ISLAMIC WORK ETHIC (IWE)

Link : www.andalus.sg/dpia/nota_pensyarah/Islamic%20work%20ethic%20a%20critical%20review.pdf

The Prophet Mohamed, both deliberately and extensively, addressed issues related
to work and business set out the above instructions. His directives were numerous and
innovatively challenged the existing practices. Ali (2005, pp. 53-5) categorized the work
related sayings of Prophet Mohamed.
These are grouped as follows:

(1) Pursuing legitimate business.
Prophet Mohamed explicitly instructed followers
that useful work is that which benefits others and society. Subsequently, those
who work hard are acknowledged and are rewarded. He stated ‘‘Worshiping
has seventy avenues; the best of them is the involvement in an honestly earned
living’’. That is, work is the best form of worshiping. He elevated people and
their work to the highest rank if their deeds benefited people: ‘‘The best work is
the one that results in benefit’’ and ‘‘The best of people are those who benefit
others’’.

(2) Wealth must be earned. 
In Islamic faith, it is acknowledged that people have
different capacities. It is these capacities and existing opportunities that enable
them to acquire wealth. Pursuing economic activities, however, must be based
on moral and legitimate foundations. The Quran states (4:29-32): ‘‘Oh ye
believers! Devour not each other’s property among yourselves unlawfully save
that by trading by mutual consent; and kill not your (own) selves; Verily, God is
Merciful unto you. And whoever shall do this in aggression and injustice, soon
shall We cast him into the (Hell) fire; for this is (very) easy for God. If ye avoid
the great sins which ye are forbidden, We will expiate from your (smaller)
misdeeds, and We will admit you (to Paradise) an honorable (place of ) entry (it
is indeed). And covet not that by which God hath raised some of you above
others; for men shall have of what they earn; and for women shall have of what
they earn; and ask God of His Grace; Verily, God is in the Know of all things’’.

(3) Quality of work.
The pre-Islam Arabs lacked discipline and their commitment
mostly revolved around a primary group. Mohamed understood this fact as a
statesman and reformer and he attempted to transform the Arab communities
into a functional society. His emphasis on discipline and commitment intended
not only to highlight the essence of work, but also to draw a link between faith
and work and to eventually steer the Muslim community towards becoming an
economically and politically viable entity. In this context, he reiterated, ‘‘God
blesses a person who perfects his craft (does the job right)’’ and ‘‘God loves a
person who learns precisely how to perform his work and does it right’’.

(4) Wages.
 Prophet Mohamed instructed Muslims to be fair and just and prompt in
compensating workers. He declared, ‘‘One must give a worker his wage before
his sweat dries (should be given on time)’’ and ‘‘your wage should be based on
your effort and spending’’. That is, payment for wages should be timely, fair
and adequate. In fact, the Prophet considered denying a worker his/her full
wage to be an immoral act. He was quoted saying that he would personally
plead against, ‘‘He who received work from a laborer and did not pay him
in full’’.

(5) Reliance on self. 
One of the most important functions of work is that it sustains
confidence and self-reliance. Mohamed stated, ‘‘No one eats better food than that which he eats out of the work of his hand’’ and ‘‘No earnings are better than
that of one’s own effort’’.

(6) Monopoly.
In Islam, monopoly is considered a great fault that produces
suffering, unlawful profit and ensures inequality. Prophet Mohamed, therefore,
forbade it stating, ‘‘The supplier is blessed and the monopolist is cursed’’ and
‘‘whoever withholds commodities, is a sinner’’.

(7) Bribery. 
Like monopoly and cheating, bribery is strongly condemned in Islam.
Mohamed declared, ‘‘God cursed the one who gives and the one who receives
bribery’’.

(8) Deeds and intentions. 
These constitute significant pillars in the IWE. They
clearly differentiate the IWE from the work ethics of other faiths. One of the
fundamental assumptions in Islam is that intention rather than result is the
criterion upon which work is evaluated in terms of benefit to community. Any
activity that is perceived to do harm, even though it results in significant
wealth to those who undertake it, is considered unlawful. Prophet Mohamed
stated, ‘‘God does not look at your matters [shapes or forms] and wealth, rather
God examines your intentions and actions’’.

(9) Transparency.
Business and work in general have to rest on ethical and moral
foundations. The precondition for propagating and realizing this goal is
transparency. It was reported that Prophet Mohamed once inspected a bin for
dates and found that those that were not good were hidden underneath the
fresh dates. The prophet ordered the merchant to differentiate between the
quality of the dates saying, ‘‘He who cheated us is not one of us’’ and if buyers
and sellers ‘‘conceal and tell lies, the blessing of their transaction shall be
obliterated’’. His saying ‘‘Those who declare things frankly, will not lead to each
other destruction’’ underlies the significant of transparency in any business
transaction, and the necessity for enhancing trust and reducing problems in the
marketplace.

(10) Greed.
In Islam, greed is considered a threat to social and economic justice. The
Prophet Mohamed in his struggle against the elite of Mecca consistently and
tirelessly criticized their greediness. He stated, ‘‘Be aware of greediness; it is the
living poverty’’ and ‘‘Two qualities are not found in a believer: greediness and
immorality’’.

(11) Generosity.
 Generosity is a virtue in Islam. The Prophet Mohamed stated that
‘‘There is nothing worse than avariciousness’’. He declared, ‘‘The generous
person is closest to God, heaven, people and far from hell’’ and ‘‘He who removes
a distress, God blesses in this world and the hereafter’’.

Observation :

In this paper, an attempt was made to provide an in-depth review of IWE. The concept
of work ethic, its presence and evolution have been covered. Political, social and
economic conditions that gave rise to IWE were addressed. It was demonstrated that
certain factors, especially faith, have cultivated and eased the emergence of work ethic.
During the first few centuries of Islam, trade and other economic activities were
encouraged and promoted. At that time, rulers displayed an enthusiasm and
commitment to trade. They played a significant role in providing protection to
merchants and trade. As such, merchants and commerce were held in high regard.
Consequently, Muslim merchants reached foreign lands and operated in different
countries. As inflexible attitudes, rigid beliefs and foreign domination swept across the
Muslim lands, trade, creative thinking and scientific discoveries experienced serious
stagnations and setbacks. Since that time, economic and organizational activities have
not progressed adequately.
The paper proposed that, in general and in terms of business and management,
Islamic principles and the original thinking of the early Muslim generations are
conducive for building business institutions and for a market economy that is founded
on justice and responsible competition. Moral principles, hard work and commitment
to the community which helped the Muslim society to thrive economically in the past
have the promise to strengthen commerce and economic progress in today’s world.
These principles are vital for independent thinking, genuine creativity and dynamic commerce.