Hiring

Muhammad ibn Yusuf narrated to us: Sufyan narrated to us, from Abu Burda, who said: My grandfather Abu Burda informed me, from his father Abu Musa al-Ashari, may Allah be pleased with him, who said that the Prophet said: “The trustworthy treasurer who willingly delivers what he has been instructed to give is one of the two charitable givers.”

Musaddad narrated to us: Yahya narrated to us, from Qurra ibn Khalid; he said: Humayd ibn Hilal narrated to me: Abu Burda narrated to us, from Abu Musa, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: I came to the Prophet with two men from the Ashari tribe and said, “I did not know that they were seeking employment.” He said: “By no means”—or he said—“we do not appoint to our work anyone who seeks it.”

Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Makki narrated to us: Amr ibn Yahya narrated to us, from his grandfather, from Abu Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet, who said: “Allah did not send any prophet except that he shepherded sheep.” His companions asked, “And you?” He replied, “Yes, I used to shepherd them for qirats for the people of Mecca.”

Ibrahim ibn Musa informed us: Hisham informed us, from Ma mar, from al-Zuhri, from Urwa ibn al-Zubayr, from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her: The Prophet and Abu Bakr hired a man from Banu al-Dayl, then from Banu Abd ibn Adi, as a skilled guide. He had sworn an alliance with the family of al-As ibn Wa il, and followed the religion of the Quraysh unbelievers. They trusted him and gave him their two riding camels, arranging to meet him at the cave of Thawr after three nights. He brought them their two camels on the morning after the third night. They set out, accompanied by Amir ibn Fuhayra and the Dayli guide, who took them along the lower route from Mecca, the coastal road.

Yahya ibn Bukayr narrated to us: al-Layth narrated to us, from Uqayl. Ibn Shihab said: Urwa ibn al-Zubayr informed me that Aisha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with her, said: The Messenger of Allah and Abu Bakr hired a man from Banu al-Dayl as a skilled guide. He followed the religion of the Quraysh unbelievers. They gave him their two riding camels and arranged to meet him at the cave of Thawr after three nights, with their two camels, on the morning of the third day.

Yaqub ibn Ibrahim narrated to us: Ismail ibn Ulayya narrated to us: Ibn Jurayj informed us; he said: Ata informed me, from Safwan ibn Yala, from Yala ibn Umayya, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: I campaigned with the Prophet in the Army of Hardship, and in my view this was among the deeds I most trusted. I had a hired worker who fought with a man. One of the two bit the other man finger. The finger owner pulled it away and knocked out the other man incisor, which fell out. He went to the Prophet, who declared the incisor forfeit and said: “Was he to leave his finger in your mouth for you to chew it—I think he said—as a stallion chews?”

Ibn Jurayj said: Abdullah ibn Abi Mulayka narrated to me, from his grandfather, a similar account: A man bit another man hand and knocked out his incisor, and Abu Bakr declared it forfeit.

Yaqub ibn Ibrahim narrated to us: Ismail ibn Ulayya narrated to us: Ibn Jurayj informed us; he said: Ata informed me, from Safwan ibn Yala, from Yala ibn Umayya, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: I campaigned with the Prophet in the Army of Hardship, and in my view this was among the deeds I most trusted. I had a hired worker who fought with a man. One of the two bit the other man finger. The finger owner pulled it away and knocked out the other man incisor, which fell out. He went to the Prophet, who declared the incisor forfeit and said: “Was he to leave his finger in your mouth for you to chew it—I think he said—as a stallion chews?”

Ibn Jurayj said: Abdullah ibn Abi Mulayka narrated to me, from his grandfather, a similar account: A man bit another man hand and knocked out his incisor, and Abu Bakr declared it forfeit.

Ibrahim ibn Musa informed us: Hisham ibn Yusuf informed us that Ibn Jurayj informed them. He said: Yala ibn Muslim and Amr ibn Dinar informed me, from Said ibn Jubayr, with one of them adding to the other. Others said: I heard him narrating it from Said. He said: Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said to me: Ubayy ibn Kab narrated to me that the Messenger of Allah said: “So the two went on and found a wall that was about to collapse.”

Said gestured with his hand like this, raised both hands, and it straightened. Yala said: I think Said said that he passed his hand over it and it straightened. He said: “If you had wished, you could have taken payment for it.” Said said: “Payment for us to eat.”

Narrated Ibn Umar: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Your example and that of the two People of the Book is like that of a man who hired workers. He said, ‘Who will work for me from morning until midday for one qirat?’ The Jews worked. Then he said, ‘Who will work for me from midday until the afternoon prayer for one qirat?’ The Christians worked. Then he said, ‘Who will work for me from the afternoon prayer until sunset for two qirats?’ You are they. The Jews and the Christians became angry and said, ‘Why have we done more work yet received less pay?’ He said, ‘Have I withheld any of your due?’ They said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘That is My bounty; I give it to whomever I will.’"

Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Your example, and that of the Jews and Christians, is like that of a man who hired workers and said, ‘Who will work for me until midday, for one qirat each?’ The Jews worked for one qirat each. Then the Christians worked for one qirat each. Then you are the ones who work from the afternoon prayer until sunset for two qirats each. The Jews and Christians became angry and said, ‘We do more work and receive less pay.’ He said, ‘Have I deprived you of anything that was your due?’ They said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘That is My bounty, which I grant to whomever I will.’”

