Mon Mar 24 2025, 02:42 PM

Islam and Spiritualism ( 16 Apr 2023, NewAgeIslam.Com)

The Importance of Halal Sustenance: Thirty Lessons of Ramadan – Part 25

By Mufti Abdul Malik Misbahi, New Age Islam

Translated into English by Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam

16 April 2023

[Translator’s note: The Arabic word ‘Halal’ refers to something that is permissible, unrestricted and something that Allah has permitted. In Arab countries, both Muslims and non-Muslims use the word Halal to refer to everything that is sanctioned by religious law. The word "Halal," comes from the verb Halla, which means "to become lawful, legal, licit, legitimate, permissible, permitted, allowed, admissible, un-prohibited, and un-forbidden." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "What Allah has permitted in His Book [the Quran] is Halal, and what is Haram is Haram," which is the finest definition of this concept. [Ibn Majah, Hadith 3358] Halal sustenance or earning in this context refers to earnings made in accordance with the directives and manners sanctioned by Allah and His Prophet (peace be upon him)]

There is no question that food and drink are essential to human life. However, not all food is Halal, and not all drinks are acceptable. Islam has established guidelines for eating and drinking that must be observed if you identify as a Muslim. If one does not regularly reflect on it, both his life in this world and his hereafter will be wrecked. The following is a description of some of the directives Allah has given to His servants in this regard.

It is narrated by Hazrat Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said,

“Allah Almighty is Pure and does not accept anything except for the pure thing. And Allah gave Muslims the same commandment He gave to His Messengers. This commandment reads: “O Messengers, eat pure things, and perform good deeds; I am aware of your actions.” (23:51) In another verse, Allah Almighty said to believers: “O believers! Eat the good things that We have provided” (2:172). Then, the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned a man who travelled far, becoming dishevelled and dusty and who then says, “O Lord, O Lord”, while raising his hands to the heavens. How can his invocation be accepted when everything he consumes is unlawful—his food, drink, clothing, and sources of nourishment all fall under the Haram category”? [Sahih Muslim]

In the Quranic verses cited above, the Arabic word "Tayyibaat" (pure things) refers to Halal earnings or sustenance.

Tabarani narrated with the chain of Hasan: It is obligatory for every Muslim to seek lawful earnings.

Tabarani and Bayhaqi narrated that it is also obligatory to seek lawful earnings after obligatory prayer.

According to a hadith transmitted by Tirmidhi and Hakim, "The person who consumes pure things [Halal sustenance] and acts upon Sunnah and people are safe from his mischief, will enter Heaven.

Sadly, people are no longer really concerned about the difference between Halal and Haram income. These days, it seems as though the era described in the following Hadith is approaching: "A time will come when man will not care what he gets. Whether it comes from Halal or Haram methods will not matter to him (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 2059).

According to a tradition that Ahmad and others have narrated via the sound chain, “the imperfections of the world will not harm you provided you have the four qualities: 1) guardianship of trust, 2) truthfulness, 3) noble character, and 4) lawful sustenance.

According to a tradition narrated by Tabraani, “Glad tidings are for those who have a good profession, are pious internally, honourable in appearance, and people are protected from his evil. Glad tidings are for those who act on what they have learnt, spend a lot of wealth in the cause of God and refrain from pursuing pointless activities”

Hazrat Sa'ad Bin Abi Waqqas once said to the Prophet, “Pray to God that He may accept my invocation”. In response, the Prophet said, “Eat lawful food and your invocation will be accepted (as a result)” (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Awsat, vol. 5, p. 34, Hadith 6495; Al- Targhib wa al-Tarhib, vol. 2, p. 345, Hadith 8)

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said, “Prayers of the one who eats a single morsel of Haram are not accepted for forty nights nor are his invocations accepted for forty days. Every piece of flesh that grows by consuming Haram is most deserving of being burnt in hellfire and even a single morsel consumed causes some growth of flesh.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have said, “Nobody which has been nourished with what is unlawful will enter paradise.” (Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-Iman/Mishkat al-Masabih 2787)

The following sayings are attributed to the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) and are recorded in Imam Ghazali's Ihya Ulum al-Deen:

“An angel residing in Baitul Muqaddas proclaims every night: Saraf and Adal will not be accepted through a person who eats unlawful food. Saraf means optional and Sunnat actions and Adal means compulsory duties.”

