Chapter II: Etiquette of Marriage
his field. Hazrat Omar said to him : If you do good, you will not depend on the people. It will save your religion and you will be honoured by them. Hazrat Ibrahim-b-Adham was asked : Who is better of the two-a truthful merchant and a worshipper ? He said:
A truthful merchant is dearer to me, as he is in Jihad . The devil comes to him in the path of weight and measure and buy and sale. He makes jihad with him. Hazrat Omar said : No place is dearer to me than that where I search livelihood for my family members and where I buy and sell. When a strong tempest arose in the sea, the passengers of a boat asked Ibrahim-b- Adham :
Don't you look to this calamity ? He said : I don't consider it a calamity. Depending on men for a necessity is a calamity. Once the Prophet asked about livelihood of beasts and birds. He said :
They come out hungry in the morning and return with full belly in the evening . In other words, they come out in search of their livelihood. The companions of the Prophet used to do trade and commerce in land and sea and worked in gardens. It is sufficient to follow them. Once Hazrat Aozayi saw the sage Ibrahim-b-Adham to bear a load of fuels on his back and said : O Abu Ishaq, why are you taking such trouble ? Our brethren are sufficient for you. He said :0 Abu Amer, leave me alone in this matter, as I have come to know that if a man waits in a place of disgrace in search for earning lawful livelihood, Paradise is sure for him.
The object of trade and commerce is to gain either necessary livelihood or to gain enormous wealth. The latter is the root of attachment to the world which is the basis of all sins. It is better for four persons not to beg : (1 ) One who is busy with physical divine service (2) The friend of God who is busy in exercise of soul and spiritual learnings. (3) One who is Mufti (gives legal decisions) and one who is Muhaddis (one who teaches Hadis)
and one who is learned and teaches. (4) One who is busy in the administration of the affairs of the Muslims like rulers and kings. These four kinds of persons remain busy in the affairs of the public or in their religious affairs. The Prophet was not commissioned to be a tradesman, rather he was directed to glorify God. For this reason, when Hazrat Abu Bakr became Caliph, other companions advised him to give up his business and they fixed for him monthly allowance from the State Treasury. He advised his sons to return it to the Treasury after his death.
I
48 The Book of Wordly Usages Vol-II
SECTION 2
Four things are necessary in earnings — tawful, earnings, justice, kindness and fear of religion. We shall describe them separately.