Forbidden income
The fire of ill-gotten wealth has engulfed the entire environment, reducing it to ashes. Everywhere, its mention is prevalent. Society is under the influence of its shamelessness, immorality, and the rampant sale of sins, and ingratitude. Just as individuals are using their authority solely for their own gain, there is no difference; it’s all about the misuse of authority. Whether it’s rulers, employees, traders, or teachers, they are all walking the same path. Until there is no aversion in hearts for this thing, and every person does not understand it as something that burns like fire, the thought of improvement will remain just a dream.
From humans, two types of evil deeds and vices emanate:
1: Such evil deeds have an effect as long as a person is engaged in them. When a person is not occupied with this wickedness, its effect does not remain upon them.”
2: Such sins have an impact on a person at all times, even when they are engaged in worship and good deeds.
In the second category, the most severe and harmful form of earning unlawful wealth is through means that are prohibited in Islamic law. For example, engaging in trade involving usury (riba), accepting bribes, trading in prohibited items, engaging in fraudulent business practices, consuming the wealth of orphans unjustly, and so on.
If a person’s source of income is not lawful (halal), then the impact of unlawful wealth is never separated from them, whether they are performing prayers, going for Hajj, raising their hands in supplication, circumambulating the Kaaba in devotion, serving in the cause of Allah, serving their parents, or performing any righteous deed. In such a case, the food in their stomach is unlawful, the clothing on their body is unlawful, and the money in their pocket is unlawful. It is as if such a person is encased in the depths of Hell, where their worship, prayers, charity, and good deeds have no effect. People who earn unlawfully and consume it consider it a minor sin and believe that their good deeds and charity will protect them from calamities, even though the Quran and Hadith clearly indicate otherwise.
The style of the Quran makes it evident that a person’s righteous deeds depend on consuming lawful (halal) food. Allah commands in the Quran: “O company of messengers, eat of the lawful and pure things and act righteously.” (Quran, 23:51)
This command emphasizes the significance of consuming lawful food for the messengers of Allah, and by extension, it holds true for their followers. Therefore, good deeds are rooted in consuming pure and lawful sustenance. If one’s earnings are unlawful, no matter how significant their good deeds may be, they will ultimately be in vain.
Narrated by Hazrat Anas bin Malik (رضي الله عنه), he said: I submitted to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), “O Messenger of Allah! Guide me to such an action that if I do it, my supplications will be answered.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Keep your income pure, and your supplications will be answered.”
Indeed, when a person consumes something unlawful, their supplications are not accepted for forty days.
Similarly, Hazrat Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “O people! Allah is Pure and, therefore, does not accept anything but what is pure. Allah has commanded the believers to do that which He has commanded the messengers. He said, ‘O messengers! Eat of the lawful things and do right.’ And He said: ‘O you who believe, eat of the good things We have provided you with.
Then the Noble Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned a person who, while on a long journey, is disheveled and covered in dust, raising his hands towards the sky, saying, “O Lord!” in supplication. However, his food is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and his sustenance is unlawful. How can his prayer be accepted?
A long journey, dust-covered, with hands raised towards the sky, and saying, “O Lord!”—these are all factors for acceptability. The supplications of such individuals are immediately heard and accepted, but the effect of unlawful wealth nullifies all these qualities.
And observe that charity is an act that extinguishes the anger of the Lord, repels calamities and misfortunes, and is a source of tremendous blessings in one’s sustenance. It guarantees the acquisition of the blessings of paradise. However, if it is performed with unlawful wealth, it is not only in vain but also a source of calamity.
Narrated by Hazrat Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنها): The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “The one who accumulates unlawful wealth and then gives it in charity will not receive any reward for it, and the sin will be upon him.”
Earning through unlawful means, especially usury (interest), is the worst form of earnings, a grave sin, among the seven major sins according to multiple narrations of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). Due to various interpretations and rationalizations regarding usury, whether it is in modern or ancient forms, the injustice it causes, and its adverse consequences, whether old or new, usury is unequivocally prohibited and represents the worst form of wealth.
Upon reading the verses of the Quran and the blessed Hadith, one can see how severe the warnings are and how terrifying the punishments are for engaging in usury. It is a declaration of war against Allah and His Messenger. Usury does not increase wealth; rather, it decreases it. In one Hadith, it is stated that the wealth acquired through usury is doomed to diminish. In another blessed Hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) warned, “Usury is one of the gravest sins. Among them, the least severe is committing adultery with one’s mother.”
On the night of the Ascension (Isra and Mi’raj), the Noble Prophet (ﷺ) saw a person diving into a river of blood and stones being thrust into his mouth. It was revealed that this person was one who consumed usury.
All these precautions related to earning and consuming unlawful wealth, which are, in reality, a tenth of the warnings found in the Quran and Hadith, should make us reflect and contemplate whether our earnings are halal (permissible) or not. Otherwise, this wealth is like fuel for the hellfire, as the Noble Prophet (ﷺ) warned:
“Those who have been nourished with unlawful flesh are worthy of burning in Hell.” (Al-Targhib wal-Tarhib)