“If a man purchases a cloth with ten dirhams and if one dirham out of them is unlawful, his prayer will not be accepted till a portion of that cloth remains in his body.”

“The fire of Hell is fit for the flesh which has been grown by unlawful food.”

“If a man does not care wherefrom he earns his wealth, God will not care by which path he will enter Hell.”

“There are ten shares of worship, nine of which are in lawful earnings.”

“He who passes times up to evening in search of lawful earnings passes the night in a state of his sins being forgiven and rises at dawn when God remains pleased with him.”

“If a man earns by sinful acts and gives it in charity or action of kindness or spends it in the way of God. God will throw him into Hell after collecting everything.”

“The best of your religion is to keep away from unlawful things.”

“If a man meets God after refraining from unlawful things, God will give him the reward of the entire Islam.”

“Stomach is the fountain of the body and the veins come out of it. When the stomach is sound, the veins come out with health, and when it is unsound, they come out with the disease.”

“The wealth which a man earns from unlawful things will not be accepted from him even if it is given in charity. If he leaves it after his death, he will increase the fire of Hell therewith.” (Imam Ghazali's Ihya Ulum al-Deen, Vol.2)

According to a Hadith recorded in Musnad Bazzar,

When trust is lacking, a person internally loses faith. When someone receives unlawful earnings and wears apparel made from those gains, his prayers and the Zakaat he offers won't be accepted until he takes the clothing off and refrains from accepting unlawful earnings.

The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “He who buys the stolen property, with the knowledge that it was stolen, shares in the sin and shame of stealing”. (Sunan Baihaqi)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: "That one of you takes his rope, goes to the mountain, cuts some firewood, carries it on his back, and sells it, thereby Allah saves his face (his dignity) is better for him than to ask people and they either give him or deny him." [Sahih Bukhari]

It is far better for a person than to ask people, whether they give him or not, to take his rope and go out into the pastures, farms, and forests, gather some firewood, carry it on his back, and sell it. In doing this, he maintains his dignity and self-respect and spares himself the humiliation of begging. A believer is honourable and not self-deprecating, and asking people for money is an act of humility.

Regardless of whether a person thinks the world is beneficial or detrimental, Allah Almighty nonetheless gives them the world. He bestows the Religion upon the lover of it. He loves everyone to whom He imparts religion. The only way for someone to be a complete believer is for them to believe both inside and externally, and for others to be safe from his words and deeds.

A prerequisite for being a perfect believer is the defence of one's neighbours against one's harshness and malice. If someone is receiving unlawful earnings, their charity will not be accepted. Their unlawful wealth will not benefit them even if they spend it on the cause of Allah Almighty. Whatever wealth he leaves behind becomes a source of Hell for him. Verily, Allah, the Almighty, does not eliminate evil with evil.

According to a Hadith transmitted by Bayhaqi, The earth is abundant and pleasant, and whoever acquires earnings in it legitimately and uses it legitimately will be rewarded by Allah and welcomed into Paradise. Anyone who acquires earnings in it through unlawful means and spends it in unlawful ways will be damned by Allah. And many people who disobey Allah and His Messenger out of their love of wealth will go to Hell on the Day of Resurrection.

Allah the Exalted says, “Their abode is the Fire. Whenever it calms down, We increase the flames for them” (117:97)

These hadiths have demonstrated the pernicious nature of unlawful earnings. It has also become clear that no good deed, even charity donation from unlawful earnings, will be accepted. Lawful earnings are necessary in order for Muslims to gain good acts and thrive in this world and the afterlife.

(Continued)

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Mufti Abdul Malik Misbahi is the author of multiple books. He has also lectured and held positions such as Mufti, Shaykhul Hadith, president, founder, and director at a number of institutions, including Darul Uloom Ghousia in Hubli, Karnataka, and Darul Uoom Solemaniya Rahmaniya in Bikaner Darul Uloom Reza-e-Mustafa, Bihar, Madrasa Shah Khalid, Vanwa Libo Muslim League, Fiji (near Australia), Madina Educational Society, Rajasthan. He currently holds the positions of Mufti in the Sunni Darul Ifta in the Madina Masjid, General Secretary of the Raza Foundation, Director of the Darain Academy, Founder of the Afkar-e- Raza Institution, and Chief Editor of the Do-Maahi Raza-e-Madina (Urdu, Hindi) in Azadnagar, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.