The Value of Sweat and Halal Earnings
Islam rejects idleness and living off the backs of others. Even a small sustenance earned through one’s own labor, sweat, and effort is far more valuable than wealth received with gratitude from others. Abdülkadir Geylani stated, “Eat what you earn with your sweat. Do not strive for livelihood by selling your religion. Earn and eat, and distribute to others,” thereby indicating that halal earnings are among the most fundamental qualities of a believer. Shaykh Sadi also noted, “Vinegar eaten with one’s own hands is better than bread or lamb from another person,” emphasizing that a debt-free meal will not darken the heart. Seeking what is permissible, avoiding haram and doubt in earning, is the key to having prayers accepted and inner peace. Hands reaching for the forbidden and wealth gained through greed ultimately lead their owner to spiritual bankruptcy and punishment in the afterlife.
The Balance of Work and Trust (Tawakkul)
Being engaged in a worldly occupation does not hinder trust (tawakkul); on the contrary, resorting to means is part of the etiquette of servitude. Hazrat Geylani advises becoming skilled in a craft and working until one attains the full strength of faith. However, attaching the heart to means and the work itself is the greatest danger. The servant should work in his shop, seek sustenance for his family, but know that it is only Allah who gives the customer, the shop, or the effort – not them 43, 44. A person who considers his shop and possessions a means of livelihood for his children and attaches his heart to Allah avoids associating partners with Him (shirk). The true possessor of trust believes that the result will come from Allah, the Absolute Provider, while utilizing the means.
Abandoning Anxiety About Sustenance
The sustenance written in one’s destiny neither diminishes by a morsel nor increases by a morsel. A person who cannot grasp this truth attacks the world with greed and forgets the afterlife. Geylani (q.s.) emphasizes the futility of needlessly tormenting oneself, stating, “Cast away the sorrow of livelihood from your heart. Allah sends sustenance. What is yours will come to you effortlessly.” Ibn Ataullah also describes striving for a guaranteed sustenance as blindness of the eye of the heart. Merchants who forget religion and the afterlife and only pursue worldly gain will experience the greatest regret when they leave their possessions and enter the grave. A wise person earns as much of the world’s goods as he needs through halal means, spends the rest of his time purifying his heart and investing in eternal life.