We are still discussing some of the etiquette and guidelines of the financial and commercial transactions that Muslim should deal with and adopt so that he may worship Allaah The Almighty with insight and following the footsteps of our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him, in all of his life affairs.

In this episode, we will touch upon some of such etiquette and guidelines in the following points:

Fifteenth, in the previous episode we come to know that all forms of wealth belong to Allaah The Almighty with which He, Exalted be He, blessed humans and even made a right in it for others due to several wisdoms and good effects in this life and the life to come. Real Muslim individual is the one who is keen on fulfilling the obligatory and recommended rights. Amongst the most important of them are, giving Zakaah (i.e. obligatory alms) that the Lawgiver made it one of the main pillars of Islam in the Noble Book of Allaah The Almighty. This Zakaah purifies, develops and protects wealth from all other bad things. It blesses it and purifies souls on loving people and being good towards them, showing good care to the poor and needy. It develops the spirit of integration, correlation, brotherhood, loving, and friendly feelings among Muslims. It is more appropriate for the Muslim trader to have such meanings while giving Zakaah, believing in Allaah The Almighty and giving it while he is fully satisfied. In this way, it will be very effective and beneficial for the one who gives Zakaah, wealth and the one who takes it.

There is no need to review all of the texts of the Noble Quran and honorable Sunnah regarding explaining this issue for it is known to be essential parts of the religion and which are well known among the Muslims. We have even mentioned some of them in the previous episodes.

Amongst the rights of wealth is to give the recommended charity, spend it in all different forms of goodness, give good gifts, participate in the different projects of goodness, observe hospitality with the guest, adopt kindness with the orphans, the needy and others. This is what the religious texts came with, giving glad tidings, to the one who spends for the Sake of Allaah The Almighty, with what never came to one’s mind. It is sufficient to mention from them the saying of Allaah The Almighty: {…and establish prayer and give Zakaah and loan Allaah a goodly loan. And whatever good you put forward for yourselves - you will find it with Allaah. It is better and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allaah. Indeed, Allaah is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 73: 20].

He, Glorified be He, also Says (what means): {… But whatever thing you spend [in His cause] - He will compensate it; and He is the best of providers."} [Quran 34: 39].

He, The Most Exalted, also Says (what means): {The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allaah is like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allaah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allaah is all-Encompassing and Knowing} [Quran 2: 261], and the like of other great texts that bears the glad tidings of great goodness and sublime reward for the one who spends for the Sake of Allaah The Almighty.

Sixteenth, amongst the other matters that Islam encourages and confirms is that one has to saves himself from suspicious and dubious things. Really, this is a great principle and sound approach that makes the Muslim individual handle his transaction in a clear and obvious way that has no ambiguity or problems, nor hesitation or ignorance. This is the way that the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, made and outlined for his nation. Accordingly, it is not sufficient for the Muslim individual to avoid the way of clear prohibition; rather, he has to keep away from what may lead to prohibited matters or implies a suspicion thing. It was narrated on the authority of An-Nu‘maan ibn Basheer, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “Both legal and illegal things are evident but in between them there are doubtful (suspicious) things and most of the people have no knowledge about them. So whoever saves himself from these suspicious things saves his religion and his honor. And whoever indulges in these suspicious things is like a shepherd who grazes (his animals) near the Hima (private pasture) of someone else and at any moment he is liable to get in it. (O people!) Beware! Every king has a Hima and the Hima of Allaah on the earth is His illegal (forbidden) things. Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good but if it gets spoilt the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart.” [Reported by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim].

Accordingly, Muslim individual has to avoid all prohibited matters or what may lead to prohibited or doubtful matter. If Muslim deals in this way, Allaah The Almighty will remove from his heart greediness, stinginess, penny-pinching spending and the control of money over heart.

Seventhly, amongst the most important guidelines that the Muslim trader has to apply is to be generous and kind as much possible as he can. Amongst the forms of generosity that can be stated here is giving loans to those who need them and giving the debtor who is in difficulty time until things become easier for him. Actually, both of them are recommended matters and imply great rewards and uncountable benefits such as relieving distress, helping the needy, fulfilling a need, making a Muslim individual happy as well as a kind of cooperation between Muslims, supporting one another, enhancing their relationships, promoting unity and harmony among people, and increasing love among them. It was stated in some reports that giving loan to someone is better than charity because the one who takes charity may not be in dire need to it. As for the one who asks for loan, he does not ask for loan except he has a dire need for this.

Allaah The Almighty Says (what means) regarding giving the debtor who is in difficulty time until things become easier for him: { And if someone is in hardship, then [let there be] postponement until [a time of] ease…} [Quran 2: 280].

Also, it was narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “The best of you is the best in paying off debts.”

This is what our Salaf (i.e. righteous predecessors) used to do towards the debtor who is in difficulty. They used to give them time until things become easy for him, not to make things difficult for them or disturbing them by asking them repeatedly to pay off their debts. Let us follow the good example of our righteous predecessors so that Allaah The Almighty may make us follow their footsteps, adopt their example for surely He, The Most Exalted, is the All-Hearing and Ever responsive and He is the one whom we seek His help.

Till we meet again, peace and blessings of Allaah be upon you.

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