Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Government Jobs, Breach of Trust and Halal Earnings: Islamic Guidance for Employees and Traders

The Problem with Government Jobs

Holding a status and not fulfilling its duties properly without a valid excuse is also a breach of trust. Beware! Do not let luxuries of the world result in calamities of the afterlife. Especially people who work for government departments seem to be involved in the breaching of trust. Many people take up these jobs because no one monitors the work in most of the departments, they finish work whenever they please, take days off whenever they please, or get close to their seniors so that they can neglect their duties. If the employee takes unauthorised days off but the officer in charge backs him up by marking him present in the books and causes loss to the government then both of them would have breached trust, and their earnings would be unlawful. We must only support each other in matters of piety and not sin, helping in sins will also lead to punishment. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ says in the Holy Qur'an:-

وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ ۝

TRANSLATION FROM KANZ-UL-IMAN

And help one another to righteousness and piety, and do not help one another to sin and transgression, and fear Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is severe in punishment.

(Part 6, Sura Al Maidah, Verse 2)

Anyone who does not fulfil his duties without a valid reason must reflect upon his attitude. If his timings are 8am to 4pm but he arrives at 9am or leaves at 3-pm then in either case he has committed a crime. It is Harām for him to take a wage for the time that he missed and also for any unauthorised days off. If the person responsible for opening the office comes late, it should not stop the employee from getting there on time and waiting for his arrival. Similarly security guards, police men etc. should also think carefully. If their duty is to be on guard standing up, they are not allowed to sit or sleep within duty hours, however, Fard Salah must definitely be offered (and they are therefore allowed time off for this). Guards who wander around or sleep in duty times are breaching the trust of their employers; their slackness also increases the chances of crime and corruption. It is Harām to take salary for the hours missed and will therefore lead to Hell.

The Evil of Harām Food

Mukashifa-tul-Quloob says, "When a piece of Harām food enters a man's stomach, every Angel in the skies and earth will curse him for as long as that morsel remains inside and if he dies in this state he will enter Hell".

(Mukashifa-tul-Quloob, P10 Dar-ul-Kutubul-Ilmiyyah Beirut)

Voluntary Fasts without Permission

There is no harm in coming late if one works for a private firm and the boss does not mind. Remember! During working hours you cannot pray voluntary Salah and if weakness affects the work then you cannot fast (voluntary) either without the boss's permission, but Fard Salah and fasts must be prayed even if the boss doesn't allow it.

Statement of Kufr

Without a proper valid reason, it is not permissible for you to miss jama'at even if your boss prevents you. It has come to my hearing that the officers in some institutions say to the workers "Leave Salah, your job is the first Fard"; this statement insults Salah and is therefore Kufr.

7 Statements of Kufr

Sadrush-Shariah Allama Moulana Mufti Amjad Ali Azami عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ الْقَوِي gives the following 7 examples of insulting Salah in chapter 9 of Bahar-e-Shariat:

1.     If someone is told to pray Salah and he replies, "I pray but I don't get anything from it", he will become a non-Muslim.

2.     Or if he replies, "You've prayed what good did it do for you."

3.     "My parents are dead, why shall I pray Salah, who shall I pray Salah for?"

4.     "I've prayed enough"

5.     "Praying and not praying are the same". Any such statement implying the disregard of Salah or abusing it is Kufr.

6.     Praying only in the month of Ramadan and saying "This is enough".

7.     "What I've prayed is plenty because one Salah in Ramadan is worth seventy" are both statements of Kufr because they imply the insignificance of Salah.

It is Fard upon a Trader to Learn the Rulings of Trade

My Dear Islamic brothers! Unfortunately, a huge number of traders commit treachery. It is Fard for a trader to learn the rulings concerning trade in order to make him self aware of what things make his earnings Harām. You might think to yourself, "I take great care to make sure my earnings are Halaal, there's nothing wrong with what I do", but dear Islamic brothers! How can someone be careful when he doesn't even know how to be careful? Sayyidunā Farooq Azam رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ says, "Only a faqih (learned person) is allowed to enter our market."

(Kimiya-e-Sa'aadat, V1, P309, Intisharat Ganjinah Tehran)

Unfortunately, the situation is quite opposite these days, Allah forbid, it is as if people are saying, "Only cheaters are allowed in our markets"; it is as if noble people are banned from the markets.

How should the Rulings of Buying and Selling be learnt?

Everyone knows about the illegal acts and treachery that takes place in the markets, which is mainly due to being unacquainted with Islamic knowledge and Sunnah of the Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم. It is vital that both retailers and consumers instantly learn the rulings related to buying and selling, or else remember one will be held accountable for each and every thing in the after life, and the wrath of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is great indeed. The 11th part of the famous Urdu encyclopaedia of Hanafi Fiqh "Bahar-e-Shariat" explains this topic in detail. It should be studied carefully by every Muslim and the help of a qualified Sunni scholar should be sought to understand difficult passages. Travelling in the Sunnah-inspiring Madanī Qafilas of Dawat-e-Islami is also an effective way of learing sunnah. Travel in Madanī Qafilas and earn huge reward and learn countless Sunan. This will help you to increase your enthusiasm to study and In'shaa-Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ make sure your earnings are pure and correct your Salah, fasting and other worship.

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