The Prophet's Command to Businessmen and Entrepreneurs

The world of trade is a realm that is inseparable from human life. Commerce serves as the foundation for a nation's economy and even a civilization's advancement. The greatness of a people and their civilization is reflected in the progress of their commercial enterprises and trading businesses. The broader and stronger a country's dominance in trade, the greater and more powerful its influence becomes globally. This is why every nation today strives to strengthen itself in the export-import sector, as this is the primary form of trade conducted between countries. The larger and more frequent a country's exports—where the country acts as the merchant or seller—the more developed that nation becomes. This principle also holds true on a smaller scale, whether for an individual or a family: the larger a person's business or trade venture, the more progressive their life and economy will be. It is narrated in a weak hadith:

تِسْعَةُ أَعْشَارِ الرِّزْقِ فِي التِّجَارَةِ

"Nine-tenths of livelihood (sustenance) is found in trade." (HR. Ibn Abi Dunya in Ishlah Al-Mal: 213 from Nuaim bin Abdurrahman Al-Azdi) [1]

Regarding trade, the Messenger of Allah signaled the excellence of this profession. This is evident in the Prophet's saying:

البَيِّعَانِ بِالخِيَارِ مَا لَمْ يَتَفَرَّقَا، - أَوْ قَالَ: حَتَّى يَتَفَرَّقَا - فَإِنْ صَدَقَا وَبَيَّنَا بُورِكَ لَهُمَا فِي بَيْعِهِمَا، وَإِنْ كَتَمَا وَكَذَبَا مُحِقَتْ بَرَكَةُ بَيْعِهِمَا

"The two parties to a sale have the option (to rescind the deal) as long as they have not separated – or he said: until they separate – If they are both honest and clarify (the goods' condition), they will be blessed in their transaction, but if they conceal (defects) and lie, the blessing of their transaction will be wiped out." (HR. Al-Bukhari: 2079 and Muslim: 1532 from Hakim bin Hizam).

This Hadith indicates that blessings (barakah) are inherent in buying and selling, provided that both parties have pure intentions, are honest, and do not violate the injunctions of the Shari'a (Islamic law). In summary, commerce is an activity that Allah loves and blesses, especially for the trader. Nevertheless, the Messenger of Allah gave specific counsel to businessmen when conducting their ventures. The Messenger of Allah said:

يَا مَعْشَرَ التُّجَّارِ، إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ وَالإِثْمَ يَحْضُرَانِ البَيْعَ، فَشُوبُوا بَيْعَكُمْ بِالصَّدَقَةِ

"O company of traders (merchants/businessmen), verily Satan and sin attend (your) business (trade venture), so mix your business with sadaqah (charity)." (HR. An-Nasai: 3797, Abu Dawud: 3326, At-Tirmidhi: 1208 from Qais bin Abi Gharazah. This is the wording of At-Tirmidhi) [2]

This Hadith serves as a sign that Satan is involved in human business and commercial transactions, striving to corrupt that business, at least by removing its blessing. This is because Satan is aware of the blessings that Allah sends down upon trade and the great merit of those who are trustworthy and honest in business. Furthermore, this involvement—interfering with human wealth—is permitted by Allah for Satan as a means to test His truly sincere servants. Allah addressed Iblis after Iblis swore to mislead mankind:

وَاسْتَفْزِزْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ مِنْهُمْ بِصَوْتِكَ وَأَجْلِبْ عَلَيْهِمْ بِخَيْلِكَ وَرَجِلِكَ وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَوْلَادِ وَعِدْهُمْ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ إِلَّا غُرُورًا (.) إِنَّ عِبَادِي لَيْسَ لَكَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَانٌ وَكَفَى بِرَبِّكَ وَكِيلًا

"Provoke (hastle) whoever you can among them (O Iblis) with your voice, attack them with your cavalry and infantry, and be a partner with them in their wealth and children, and promise them. And Satan's promise is nothing but delusion. Indeed, as for My servants, you have no authority over them (at all). And sufficient is your Lord as a Guardian (O mankind)." (QS. Al-Isra: 64-65)

Because of this, it is not surprising that many people resort to various methods to advance their businesses and ventures, ranging from efforts involving shirk (polytheism) to seemingly trivial and commonplace actions aimed at gaining buyer sympathy, such as lying and habitually swearing. Sometimes, individuals may fall into these seemingly minor sins unconsciously or unintentionally. For traders of this nature, this Hadith applies, indicating that erasing their sins is sufficient with sadaqah. However, for those who have fallen into shirkor major sins such as riba (usury), fraud, falsification, and so forth, sadaqah alone is not enough; it must be accompanied by tawbat nasuha (sincere repentance) and the restoration of the rights of others if the offense involved unjustly taken property.

As for the honest and trustworthy traders, whose only desire is to seek their livelihood, they too can sometimes slip into acts prohibited by the Shari'a. Examples include arguing with buyers, quarreling with them, becoming angry at buyers who complain about purchased goods, using harsh language when business is slow, engaging in enmity and hasad(envy) among competitors, disparaging the goods of others, excessively praising their own merchandise, or even using seductive or flirtatious language to persuade buyers to purchase their items, and being careless with swearing simply to reassure a buyer, among other things. These incidents sometimes befall an entrepreneur or businessman unintentionally or due to circumstances that demand it because they are provoked by emotion and the situation. Thus, the Messenger of Allah advised entrepreneurs to give sadaqah, so that the sins sometimes committed unintentionally can be spontaneously erased, and simultaneously invite blessings to return to the business being run. How beautiful is the word of Allah:

يَمْحَقُ اللَّهُ الرِّبَا وَيُرْبِي الصَّدَقَاتِ

"Allah will destroy riba (gradually) and multiply sadaqah (charity)..." (QS. Al-Baqarah: 276).

Let us cultivate our business with sadaqah. Let us safeguard our ventures by staying away from riba and all Shari'aviolations. Allah Himself guarantees to multiply sadaqah; why should we still worry?!

Do business and give sadaqah...