Doing business is nothing new to Islamic culture. Islam has a long history related to business. The Prophet (SAW) himself had done trading in the past, and Islam was spread around the world by the dealer. Business can bring many benefits in Islam as listed below:
1. Giving Financial Freedom
Building a business gives Muslim an independence in financial. It prevent us from begging money, since Allah SWT forbid us to do it.
Narrated Az-Zubair bin Al-Awwam (RA): The Prophet (PBUH) said,
“It is better for anyone of you to take a rope and bring a bundle of wood over his back and sell it, and Allah will save his face because of that, rather than to ask the people who may or may not give.”
Also read: Benefits of Brotherhood in Islam
2. Having More Time with Family
Allah SWT has said in the Holy Quran,
And those who break the covenant of Allah, after its ratification, and sever that which Allah has commanded to be joined (i.e. they sever the bond of kinship and are not good to their relatives) and work mischief in the land, on them is the curse, and for them is the unhappy home (i.e. Hell)” – Ar Rad (13:25)
3. Giving More Time to Worship Allah
Working is considered as kind of worshiping Allah, but by running his own business, a Muslim will have more time to worship Allah. A businessman is usually in control of their time, so his schedule is more flexible and he can spare his time to worship Allah more.
Also read: Benefits of Early Marriage in Islam
4. Doing Charity to Others
Having his own business will make a Muslim give more charity. As the Prophet said,
“A charity is due for every joint in each person on every day the sun comes up: to act justly between two people is a charity; to help a man with his mount, lifting him onto it or hoisting up his belongings onto it, is a charity; a good word is a charity; and removing a harmful thing from the road is a charity.” – Bukhari and Muslim
5. Have More Time to Do Other Things
By running a business, a Muslim not only has more time to worship Allah, but also more time to do other things he loves. Such as travelling, playing sport, or learning a new skill.
Also read: How to Control the Mind in Islam
6. Providing the Needs of Islam
Not only searching for profits, a business that run by a Muslim should filling the gap of the Islam needs. Such as Islamic educations, halal foods, Islamic entertainment and many more. While doing business, a Muslim should think about how will it be benefit the Ummah. As the Prophet (SAW) said,
“One who gets up in the morning and his mind is not preoccupied with the matters of Muslims, is not one of them.”
7. Give Positive Feedback to the Society
One of the benefits of running business is how will it give positive feedback to the society. Choose particular charity groups, whether it giving Sadaqah, Zakah, and many more obligatory charity in Islam.
Also read: Benefits of Honey in Islam
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8. Increasing the Faith in Allah
Nothing may happen without Allah’s will and control. Nothing stays forever but Allah. So that the act of business should increase the faith in Allah, especially because business often not doing well. But one must have faith in Allah. As stated in the Holy Quran:
“To those who believe and do acts of righteousness will surely go to paradise” – Al Baqara (2:23)
9. Applying Morals to the Business
While doing business, a Muslim should apply the good morals and keep working on it. It should be in line with the purpose of the business itself.
Also read: How to Develop Self Control in Islam
10. Improving a Good Character
A business should make the person be better, and it should contains many virtues such as wisdom, modesty, and many more.
Business Ethics in Islam
While doing business, we have to make sure that we run our business within the Sharia corridors. Islam has defined particular ethics in business that must be followed by all Muslim who are doing business. Here are those business ethics in Islam:
1. Pious
A Muslim who run business should have a pious intention, so that every little deed he did in his business will be rewarded by Allah SWT. And by the intention, every aspects of his life would be considered as obedience and worship to Allah SWT.
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2. Noble
There are several noble manners that is needed in running business: trustworthy, honesty, and being grateful with everything Allah has given, also claiming the debts in a right way, postponing debt settlement for those who troubled paying it, making appointments, avoid all the deceitful acts.
3. Making Business in Legal Fields
Be careful while selecting the fields of the business. Don’t do business in the areas that Allah forbids, although the forbidden businesses are always tempting for the big amount of money earned. The forbidden fields in Islam are carcass, liquor, porks, and usury based transaction.
4. Causing No Harm
A Muslim businessman should have one absolute principle: whatever he does, he must not cause harm to others. He must never disadvantage others and doing manipulations while doing business. Such as setting a high price for the goods he sells.
5. Loyal and Faithful
When a Muslim running a business, he should be loyal, faithful, and bringing benefits to Islam. He should be involved only with fellow believers and thus, should never make a trading pact to those who openly declare their enmity to Islam.
6. Doing Business in the Name of Allah
The business someone does should be under the name of Allah. Run the business under good intention to please Allah SWT. Only that way the business will be blessed by Allah SWT.
7. Not Committing Sins While Doing Business
Avoid committing sins while doing business. A business should brings benefits both to the runner, to Islam, and to Allah SWT. Make the business a good deeds, not the source of the sin.
Those are all the benefits of business in Islam, along with the ethics while doing business. May Allah SWT always bless the business we run and gives us lots of fortune from it.