SELECTIONS FROM THE REVITALISATION OF THE SCIENCES OF RELIGION

Al-Ghazalis Ihya Ulum al-Din

The E hi!s "# Ea$nin% a Li&elih""'

Cha( e$ One The Me$i s "# Ea$nin% an' I s En!"u$a%emen In the Koran Allah, the Almighty said: and We made the day for a livelihood. (Koran 78 verse 11) e mentions this to sho! is greatness to is !orshi"ers. And e igh #$alted said: We esta%lished yo& in the earth and made for yo& a livelihood %&t little is it that yo& give than's. (Koran (h. 7 verse 1)) * e 'no!s that among yo& there are the si+' and others traveling the road see'ing the %o&nty of Allah (Koran (h. 7, verse -)) Allah, the igh, the #$alted said: * dis"erse in the land and see' the favor of Allah,(Koran (h..- verse 1)) As for /radition, the 0ro"het, "raise and "ea+e %e &"on him, said: /here are sins, !hi+h nothing +an o%literate e$+e"t the determination to ma'e a living. And may Allah "raise and venerate him said: 1n the 2ay of 3&dgment the tr&thf&l trader !ill %e gathered !ith the a!lia (those +lose to Allah) and martyrs. It !as told that 3es&s ("ea+e %e &"on him) sa! a man and as'ed him: What do yo& do for a living4 /he man re"lied: I !orshi" Allah. 3es&s as'ed him: Who s&""orts yo&4 e ans!ered: 5y %rother. 3es&s said: 6o& %rother !orshi"s more than yo&. In the sayings of 7&8man the !ise, to his son: 1 my son, the la!f&l earnings s&ffi+e yo& from "overty, !hen anyone is im"overished he is affli+ted in three !ays: he is !ea'ened in religion, he is !ea' in his mind and he loses his sense of honor, and !hat is greater than these three is that the "eo"le disdain him. 9mar : may Allah %e "leased !ith him : said: ;one of yo& sho&ld sla+'en in see'ing his %o&nty !hile saying <0lease Allah "rovide for me,= !hile yo& 'no! that the s'y does not rain gold or silver.

9mar : may Allah %e "leased !ith him : sa! >ayed i%n 5aslamah so!ing his land, so 9mar said: 6o& have done the right thing, if yo& have no need of anyone it !ill %e %etter for yo&r religion and ma'e yo& %etter than them. I%rahim i%n 6asid i%n Al As!ad al ;a'hayi !ho died in the year ?. , !as as'ed a%o&t the honest trader: Is he "refera%le to yo&, or the one !ho s"ends all his time in !orshi"4 e said: /he honest trader is "refera%le to me, %e+a&se he is in @ihad, satan +omes to him thro&gh the !eighing and meas&ring and thro&gh his dealing, %&t he is striving against him. Ahmad !as as'ed: What !o&ld yo& say a%o&t the "erson !ho sits in his ho&se or in the mos8&e and says, <I !ill do nothing &ntil my "rovision +omes to me=4 Ahmad re"lied: A&+h a "erson is ignorant. as he not heard the saying of the 0ro"het, "raise and "ea+e %e &"on him, <Allah ma'e my "rovision &nder the shado! of my s"ear,= and he also related that !hen the %ird !as mentioned to him he said: <It goes o&t !ith an em"ty stoma+h and ret&rns !ith a f&ll stoma+h.= Cha( e$ T)" The S!ien!e "# Ea$nin% h$"u%h T$a'e* Usu$y* As Salam +i,e, sale in* )hi!h ($i!e is (ai' #"$ %""'s " -e 'eli&e$e' la e$. Ren al* L"ans an' /a$ ne$shi( Fi$s 0 Sales C"n $a! Allah has "ermitted trade, it has three "illars. The Fi$s (illa$0 the "arties to the +ontra+t, the trader is restrained from trading !ith any of the follo!ing fo&r: : An infant +hildB a mentally disordered "ersonB a slaveB the %lindB this is %e+a&se the &nderage +hild is not res"onsi%le nor the madman. The Se!"n' (illa$0 +on+erns the goods to %e s&""lied &nder the +ontra+tB the o!nershi" of the mer+handise intended to %e transferred from one "arty in the +ontra+t to the other, si$ +onditions "ertain to it: Fi$s ly, it sho&ld not %e im"&re, it is not "ermitted to sell dogs or "igs. Se!"n'ly, it sho&ld %e of %enefit, so it is not "ermitted to sell inse+ts, rats or sna'es. C&t yo& may sell "arrots, "ea+o+'s and all de+orative %irds, even if they are inedi%le, to en@oy the sight and so&nd of them is "ermissi%le, %&t the dog is a thing, !hi+h +annot %e 'e"t in the ho&se for am&sement, %e+a&se the 0ro"het, "raise and "ea+e %e &"on him, has for%idden &s from doing so.

