Book of Livelihood and Etiquette — Preface — Tuḥfat al-Mulūk

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Seeking livelihood is obligatory like seeking knowledge; and it is of four kinds. Obligatory: earning the least sufficiency for oneself, one's dependants, and discharging one's debt.

From the editors

1.

This is based on the saying of the Prophet (ﷺ): “Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.” Sunan Ibn Mājah 1:81, al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr 10:195, al-Muʿjam al-Awsaṭ 1:7, al-Muʿjam al-Ṣaghīr 1:36, Musnad Abī Yaʿlā 5:223, Musnad al-Bazzār 1:172, Shuʿab al-Īmān 2:253, Ḥilyat al-Awliyāʾ 8:323. al-Bayhaqī explained in al-Madkhal that the meaning of the ḥadīth refers to the basic knowledge that every adult of sound mind cannot afford to be ignorant of, or knowledge related to specific circumstances that arise in one’s life. It also implies that it is obligatory on every Muslim until enough qualified people fulfil the obligation. See: Kashf al-Khafāʾ 2:654.

2.

Because it is a means through which obligatory duties are fulfilled, thus it becomes obligatory.

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Recommended: earning surplus beyond the least sufficiency, in order to assist therewith a poor person, or join kin therewith; and that is better than supererogatory worship.

From the editors

1.

Because it is a means to fulfil something that is recommended, it takes on the ruling of being recommended (mustaḥabb), as mentioned in Minḥat al-Sulūk 3:294. Abū Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said: “The one who strives for the widow and the poor is like the one who fights in the way of Allah , or like the one who fasts during the day and prays at night.” Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5:2047, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2:2286). Salman ibn ʿĀmir reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Charity given to the poor is a single charity, and to a relative it is two: charity and maintaining family ties.” Sunan al-Tirmidhī 3:46, graded ḥasan; al-Mujtabā 5:92; Sunan Ibn Mājah 1:591; Musnad Aḥmad 4:17.

2.

Indeed, the purest food a person consumes is from what they have earned with their own hands, as mentioned in Minḥat al-Sulūk 3:293. ʿĀʾishah narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said: “The purest of what you eat is from your own earnings, and your children are from your earnings” Sunan al-Tirmidhī 3:639, authenticated; Sunan Ibn Mājah 2:768; Musnad Aḥmad 2:179, and others. Regarding the warning related to debt, Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Indeed, the greatest sin in the sight of Allah that a servant can meet Him with after the major sins He has prohibited is for a man to die while having an unpaid debt, leaving nothing behind to settle it.” Sunan Abū Dāwūd 2:266, Musnad Aḥmad 4:392, considered weak by al-Arnāʾūṭ.

3.

Because the benefit of worship is personal, while the benefit of earning extends to others, as mentioned in Minḥat al-Sulūk 3:264.

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Permissible: earning surplus beyond that for indulgence and adornment.

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وحرامٌ: وهو كسب ما كان للتكاثر والتّفاخر وإن كان من حلّ.

Unlawful: earning what is for accumulation and boasting, even though it be from lawful [sources].

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وأَفضل الكسبِ الجهاد ثمّ التجارة، ثمّ الزّراعة، ثمّ الصّناعة.

The best livelihood is jihād, then trade, then agriculture, then craftsmanship.

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والعلم أيضاً أنواع أربعة : فرض: وهو تعلّم ما يحتاج إليه لأداءِ الفرائض، ومعرفةِ الحلال والحرام في أحوال نفسه.

Knowledge too is of four kinds: obligatory—and it is learning what one needs to discharge the duties, and know lawful and unlawful in one's own situations.

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ومستحبّ: وهو تعلّم الزائد على ما يحتاج إليه ليعلِّمَه مَن يحتاج إليه، وهو أفضل من نفل العبادة.

Recommended: learning surplus beyond what one needs in order to teach it to whoever needs it; and that is better than supererogatory worship.

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ومباح: وهو تعلّم الزائد على ذلك للزينة والكمال.

Permissible: learning surplus beyond that for adornment and completeness.

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وحرام: وهو التعلّم ليباهي به العلماء، ويماري به السفهاء.

Unlawful: learning in order to show off thereby among scholars, and dispute thereby with fools.

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ويجب على العالم تعليم غيره إذا طلبَ منه إلى أن يبلغَ إلى المرتبة الأولى.

The scholar must teach another if the latter requests [instruction] of him, until he reaches the first level.

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ولا يجب على العالم أن يجيبَ عن ما يسأل عنه إلا إذا عَلِمَ أن ما سئِلَ عنه لا يعلمه غيره.

The scholar is not obliged to answer what is asked of him except when he knows that what he was asked about is not known to anyone else.

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ولو طلبَ كافرٌ من مسلم أن يعلِّمَه القرآنَ والفقه، فلا بأس به رجاءَ أن يَطَّلعَ على محاسنه فيسلم.

If an unbeliever asks a Muslim to teach him the Qurʾān and fiqh, there is no harm in that, in hope that he grasp its virtues and become Muslim.

كتاب الكسب والأدب — تمهيد