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Allah Most High said: ‘There are three against whom I shall be an adversary on the Day of Resurrection: a man who gave a pledge in My name and then betrayed it; a man who sold a free person and consumed the price; and a man who hired a worker, received the full work from him, and did not give him his wages.’”

Narrated Abu Musa: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The example of the Muslims, the Jews, and the Christians is like that of a man who hired people to work for him for a known wage, from morning until night. They worked for him until midday, then said, ‘We have no need of the wage you stipulated for us; what we have done is for nothing.’ He said to them, ‘Do not do that. Complete the rest of your work and take your full wages.’ But they refused and left. He then hired two workers after them and said to them, ‘Complete the rest of this day, and you will receive the wage I stipulated for them.’ They worked until the time of the afternoon prayer, then said, ‘What we have done is for nothing; the wage you assigned us is yours.’ He said to them, ‘Complete the rest of your work, for only a little of the day remains.’ But they refused. Then he hired people to work for him for the rest of that day. They worked until the sun set and received the full wages of both groups. That is their example and the example of what they accepted of this light.’”

Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “Three men from among those before you set out and took shelter for the night in a cave. A rock fell from the mountain and blocked the cave entrance. They said, ‘Nothing can save you from this rock except calling upon Allah by virtue of your righteous deeds.’ One of them said, ‘O Allah, I had two elderly parents, and I would not give evening milk to my family or possessions before them. One day I went far afield in search of something and did not return to them until they had fallen asleep. I milked their evening drink, found them sleeping, and disliked giving the drink to my family or possessions before them. I remained there, the cup in my hands, waiting for them to wake, until dawn appeared. They awoke and drank their evening milk. O Allah, if I did that seeking Your countenance, relieve us from what we are suffering because of this rock.’ The rock shifted a little, but they could not get out.” The Prophet (ﷺ) continued: “The second man said, ‘O Allah, I had a paternal cousin who was the dearest of all people to me. I desired her, but she refused me, until a year of hardship came upon her. She came to me, and I gave her one hundred and twenty dinars on condition that she let me have her. She agreed. When I was able to be with her, she said, “It is not lawful for you to break the seal except by its rightful due.” I felt scruple about having intercourse with her, so I turned away from her, although she was the dearest of all people to me, and left the gold I had given her. O Allah, if I did that seeking Your countenance, relieve us from what we are in.’ The rock shifted, but they still could not get out.” The Prophet (ﷺ) continued: “The third man said, ‘O Allah, I hired workers and paid their wages, except for one man who left what was due to him and went away. I invested his wage until wealth grew from it. After a time he came to me and said, “Servant of Allah, give me my wage.” I said, “Everything you see of camels, cattle, sheep, and enslaved people is from your wage.” He said, “Servant of Allah, do not mock me.” I said, “I am not mocking you.” He took it all and drove it away, leaving nothing. O Allah, if I did that seeking Your countenance, relieve us from what we are suffering.’ The rock opened, and they walked out.’”

Narrated Abu Masud al-Ansari: Whenever the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) instructed us to give charity, each of us would go to the market and work as a porter, earning a mudd. Some of them now have one hundred thousand. Shaqiq said, “We think he meant himself.”

Narrated Tawus: Ibn Abbas said, “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade meeting caravans on the way, and forbade a townsman from selling on behalf of a desert-dweller.” I asked Ibn Abbas, “What does his saying, ‘A townsman must not sell on behalf of a desert-dweller,’ mean?” He replied, “He must not act as his broker.”

Narrated Khabbab: I was a metalworker, and I did work for al-As ibn Wail. When my earnings had accumulated with him, I went to claim them. He said, “By Allah, I will not pay you until you disbelieve in Muhammad.” I said, “By Allah, no—not even until you die and are raised again.” He said, “Will I die and then be raised?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “Then I will have wealth and children there, and I will pay you.” Then Allah Most High revealed: “Have you seen the one who disbelieved in Our signs and said, ‘I will surely be given wealth and children’?” (Quran 19:77).

Narrated Abu Said: A group of the Prophet’s companions set out on a journey and stopped among an Arab clan. They asked the clan to host them, but its people refused. The clan’s chief was stung, and they tried everything for him, but nothing helped. Some of them said, “If only you would go to the group who have stopped here; perhaps one of them has something.” They went to the companions and said, “People, our chief has been stung. We have tried everything, but nothing has helped him. Does any of you have something?” One of the companions said, “Yes, by Allah, I can recite a healing invocation. But by Allah, we asked you to host us and you refused, so I will not recite for you unless you give us a payment.” They agreed with them on a flock of sheep. The companion went and blew lightly over the chief while reciting, “Praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds.” It was as though the chief had been released from a tether: he got up and walked, with no ailment remaining. They gave the companions the payment they had agreed on. Some of them said, “Divide it.” The one who had recited said, “Do not do that until we go to the Prophet (ﷺ), tell him what happened, and see what he commands us.” They came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and told him. He said, “How did you know that it was a healing invocation?” Then he said, “You did well. Divide it, and assign me a share with you.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) laughed. Shu‘ba said: Abu Bishr narrated to us, saying, “I heard Abu al-Mutawakkil,” with this report.

Narrated Anas ibn Malik: Abu Tayba cupped the Prophet (ﷺ), so he ordered that Abu Tayba be given one or two saʿs of food. He then spoke to Abu Tayba’s masters and had his levy or payment reduced.

Narrated Ibn Abbas: The Prophet (ﷺ) was cupped and paid the cupper his wage.