Encouraging Hadiths on Work
The encouragement of hard work and exertion is a fundamental principle of the Muhammadan invitation. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) often admonished Muslims against complacency and dependency, urging them to engage in productive endeavors. Below are several hadiths that emphasize the importance of work:
Hadiths Promoting Self-Sustenance
Among the hadiths where the noble Prophet advocates for earning through one’s own efforts include:
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated: “It is better for any one of you to take his rope and bring a bundle of firewood on his back to sell it, so that Allah may preserve his dignity, than to ask people, who may give or refuse him.”
- The Prophet (peace be upon him) remarked: “No one has ever eaten food better than that which he earns through his own hands. Indeed, the Prophet David (peace be upon him) used to eat from the work of his hands.”
- The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The best food a man can consume is the earnings from his own labor, and that of his children is from his earnings as well.”
- He also said: “It is better for one of you to gather firewood on his back than to ask someone else for help, who may or may not assist him.”
Hadiths Highlighting the Rewards of Work
One of the methods employed by the noble Prophet to encourage labor was by illustrating its immense rewards, including:
- The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: “Any Muslim who plants a tree will receive charity for whatever is eaten from it, for anything stolen from it is a charity for him, whatever the wild animals consume is charity for him, and whatever the birds eat is also a charity for him. No one benefits from it except that it is counted as charity for him.”
- He also said: “Whenever a Muslim plants a tree or sows seeds, and a human or an animal eats from it, it becomes a charity for him.”
Wise Sayings from the Salaf on the Importance of Work
The righteous predecessors offered numerous insightful statements regarding the significance and virtue of work, including:
- Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) declared: “A job that involves some degree of humility is better than begging from others.”
- Salman al-Farsi (may Allah be pleased with him) expressed: “I love to eat from the earnings of my own labor.”
- Salem, the freed slave of Zaid ibn Suhan, recounted: “I was with my master Zaid ibn Suhan in the marketplace when Salman al-Farsi passed by, having bought a measure of food. Zaid asked him: ‘O Abu Abdullah, you do this while you are a companion of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)?’ Salman replied: ‘When the soul secures its provisions, it finds peace and can dedicate itself to worship without being troubled by whispers of doubt.’
- Hamad ibn Zaid reported: “Ayoub advised me: ‘Stay connected to your market, for you will always be esteemed by your peers as long as you do not have to depend on them.’
- Al-Zubair ibn al-Awwam (may Allah be pleased with him) stated: “Wealth carries with it acts of kindness, maintaining family ties, spending in the cause of Allah – the Exalted – and assistance in good manners. Additionally, it holds the honor and pleasure of this world.”