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Business matters

Trading was the means of livelihood of the family of the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم. As he صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمhad made many trade journeys in childhood with Abu Taalib, gaining enough experience of trading, he صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمchose trading as a means of livelihood. He صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمwent on trade journeys to Syria, Busra and Yemen. He صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمdid trade and business so honestly, truthfully and justly that his business partners and all other traders began to call him ‘Ameen’.

Honesty, truthfulness, fulfilment of promises and good manners are the lifeblood of trade and are essential for a successful trader. He صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمhad all of these qualities and set a matchlessly shining example in the history of the world. Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Abil Hamsa Sahabi رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ narrated: Before he صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمreceived revelation and made the declaration of Nubuwwah, I made a trade deal with him. I made a part payment and promised him that I would return shortly and would pay the remaining amount. By chance, I forgot my promise. After three days, I reached where I had promised to come, so I found him standing in wait. I could not keep my promise but he صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمdid not mind it at all. He صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمonly said, ‘Where have you been? I have been waiting for you here for three days’.1

Similarly, when Sayyiduna Saa`ib رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ, a companion of the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم, embraced Islam and came to the court of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم, people began to praise him. The Greatest and Noblest Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمsaid, ‘You do not know him as much as I know him.’ Sayyiduna Saa`ib رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ humbly said, ‘May my parents be sacrificed for you! You have spoken the truth. Before the declaration of Nubuwwah, you were my trading partner. You were very nice to me and never quarrelled with me.’2


1Sunan Abi Dawood, Kitab-ul-Adab, vol. 4, pp. 388, Hadees 4996
2Sunan Abi Dawood, Kitab-ul-Adab, vol. 4, pp. 342, Hadees 4836

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