This excerpt is taken from Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi's book Halal and Haram in Islam, translated into Urdu by Muhammad Tahir Naqqash.
Employment:
Earning a livelihood through employment is permissible for a Muslim, whether the employment is under the government or under a private institution or individual, provided that he is capable of bearing the responsibilities of the relevant work and can perform his duties. However, it is not permissible for a Muslim to become a candidate for a position for which he is not qualified, especially when it concerns a government or judicial office (public affairs).
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
ويل للأمراء ويل للعرفاء ويل للأمناء، ليتمنين أقوام يوم القيامة أن ذوائبهم معلقة بالثريا يدلون بين السماء والأرض وإنهم لم يلوا عملا
“Woe to the rulers! Woe to the leaders! And woe to the treasurers! Many people on the Day of Judgment will wish that their hair were tied to the Pleiades and that they were hung between the heaven and the earth, but they were not given authority.”
Reference: Sahih Ibn Hibban Mawarid - (1559) - Al-Ihsan: (7/9) - Mustadrak Hakim (4/91) Musnad Ahmad (2/352-453) Its chain is weak but it has a supporting narrator in Hakim - (4/91) and Ahmad (2/521) and its chain is Hasan
Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (RA) narrates:
قلت يا رسول الله ألا تستعملني؟ قال فضرب بيده على منكبي ثم قال يا أبا ذر إنك ضعيف وإنها أمانة، وإنها يوم القيامة خزي وندامة إلا من أخذها بحقها وأدى الذى عليه فيها
“I said: O Messenger of Allah (PBUH)! Will you not appoint me to any position? He (PBUH) placed his hand on my shoulder and said: Abu Dharr! You are weak, and this position is a trust and on the Day of Judgment it will be a cause of disgrace and regret, except for the one who accepts it with truth and fulfills the rights due to it.”
Reference: Muslim, Book of Leadership, Chapter on the Dislike of Leadership without Necessity, Hadith: 1825
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
القضاة ثلاثة واحد فى الجنة واثنان فى النار. فأما الذى فى الجنة فرجل عرف الحق فقضى به ورجل عرف الحق فجار فهو فى النار، ورجل قضى للناس على جهل فهو فى النار
“A judge is of three types. One of them will enter Paradise and two will enter Hell. The judge who enters Paradise is the one who recognized the truth and judged accordingly, but the one who recognized the truth and acted unjustly will enter Hell, and the one who judged out of ignorance will also enter Hell.”
Reference: Abu Dawood, Book of Judiciary, Chapter on the Judge Making a Mistake, Hadith: 3573; Tirmidhi, Book of Judgments, Chapter on What Has Been Reported from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) Regarding the Judge, Hadith: 1322; Ibn Majah, Book of Judgments, Chapter on the Judge Who Strives and Gets the Truth, Hadith: 2315
It is appropriate for a Muslim not to desire high positions but to strive for other work, even if he has the capability for a position, because the person who makes the position his god, the position makes him its slave, and the one who considers only the apparent worldly results as everything becomes deprived of heavenly guidance.
Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Samurah (RA) says:
قال لي رسول الله يا عبد الرحمن لا تسأل الا مارة فإنك إن أعطيتها من غير مسألة أعنت عليها وإن أعطيتها من مسالة وكلت إليها
“The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to me: Abdur Rahman! Do not seek leadership because if it is given to you without asking, you will be helped, and if you seek it and get it, you will be left to it.”
Reference: Bukhari, Book of Expiations of Faith, Chapter on Expiation Before and After Breaking an Oath, Hadith: 722; Muslim, Book of Faith, Chapter on Encouragement from Swearing an Oath and Seeing Otherwise, Hadith: 1652
Sayyiduna Anas (RA) narrates that the Prophet (PBUH) said:
من ابتغى القضاء وسأل فيه شفعاء وكل إلى نفسه ومن أكره عليه أنزل الله عليه ملكا ليمدده
“Whoever seeks the position of a judge and asks for recommendation for it, he will be left to it, and whoever is compelled to accept the position of a judge, Allah sends an angel to help him who guides him to the right path.”
