Islam lays a great importance on Halal (Permissible) and Haram (Prohibited) for the adoption of either makes someone a true believer and follower of Allah or otherwise. Therefore, for earning money for living and secure one's means of sustenance, Islam places significant importance on earning halal (lawful) money for several reasons, all of which are rooted in the broader ethical and spiritual framework of Islam. The concept of halal and haram (unlawful) is central to Islamic teachings, and this extends to how one earns money and sustains oneself and their family. Here are the key reasons why Islam stresses earning halal money:
1. Preservation of Moral and Ethical Values
Earning halal money ensures that a person's livelihood is obtained through honest means, free from exploitation, fraud, and oppression. The actions taken to acquire wealth directly affect a person's character and integrity. Islam emphasizes that money should not be earned at the expense of others' rights or by engaging in immoral practices like theft, bribery, or cheating.
Quranic Reference: "O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is [indeed] Him that you worship." (Quran 2:172)
2. Spiritual and Religious Purity
Earning halal money is crucial for maintaining spiritual purity. Islam teaches that the body and soul are interconnected, and what a person consumes, including money, affects their spiritual state. Consuming haram (unlawful) wealth (such as from riba, gambling, fraud, etc.) can tarnish a person's soul and hinder their relationship with Allah.
Hadith: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "A person who earns haram and then spends it on their family or charity, it will not be accepted from them." (Sahih Muslim)
3. Accountability on the Day of Judgment
Islam teaches that everyone will be held accountable for their actions, including how they earned and spent their money. If a person earns money through haram means, they will be held responsible for that on the Day of Judgment. This is a strong motivator to seek lawful means of earning, as one wants to avoid punishment and seek Allah's mercy and forgiveness.
Quranic Reference: “Indeed, those who consume the wealth of orphans unjustly are only consuming fire into their bellies, and they will be burned in a Blaze.” (Quran 4:10)
4. Social Justice and Fairness
Earning halal money fosters social justice, fairness, and the well-being of society. Islam advocates for the fair distribution of wealth and encourages people to work hard, be honest, and engage in practices that benefit others. Haram earnings, such as from exploitation, deception, or harmful industries, can create social inequality and injustice.
Quranic Reference: “Do not consume one another's wealth unjustly or send it [in bribery] to the rulers in order that [they might aid] you [to] consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know [it is unlawful]." (Quran 2:188)
5. Ensuring Blessings and Barakah
Money earned through halal means is blessed (barakah). Islam teaches that when wealth is acquired lawfully, it will bring contentment, peace, and prosperity into one's life. On the other hand, wealth earned through haram means may bring temporary gain but can result in a lack of contentment, peace, and blessings.
Hadith: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever seeks wealth through lawful means, Allah will grant him sufficiency, and whoever seeks it through unlawful means, Allah will not suffice him." (Sahih Muslim)
6. Avoiding Harm to Society
Earning money through unlawful means, such as riba (interest), gambling, fraud, and exploitation, can have harmful effects on society. These practices foster greed, injustice, and social inequality. Halal earnings, by contrast, promote honesty, fairness, and ethical behavior, contributing to a more just and cohesive society.
Quranic Reference: “O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.” (Quran 5:90)
7. Respecting the Rights of Others
Islam stresses the importance of respecting the rights of others. When one earns money through unlawful means, they are often infringing on the rights of others, whether through exploitation, fraud, or taking what does not belong to them (such as in the case of theft or cheating). Earning halal money ensures that people's rights are protected and that wealth is earned in a manner that is just.
Quranic Reference: "Do not consume one another’s wealth unjustly or deny the rightful claims of others." (Quran 2:188)
8. Building a Strong and Stable Economy
When individuals in society earn halal money and engage in fair, honest business practices, it contributes to the overall economic stability and growth of the community. Conversely, widespread involvement in haram practices such as gambling or fraud can lead to economic instability, corruption, and societal harm.
Hadith: “The honest, trustworthy merchant is with the Prophets, the truthful, and the martyrs.” (Tirmidhi)
9. Strengthening Family and Community
Halal money supports the well-being of the family and the community. It allows individuals to provide for their families in a way that fosters love, respect, and dignity. The wealth that is earned through halal means can be used to help those in need, contribute to the welfare of society, and fulfill charitable obligations like zakat (obligatory alms).