Thi$'ly, the goods sho&ld %elong to the +ontra+tor or he has "ermission from the o!ner to sell them. F"u$ hly, the goods m&st %e "hysi+al and availa%le, !hatever +annot %e "hysi+ally handed from one to another +annot %e sold, s&+h as fish in the sea, &n%orn +attle and the flee+e &"on the shee", nor the mil' in the &dder. Anything, !hi+h +annot %e la!f&lly handed over, s&+h as mortgaged "ro"erty or froDen assets, +annot %e sold. Fi# hly, the goods m&st %e detailed and their 'ind and amo&nt s"e+ified. Si1 hly, the sold goods m&st %e e$+hanged for their "ri+e in money. If the goods !ere to %e %artered in e$+hange for something else, this is a s"e+ial +ase. /he 0ro"het for%ade the sale of something, !hi+h is not f&lly "aid for. The Thi$' (illa$0 /he terms of the +ontra+t, there m&st %e an offer and a++e"tan+e in +lear &nderstanda%le lang&age, !hether ver%al or !ritten. Se!"n'0 Usu$y C"n $a! Allah, the Almighty has "rohi%ited &s&ry, and finan+iers have %een !arned from dealing in it, and li'e!ise those !ho deal in foodst&ffs, as there is no &s&ry e$+e"t in money or food. /he money dealer sho&ld %e!are if he !ants to sell or e$+hange money for other money, it m&st %e fa+e to fa+e and the e$+hange m&st ta'e "la+e in the same sitting. /hey sho&ld not e$+hange inferior 8&ality for s&"erior 8&ality, as it is only "ermissi%le to deal in li'e 8&ality. It is not "ermissi%le to %&y a greater 8&antity of %ad 8&ality goods and "ay for it !ith a lesser 8&antity of good 8&ality goods. What is meant here is that yo& are allo!ed to sell gold for gold and silver for silver. As to those !ho deal in foodst&ffs !ho !ish %arter their goods, the %arter m&st %e +on+l&ded in one sitting, !hether the foods to %e %artered are different 'inds or not. C&t if they are from the same 'ind, then they sho&ld e$+hange them and o%serve the li'e 8&ality. Thi$'0 As Salam C"n $a! (i.e. sale in, !hi+h "ri+e is "aid for goods to %e delivered later) /he trader m&st o%serve ten +onditions !ith regard to the As Aalam (ontra+t: Fi$s 0 /he val&e of the +ontra+t m&st %e 'no!n so that he dealing does not e$+eed them, if the delivery is not made in d&e time the in@&red "arty +an ret&rn a +laim against this val&e.