Reference: Abu Dawood, Book of Judiciary, Chapter on Seeking the Judiciary, Hadith: 3578; Tirmidhi, Book of Judgments, Chapter on What Has Been Reported from the Messenger of Allah Regarding the Judge, Hadith: 1324, and its chain is weak
The dislike of seeking a position or office is in the case when there are other people (qualified and deserving) available to fill the vacancy. But if there is no qualified person available to fill the vacancy and he himself does not present himself, then the interests will be obstructed and problems will become complicated. The Quran has narrated the story of Sayyiduna Yusuf (AS) in which it is mentioned that he said to the king:
اجْعَلْنِي عَلَى خَزَائِنِ الْأَرْضِ إِنِّي حَفِيظٌ عَلِيمٌ
“Appoint me over the storehouses of the land. Indeed, I will be a knowing guardian.”
Reference: (Yusuf: 55)
This is the teaching of Islam regarding seeking political positions, etc.
Forbidden Jobs:
The justification for jobs is on the condition that they do not harm Muslims. A job that harms Islam or Muslims or assists in oppression and forbidden acts is prohibited, for example: jobs in usurious businesses, liquor shops, dancing halls, and cinemas. Such employees cannot claim to be free from sin by saying that they themselves do not commit the forbidden act, because the principle of Islam is that aiding in a sinful act is also sinful. Accordingly, the Prophet ﷺ cursed the scribes and witnesses of usury in the same way as he cursed the usurers themselves.
Reference: Muslim, Kitab al-Musaqah, Chapter on Cursing the Eater and Payer of Riba, Hadith: 1598
And he also cursed those who squeeze and serve alcohol in the same way as those who drink it.
Reference: Abu Dawood, Kitab al-Ashriba, Chapter on the Prohibition of Alcohol, Hadith: 3674 - Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Ashriba, Chapter on Cursing Alcohol on Ten, Hadith: 3381, 3370
This ruling applies when there is no compelling necessity, meaning a Muslim is not forced to do such work for his livelihood. But if such a degree of compulsion arises, then such employment may be taken with dislike and only to the extent necessary. At the same time, it is necessary to keep seeking other work so that Allah Almighty opens the way for lawful earning.
A Muslim always avoids doubtful matters because they cause weakness in faith and belief, no matter how valuable or abundant the benefit or wealth gained through them may be.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
دع مايريبك إلى ما لا يريبك
“Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt.”
Reference: Musnad Ahmad (1/200) - Tirmidhi, Kitab Sifat al-Qiyamah, Chapter (60), Hadith: 2518, Nasai, Kitab al-Ashriba, Chapter on Encouragement to Avoid Doubtful Matters, Hadith: 5714
He also said:
لا يبلغ عبد درجة المتقين حتى يدع مالا باس به حذرا مما به باس
“A person cannot reach the rank of the pious until he leaves those things which are not harmful out of fear of harm.”
Reference: Tirmidhi, Kitab Sifat al-Qiyamah, Chapter (19), Hadith: 2451, and its chain is weak
General Principles Regarding Issues of Earning:
The general principle regarding earning is that Islam does not give its followers free rein to earn any wealth they want and by any means they wish. Rather, it clearly distinguishes between lawful and unlawful ways of earning in consideration of collective interests. This distinction is based on a principle which is that all means of earning wealth that benefit some individuals by causing harm to others are unlawful. Conversely, those means by which individuals exchange benefits with mutual consent and justice are lawful.
This principle is explained by the following verse of the Quran:
يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ تِجَارَةً عَنْ تَرَاضٍ مِنْكُمْ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا 29 وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ عُدْوَانًا وَظُلْمًا فَسَوْفَ نُصْلِيهِ نَارًا
"O you who have believed, do not consume one another's wealth unjustly but only [in lawful] business by mutual consent. And do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful. And whoever does that in aggression and injustice - then We will drive him into a Fire. And that, for Allah, is [always] easy."
Reference: (An-Nisa: 29-30)
This verse has legalized trade with two conditions. One is that the trade must be with the consent of both parties. The second is that the benefit of one party should not be based on the loss of the other party. This is clarified by the words وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ ("do not kill yourselves"). The commentators have explained two meanings of this, both of which apply here. One meaning is that you should not kill one another. The other meaning is that you should not kill yourselves with your own hands. But in both cases, the meaning of the verse is that whoever harms others for his own benefit is like shedding blood and consequently opens the path to destruction for himself. Therefore, theft, bribery, gambling, deceit, usury, etc., are means of earning in which these two reasons for unlawfulness are found. Even if in some cases the condition of mutual consent is fulfilled, the other important condition implied in لَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ (i.e., that the other party should not be harmed) is intended.
Reference: Asas al-Iqtisad by Ustadh Abu al-A'la al-Mawdudi - p. 152
