Theme: Muamalah Virtues

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Give the worker his wages before his sweat dries.”

(Source: Sunan Ibn Majah, hadith No. 2443)

Labourers play an integral part in any economy. Regardless of the job’s nature or position, proper payment of employees salary is an Achilles heel of Singapore’s thriving economy, which is debated in the parliament from time to time. Recently, there is news on an employer being fined for underpaying their workers. Moreover, in 2019, there are over 5000 salary claims filed, of which 36% reported to have not received any payment.

Depriving employees of their hard-earned salary as well as underpaying them is clearly wrong and unjust. The Prophet (ﷺ) reminds employers of their obligation to pay the labourer before his sweat dries. In other words, it is sinful for employers to delay the worker’s salary payment as well as underpaying them without any valid reason.

In another hadith, our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) reiterates the importance of treating the employees well in his saying: “if you show kindness to your servant (labourer) while employing him in some task, this will weigh heavily in your favour on the Day of Judgement.”