Se!"n'0 /he val&e sho&ld %e verified as e$isting at the sitting %efore the "arties leave. Thi$'0 /he goods to %e sold m&st %e s"e+ified, s&+h as grain, livesto+', metals, +otton or !ool. It is not "ermissi%le in the +ase of "astries or any s&%stan+e of, !hi+h its +om"onents +an s"oil. F"u$ h0 /he des+ri"tion given m&st %e +he+'ed and verified. Fi# h0 /he "eriod of time m&st %e s"e+ified, if it is to %e a "ayment in arrears, it sho&ld not %e delayed &ntil harvest, nor +ro""ing, %&t it m&st %e s"e+ified in days and months. Si1 h0 /he goods to %e sold m&st %e delivered in a ready form for the store, se+&re and "resent. Se&en h0 /he "la+e of delivery m&st %e mentioned. Ei%h h0 /he goods are not to %e defined as originating from a s"e+ifi+ "la+e. Nin h0 /he goods are not to %e defined as %eing +ontained in s"e+ifi+ +ontainer of a ty"e, !hi+h is im"ossi%le to find. Ten h0 It sho&ld not %e delivered in food, even if the +a"ital !as food, nor %e handed in +ash even if the +a"ital !as +ash. F"u$ h0 Ren al C"n $a! /here are t!o "illars: the rent and the %enefit. Eent is the val&e of moneyB it sho&ld %e 'no!n and s"e+ified !ith all its +onditions as in a +ontra+t for sale. /he se+ond "illar: /he %enefit intended from the rental there are five +onditions "ertaining to it: Fi$s 0 /here sho&ld %e !or' or effort e$erted for rent. Se!"n'0 /he rental sho&ld not %e made for a &se other than the "rime &se of !hat is rented, for e$am"le yo& +annot rent a +o! to !or' and then mil' it. Thi$'0 /he !or' sho&ld %e "hysi+ally and la!f&lly a""ro"riate. A !ea' "erson sho&ld not %e hired to do stren&o&s !or' he +annot do, nor +an a m&te %e hired to tea+h in a s+hool.

F"u$ h0 Eental +annot %e made for !or', !hi+h is an o%ligatory d&ty on a "erson, s&+h as hiring a "erson to fast, "ray or do @ihad in one=s "la+e. Fi# h0 /he !or' and the %enefit sho&ld %e 'no!n. /he dressma'er=s !or' is a""arent in the dress, the tea+her=s !or' is a""arent in the lesson. Fi# h0 C"n $a! "# L"an /here are three "illars: Fi$s 0 /he val&e of the loan, it sho&ld %e ready +ash "aid to the %orro!er !ho is going to !or' !ith it. Se!"n'0 /he "rofit sho&ld %e de+lared to %e a +ondition that he !ill gain a half or a third or !hatever they agree. Thi$'0 /he !or', !hi+h the %orro!er !ill &se the loan for m&st %e a trade in, !hi+h he is not restri+ted to one ty"e of %&siness or to a "eriod of time. If it is a +ondition that he !ill "&r+hase +attle !ith the money to o%tain its yo&ng, then they !ill share the yo&ng, or they !ill %&y !heat, then they !ill %a'e and share the "rofit, this !ill not %e +orre+t. Si1 h0 C"n $a! "# /a$ ne$shi( /his falls into fo&r ty"es. /hree of them are &nla!f&l, a++ording to the Al Ahafi=i s+hool of tho&ght. Fi$s 0 /he negotiated +om"any, that is !hen t!o "artners say, !e have negotiated to share in all !hat !e have and !hat !e o!e and !hat is %enefi+ial. /his is &nla!f&l. Se!"n'0 /he "artnershi" of la%or. /his is to agree together to share the !ages of !or'. /his is &nla!f&l. Thi$'0 /he "artnershi" for infl&en+e: /his is to say that one "artner has higher standing than the other and he !ill &se it in order to "ro"agate and in+rease their %&siness in !ays other than of !or'. /his is also &nla!f&l. C&t !hat is +orre+t is the fo&rth, !hi+h is +alled <a @oint "artnershi"=. /his is !hen their money is @oined together to the "oint that yo& +annot disting&ish !hat %elongs to one from the other e$+e"t %y division, ea+h one !o&ld "ermit the other to manage the +om"any in e8&al "o!er. /hey share "rofit and loss a++ording to their m&t&al shares and this m&st %e an irrevo+a%le agreement.

