice. If there is not, then there is running after the mundane, like a dog that pants after some meat in the distance.

Seeking lawful provision is a duty after our devotional duties. It is not permissible to beg if one can earn. You can beg if you have no other means and there are rules related to that. One can ask if one is needy, but one has an obligation as well to take the means of earning a living.

The righteous sought to start their own businesses so that they could be conscious of Allah and so that they could pursue the good in a dignified manner, empowering, and that enabled them to pursue the good of this life without lying, cheating, deception, worldliness, and these matters. They traded and traveled frequently, being people of religious concern. Very often they traveled with those calling to Allah.

Virtuous Partnerships

In many places, there was a virtuous partnership between scholars calling to Allah and traders because those scholars seeking to call to Allah had to have some way to sustain themselves. Very often these scholars engaged in trading as it made them independent of having to work for others. So often there’d be scholars who were traders, but also traders who would travel with scholars. 

Imam al-Khadimi, one of the great Ottoman scholars mentioned, and he gives many examples in his commentary on a work called al-Tariqatul Muhammadiyya (The Path of the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace)) that it was the habit of righteous traders throughout Islamic history that if they went on a trade expedition, they would always have at least one scholar traveling with them.

One of the reasons was that this enabled them to consult concerning the lawful (Halal) and unlawful (Haram), the right and the wrong, their contracts, etc. But also to give them reminders when they are traveling. This is one of the great ways that Islam spread.

Noble Aims

If you look at how Islam reached Central Asia, the Malay Archipelago, Western Africa, Southern Africa and elsewhere, it was through the partnership between those calling to Allah (who had to trade) and traders themselves looking to earn a living. 

This is from the virtue and opportunity proffered by trade. It empowers. 

Other categories of people particularly would benefit from trade. The scholars, looking at the prophetic example, would say that one does not necessarily have to trade full-time. Even if someone is earning a living, they could couple that with having a business of their own on the side that would give them some extra wealth that they could direct towards the good themselves towards a true pursuit of the good of this life and the next. 

By doing this, one can go on Hajj and Umra, and one can provide a better religious and worldly education for one’s children. One can provide for one’s parents in their old age, beyond the minimum. One can give generously in the community. 

One of the ways to realize these noble aims is to have a secondary source of income, even while one is working. That can be a bridge towards being fully independent.