In regards to work and employment, Islam introduced
principles and guidelines which define the relationship between the employer and
the employed.
The Rights of the Employed
Islam enjoins that the relationship between employer and
employee should be based upon principles of brotherhood, equality and dignity.
The Prophet (s.a.w.)said:
“Your
servants are your brothers whom Allah has placed under your authority. Whoever
has his brother under his authority, let him feed him from what he eats and
clothe him with what he wears. Let him not burden him with more than he can
bear, and if you do, then help him.” [al-Bukhari]
Islam has guaranteed
their right to receive wages. The Prophet (s.a.w.) narrated from Allah (s.w.t.)
that He said:
“I
will stand against three types of people on the Day of Requital: a person who
swears by Me and then betrays his oath, a person who sells a free person and
eats the money he gains from it, and a person who hired a workman, takes his
full due [of work] from him but does not
give him his right (his wages).” [al-Bukhari]
It also orders
that the wages be negotiated before work begins. In a Hadeeth collected
by Ahmad, the Prophet (s.a.w.)forbade hiring a workman before negotiating his
wages.
Islam also
commands that wages be paid immediately after the task has been completed. The Prophet
(s.a.w.) said:
They are not to be given more work than they can bear; if he
is given more than he can bear, than he should be given extra wages or help.
The Prophet (s.a.w.)said:
“Let him also
not burden him with more than he can bear, and if you do, then help him.” [al-Bukhari]
In order to raise the honor and dignity of labor, the Prophet
(s.a.w.)said that it was the best and most pure of earnings, if done through
permissible means. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said:
“No person has eaten better food than that which [was bought from the wages which] his own hands toiled.
Indeed David (),
the Prophet of Allah, ate from what his own hands earned.” [al-Bukhari]
To encourage
manual labor, the Prophet (s.a.w.)said:
“By Him in Whose Hands is my soul, if one of you goes and
chops wood, ties it, and carries it on his back, it is better for him than to
beg people, whether they give him money or not.” [al-Bukhari]
The
Rights of the Employer
As Islam required
the employer to give the employee his due rights; the employees should also
observe the rights of the employer…they should carry out the work in the best
manner, without delay or shortcomings. The Prophet (s.a.w.)said:
“Indeed Allah likes that if one of you performs some work,
that he does it perfectly.” [Abu
Ya’laa]
In order to encourage people to do their assigned work
properly and sincerely, Islam has made this type of wages from the best of
earnings. The Prophet (s.a.w.)said:
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