/he "o!er of managing the +om"any +an %e removed %y dismissal, and %y division the t!o "arties +an se"arate.

Cha( e$ Th$ee An E1("si i"n "n 2us i!e an' A&"i'an!e "# In3us i!e in Dealin% Fi$s /a$ 0 Gene$al ha$m, I s &a$i"us F"$ms0 The Fi$s 0 /he mono"oly, the seller of foodst&ffs !ithhold sto+'s of food in anti+i"ation of raising the "ri+e, this is to the general harm and the one !ho +ommits it is %lame!orthy a++ording to the Ahariah (Islami+ 7a!). Ali : may Allah %e "leased !ith him : said: Whoever mono"oliDes food for forty days, his heart is hardened. And he also said: /he one !ho mono"oliDes food !ill %e %&rnt in the Fire.= The Se!"n'0 /he one !ho +ir+&lates +o&nterfeit money is &n@&st %e+a&se he harms there%y the dealer !ho %&ys from him !itho&t 'no!ing, and if he 'no!s he !ill +ir+&late it to the others, and th&s the third and fo&rth and it !ill "ass from hand to hand &ntil the harm is general and the +orr&"tion has s"read every!here. Ao the sin of all of them goes %a+' to the one !ho started it. /he 0ro"het, "raise and "ea+e %e &"on him, said: Whoever originates a %ad deed, then the "eo"le !or' !ith it after him, he !ill +arry the sin of it and the li'e of all those !ho !or'ed !ith it, and this !ill not diminish from them any of their sin. Aomeone said: A"ending one forged dirham is !orse than stealing one h&ndred dirhams %e+a&se theft is one sin, !hi+h is +ommitted in one a+tion, %&t s"ending a forged +oin is an invention against the religion and it is a %ad deed, !hi+h others !ill !or' !ith, so the sin of it !ill %e &"on him after his death for a h&ndred or t!o h&ndred years or more &ntil that forged +oin is no more. Se!"n' /a$ Ha$m S(e!i#i! " he Deale$ /he overall r&le is that he sho&ld not love for his %rother e$+e"t !hat he loves for himself, so !hatever he disli'es to deal !ith for himself he sho&ld not deal !ith for the others. /he e$"o&nding of it is in fo&r "arts: the des+ri"tion of something good, !hi+h is not in it or the +on+ealing of something %ad, !hi+h is in it. /he !eight and the val&e of anything sho&ld not %e +on+ealed, nor sho&ld yo& +on+eal anything +on+erning the "ri+e, !hi+h if it !ere 'no!n to the dealer he !o&ld not have %o&ght it.