Quranic Reference: "And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, 'My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.'" (Quran 17:24), emphasizing the importance of providing for one's parents and family with lawful earnings.
10. Personal Integrity and Self-Respect
Earning halal money helps individuals maintain their personal integrity and self-respect. When a person earns money through halal means, they can hold their head high and take pride in their work, knowing that they have upheld their values and lived according to the teachings of Islam. Haram earnings, by contrast, can cause a person to feel guilty, ashamed, or conflicted.
Hadith: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The best of what you can eat is what you have earned with your own hands." (Sahih Bukhari)
Thus, by seeking lawful means of earning, Muslims are encouraged to live in accordance with Allah's guidance, contributing positively to their personal development, their families, and the community. While everyone knows by the prick of one's conscious what is Halal or Haram means of earnings, we list down prohibited means of earning as specified in Qur'an and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. This page will then serve as a Reference Page to these prohibited means of earning and each means will be separately discussed in detail in our follow up posts.
Here are some of the prohibited means of earning money as mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah:
- Beggary: Earning money by spreading one's hand in front of others and not trying to earn money by one's hands and effort falls into the prohibited means of earning. Please read our post on the subject: Warning for those who are always begging people (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)
- Diminishing measures and weights: Those in business must ensure maintaining proper weights and measurements so as to not to rob the customers of full quantity being purchased. Those who exhibit dishonesty in this regard earn a Haram earning and this is strictly prohibited in Islam. Any money earned by cheating is the unlawful and haram money. for details, please read our post: Prohibited means of earning in Islam - Diminishing measures and weights
- Consuming the Wealth of Orphans Unjustly: Taking the property of orphans or exploiting them is a serious sin in Islam.
- Riba (Usury/Interest): Riba is one of the most explicitly prohibited forms of earning money in Islam. It involves charging interest on loans or transactions, which exploits the borrower. The Quran and Hadith speak strongly against this practice, as it is seen as unjust and exploitative.
- Gharar (Uncertainty/Speculation): Gharar refers to excessive uncertainty or ambiguity in transactions, particularly in contracts. This can include selling something that one does not own or has no control over, which creates an element of deceit.
- Fraud and Deception: Engaging in fraudulent activities or cheating others in business deals is strictly prohibited.
- Theft: Stealing is explicitly prohibited in Islam, as it involves taking someone else’s property without consent.
- Gambling (Maysir): Gambling is considered a form of exploitation, where wealth is transferred from one person to another without any productive work or value being created. Please read our post on the subject: Prohibited means of earning in Islam - Gambling
- Prostitution (Zina) and Related Practices: Earning money through immoral practices, such as prostitution or facilitating it, is strictly forbidden in Islam. Please read our post on the subject: Prohibited means of earning in Islam: Prostitution
- Selling Intoxicants (Alcohol and Drugs): Selling or dealing in substances that harm people, such as alcohol or drugs, is prohibited because they are harmful to individuals and society.
- Bribery (Rishwa): Accepting or offering bribes is prohibited in Islam because it is a form of corruption that undermines justice.
- Making and selling idols: Any form of statues or idols meant for worship is not allowed in Islam. However, making sculptures as a form of art is admissible provided it does not induce into it the concept of idol worshipping.
- Human Trafficking and Exploitation: Any form of human trafficking or exploiting people for labor or sex is prohibited. Islam emphasizes the dignity of every human being, and such practices violate this dignity.
- Unlawful Animal Slaughter: Earning money by slaughtering animals in an unlawful way or for prohibited purposes (such as selling meat from animals not slaughtered according to Islamic law) is forbidden.
- Engaging in Superstition or Magic: Earning money by practicing or promoting superstitions, witchcraft, or black magic is strictly prohibited.
- Palmistry and fortune telling: What lies in the future is only known to Allah. Thus indulging into business of palmistry and thereby earning money by telling people about their future is strictly prohibited.
- Misappropriation (of money when acting as a trustee): Trust assumes a great importance in Islam. If someone has been placed as a trustee then he should never misappropriate the money kept as a trust with him.
In our future posts, we will take each prohibited means of earning as mentioned above and expand the scope for better understanding and placing caution over those who indulge in practices that fall under prohibited means of earning.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
For more specific subjects based on Selected Verses from Qur'an, please refer to our reference page: Selected verse from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject. You may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi. In addition, other sources which have been explored. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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