Theme: The Virtue of Merchant & Business
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
(The value of) an action depends on the intention behind it. A man will be rewarded only for what he intended. The emigration of one who emigrates for the sake of Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) is for the sake of Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ); and the emigration of one who emigrates for gaining a worldly advantage or for marrying a woman is for what he has emigrated.
Narrated on the authority of Umar bin al-Khattab رضي الله عنهما
(Source: Sahih Bukhari, hadith No. 2419; Sahih Muslim, hadith No. 3641)
We know from our previous hadith that a virtuous merchant is highly regarded in Islam. The Prophet (ﷺ) once said that: “(For) the trustworthy merchant, there’s no blocking (him) from the gates of the heaven”. To be blessed with this divine promise, we should start with correcting our intention on doing business. The hadith above highlights the importance of intention; as intention is the pivotal differentiation that transcends ‘adah (customary act), which bears no deeds nor rewards, to ‘ibadah (devotional act).
Imam Ghazali advised, in his book ihya’, on having a good intention and firm faith in Allah before starting a business.
He said “(for merchants to) place an intention (that doing business is) (1) for refraining from having to beg, (2) for restraining the greed for human’s wealth by remaining satisfied with lawful earnings, (3) for helping religious causes through his/her earning, (4) and for upholding the duties of maintaining the family”.
Furthermore, he added that “(for merchants while doing business) to intent (1) to give advice to Muslims, (2) to love for others what you love for yourself, (3) to follow the path of ‘adl (equity and justice) and Ihsan, (4) and to enjoin good and forbid evil on all the matter you see in the market”.
Imam Ghazali then reminds merchants that “if these good intentions and a firm belief in Allah are observed and internalized, the merchant is performing business for the hereafter. Thus, it is an extra blessing if the merchant gains profit, and if the merchant observes losses, the merchant is still profitable in the hereafter”.