The Fi$s 0 /he des+ri"tion of the goods sho&ld not %e over:"raised %e+a&se if it is not there it is a lie. If the %&yer a++e"ts this then it is in@&sti+e as !ell as a lie. If he does not a++e"t then it is a lie and a loss of virt&e. The Se!"n'0 e sho&ld reveal all defe+ts in the goods !hether a""arent or not, and he sho&ld not +on+eal anything in it as this is an o%ligation, if he hides something he is &n@&st and de+eitf&l, de+eit is &nla!f&l. What indi+ates that +heating is &nla!f&l. It !as narrated the 0ro"het, "raise and "ea+e %e &"on him, "assed a man selling fr&it and he li'e the loo' of it, and !hen he entered his hands into it he noti+ed that it !as !et, so he said: What is this4= /he man said: /he s'y rained on it. /hen the 0ro"het, "raise and "ea+e %e &"on him, re"lied: 6o& sho&ld have "&t it on to" of the food so that the "eo"le +an see it. Whoever +heats &s is not one of &s. The Thi$'0 /he amo&nt m&st not %e +on+ealed or diminished %y rigging the s+ale or tam"ering !ith the !eights. e m&st meas&re as he !o&ld li'e the "eo"le to meas&re for himself. Allah, the Almighty said: Woe to the diminishers, !ho, !hen "eo"le meas&re for them, ta'e f&ll meas&re, %&t !hen they meas&re or !eigh for others, they red&+eG (Koran (h. 8, verses 1:,) The F"u$ h0 e m&st %e tr&thf&l a%o&t the +&rrent "ri+e, and not +on+eal anything a%o&t it, as the 0ro"het, "raise and "ea+e %e &"on him, has for%idden lying a%o&t lo+al "ri+es. Also the 0ro"het, "raise and "ea+e %e &"on him, has for%idden that someone stands %efore the seller !hile a %&yer is negotiating !ith him, then he interferes %y asserting he !ill %&y at a higher "ri+e, altho&gh he has no intention of %&ying, in order only to for+e the "ri+e &" on the %&yer. Cha( e$ F"u$ E4ui a-le Dealin% Allah, the Almighty has en@oined &"on &s @&sti+e and e8&ita%ility. 3&sti+e is a +a&se for salvation and in trade it is a greater re8&irement than that of +a"ital. #8&ita%ility is a +a&se for ha""iness and s&++ess and in trade it is an essential re8&irement. A !ise "erson does not %arter the dealing of this life in "referen+e of the ereafter. In the dealing for the ereafter the religio&s "erson sho&ld not +onfine himself only to @&sti+e and distan+ing himself from in@&sti+e !hile leaving aside e8&ita%ility. 1ne +an gain the grade of e8&ita%ility !ith one of the follo!ing si$ matters:

1ne sho&ld not defra&d his friend. If a %&yer !ants to "ay more money than the &s&al "ri+e, %e+a&se of his strong !ish to hel" the seller d&e to his +ir+&mstan+es, the seller sho&ld not a++e"t that, this is the e8&ita%le %ehavior. In tolerating defra&ding, if the %&yer %&ys food from a "oor "erson !hose +ir+&mstan+es indi+ate this, there is no %lame on him if he overloo's any in+rease in the "ri+e and he sho&ld a++e"t this !ith &nderstanding and feel that his desire is to do the right thing a++ording to the saying of the 0ro"het, "raise and "ea+e %e &"on him,: Allah !ill have mer+y &"on the one !ho is easy in selling and easy in %&ying. C&t if he is %&ying from a ri+h trader !ho demands an e$+essive "ri+e, !hi+h is more than the %&yer +an afford, here the toleration of the defra&ding is not "raise!orthy %&t it is a !aste of money !itho&t re!ard. 2e%t +olle+tion, e8&ita%le dealing in it is "raise!orthy. 1n one o++asion one sho&ld "ardon, and on another one sho&ld "ermit them more time, and on yet another one sho&ld sho! them yo&r mer+y. /he 0ro"het, "raise and "ea+e %e &"on him, said: Allah !ill have mer+y &"on the one !ho is easy in selling and easy in %&ying, easy in "aying his de%ts and easy in demanding de%ts. /he re"ayment of de%ts, it is e8&ita%le to "ay yo&r de%ts on+e yo& are a%le !itho&t delay, and that it yo& sho&ld !al' to the one !ho yo& o!e money and "ay him %a+' in time !itho&t +a&sing him to have to +ome to yo& and demand it. /he 0ro"het, "raise and "ea+e %e &"on him, said: /he %est one of yo& is the one !ho "ays his de%t e8&ita%ly. /he ret&rn of sold goods, one sho&ld a++e"t !ith ease any goods yo& have sold to anyone if that "erson !o&ld %e harmed in the "&r+hase of them. As one sho&ld not a++e"t to %e a +a&se to harm another "erson. /he 0ro"het, "raise and "ea+e %e &"on him, said: Whoever easily a++e"ts the ret&rn of a deal from a regretf&l "erson, Allah, the Almighty !ill ease for him his diffi+&lty on the 2ay of 3&dgment. In dealing !ith "oor "eo"le one m&st have mer+y and 'indness and afford them their self:res"e+t. /he righteo&s "eo"le %efore &s &sed to have t!o %oo's for de%ts, one !as +oded so that no one !o&ld 'no! the identities, this !as the %oo' for the "oor and needy "eo"le, the "oor "eo"le &sed to see the food and fr&it and desire to have it, so they !o&ld go and say !e need five "o&nds !eight, for e$am"le, of this or that, and I have no money to "ay yo&. /hey &sed to say to them, ta'e !hat yo& !ant and "ay !hen yo& are a%le. /his gives the "oor man the +hoi+e of "aying if he is a%le or of %eing "ardoned from "ayment. /his !as the manner of trading of the early 5&slims. /he one !ho still a+ts in this !ay is reviving the ordinan+e of the righteo&s. o!ever, trading is a test for men, !ith it yo& +an e$amine a man=s religion and his "iety and see ho! righteo&s he is. /his is !hy it !as said: If a man !as "raised %y his neigh%ors, and %y his friends !hile traveling together, and %y his dealers in the mar'ets, do not have any do&%t a%o&t his righteo&sness.

