Islam lays great emphasis on work. In many places in the Quran it is made clear that time should not be wasted.
In
the Quran, God draws attention to all the magnificent creations as an
indication of the proper planning that leads to wonderful results—for
Muslims believe that He creates nothing haphazardly.
God
relates in the Quran how the heavens and the earth were created in
seven days and describes that as a sign for humankind. Then the Quran
directs a message to humanity that it should contribute positively to
the earth, that is, it should work to make use of what is created for
its benefit:
That man can have nothing but
what he strives for; That the fruit of his striving will soon come in
sight: Then will he be rewarded with a reward complete. (53:39-41)
In Islam work is given special importance to the extent that it is considered as an act of worship
in itself. Although some people believe that they are not obliged to
work because they dedicate themselves to worshiping God, this is
actually a wrong perception of the concept of worship.
Scholar Imam Al Ghazali mentioned in his book Ihyaa Ulumudd-een (Revival of the Religious Sciences) that Jesus
(peace be upon him) once saw a man who had completely devoted himself
to worship. When he asked him how he got his daily bread, the man
replied that his brother, who worked, provided him with food. Jesus then
told him:
“That brother of yours is more religious than you are” (The Book of Provision, Chapter 1).
Al
Ghazali also mentions the Prophet’s Companion Umar ibn Al Khattab, who
used to stress this point further by telling people, “Never should
anyone of you think that dua’ (supplication) for sustenance without work
will avail him, for heaven never rains gold nor silver” (The Book of
Provision, Chapter 1).
Therefore, Islam is a religion of
worshiping the Creator, with an essential part of that worship being
working for survival. God tells us in the Quran to traverse the universe
and make use of all the abundant resources that have been created for
us.
Islam is a religion that orders its followers to be part and
parcel of a working and productive society. The Quran says what means:
…and
help one another in goodness and piety, and do not help one another in
sin and aggression; and be careful of your duty to Allah. (5:2)
The
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself, who is considered a
paragon of virtues in Islam, used to pray seeking God’s refuge from laziness or idleness. Even before he was chosen as a messenger of God, he was a
hardworking person. This earned him the respect of his employer,
Khadijah, who later proposed marriage to him because of all the merits
and virtues she saw in him.
In his instructions to Muslims on this aspect, the Prophet Muhammad strikes a balance between worship and work.
So, as Muslims have to be constant in their acts of worship, they also
have to work hard to make a living, as it is recorded in one of the
famous sayings of scholars:
“Work hard (for making a living and
survival) as if you are going to die” (Al Albani, Series of Weak and
Fabricated Hadiths). Also, in exhorting Muslims on the importance of
work, the Prophet Muhammad made it clear that getting one’s sustenance
from one’s work is one of the praiseworthy acts of worship.
It is
recorded in his traditions how he turned a man who came to him begging
into a productive member of the society by teaching him how to work and
provide for himself.
One of the scholars of Islam, Imam Hasan Al
Basri, was asked one day the secret behind his asceticism. The imam
mentioned four things in reply:
“One, I believe that my sustenance will never be hijacked by anybody (so I work to attain it).
Two, I know that a work that is mine must be performed by me, so I do not decrease my efforts in performing it.
Three, I believe that my Lord is Omnipresent (watching me), so I do not like Him seeing me committing sins.
Four, I know that death is somewhere waiting for me, so I prepare for it (through good deeds).”
In
this way, Islam lays down a practical framework for life by making
these principles and guidance. Islam strives to eradicate social ills
and vices that result from unemployment,
idleness, and poverty, by instructing the youth to rise up to the
challenge of shouldering responsibility at an early age, and also for
the old not to give up their efforts in benefiting the society with
their experience and working skills.
Thus, the true message of Islam is not just for a Muslim to profess faith and do nothing for his or her society. Rather, Islam teaches that the true faith is what is demonstrated through sincere deeds that make a noticeable addition to the progress of society.