Cha( e$ Fi&e Re%a$'in% he T$a'e$s C"n!e$n #"$ his Reli%i"n in his A##ai$s an' in )ha Rela es " his En' /he trader=s +on+ern for his religion is sho!n in seven !ays: When he +ommen+es trading he does so !ith a good intention and that he intends from his %&siness to s&ffi+e himself to avoid as'ing others for any hel", to live la!f&lly, and to &se !hat he gains from his %&siness in the !ay of Allah. e sho&ld intend in his %&siness that he is doing his +olle+tive d&ty for if ind&stry and trade !ere a%andoned life !o&ld +ome to a sto" and the "eo"le !o&ld "erish. If every individ&al or gro&" "erforms a s"e+ifi+ d&ty life !ill "ro+eed in an orderly manner, %&t I fall "eo"le +on+entrated on one trade then ne+essities !o&ld not %e fo&nd and general destr&+tion !o&ld ens&e. In this !ay the "eo"le have follo!ed the saying of the 0ro"het, "raise and "ea+e %e &"on him: /he diversity of my nation is a mer+y. /his means the diversity of their "rofessions and trades. /he mar'et of this !orldly life sho&ld not deter him from see'ing the mar'et of the ereafter, the mar'ets of the ereafter are the mos8&es, Allah, the Almighty said: there are men !ho e$alt im there, !hom neither trade nor sale +an divert from the remem%ran+e of Allah, and esta%lish the "rayers, and "ay the o%ligatory +harity. (Koran (h. -H verse ,7). From the righteo&sness of the early 5&slims !ho &sed to ma'e the start of the day and the end of the day for the ereafter, and the middle of the day for trade. 1ne sho&ld not %e over eager to trade, so that he is the first to arrive and the last to leave. e sho&ld restri+t himself to only distan+ing himself from the &nla!f&l, %&t he sho&ld avoid matters in, !hi+h there is do&%t, and he sho&ld not see' after fat!a %&t sho&ld +ons&lt his o!n heart. If he finds that his heart is &neasy he sho&ld a%stain from it, if someone %rings him goods of, !hi+h he is do&%tf&l, he sho&ld in8&ire a%o&t it &ntil he feels s&re, other!ise he !o&ld %e +ons&ming the d&%io&s. e m&st %e a!are of all his dealings and of ea+h and every deal !ith his dealers, %e+a&se he himself is !at+hed and !ill %e 8&estioned. e sho&ld "re"are the ans!er for the 2ay of Ee+'oning and Eetri%&tion, in every a+t and saying of his: !hy he did so4 And for !hat4 It has %een said that on the 2ay of 3&dgment the

mer+hant !ill stand %eside ea+h "erson he sold to and he !ill %e 8&estioned regarding every !or'er !ho !or'ed for him.