(10) Business with Allah
Every Muslim in this world is in a continuous search for two things: happiness in this life, and salvation on the Day of Judgment. The wise Muslim is the one who chooses the true path which will allow him to achieve both goals. Achieving happiness and salvation lies in doing business with Allah (SWT).
The reason for this is that Allah alone is the Creator, and He is the Sustainer. Moreover, when the person dies, Allah will resurrect him and hold him accountable to his deeds. Thus, the wise person is the one who works hard to please Allah, so that Allah may fulfill his goals for him.
The companions asked the Prophet (PBUH) about the best type of business to do with Allah (SWT), so that they can be part of it. He answered them by reciting this ayah, which was revealed to him at that moment.
Allah (SWT) says: “O You who believe! Shall I guide you to a commerce that will save you from a painful torment. That you believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad PBUH), and that you strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives, that will be better for you, if you but know!” (As-Saff, 10-11)
The terms for doing business with Allah (SWT) include two main things: the true belief in Allah and His messenger (PBUH), and to sacrifice one’s life and wealth in the cause of Allah.
There are other ways to do business with Allah (SWT), like reading Qur’an, establishing the prayer, and spending in charity from that which Allah has given the person either secretly or openly.
Allah (SWT) says: “Verily, those who recite the Book of Allah (this Qur’an), and perform As-Salat (Iqamat as-Salat), and spend (in charity) out of what We have provided for them, secretly and openly, hope for a (sure) trade or gain that will never perish.” (Fatir, 29)
Doing business with Allah is the type of business in which the Muslim will always be a winner. It is like a slave who does business with his master. He sells things he does not own to their owner, and for that he gets paid immediately. This is unimaginable when compared with doing business as we know it.
Allah (SWT) says: “Verily, Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be the Paradise. They fight in Allah’s Cause, so they kill (others) and are killed. It is a promise in truth which is binding on Him in the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and the Qur’an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which you have concluded. That is the supreme success.” (At-Tawba, 111)
The best type of business is not trading in gold, silver, food products, textile and clothing, nor coins or currency. It is not any material trading of this vanishing worldly life. Rather, the best and the most supreme business is with Allah. The one who trades with Allah is the winner, and the one who trades with other than Allah is a loser.
Just as any business transaction, this business has a product, an agreement and two partners. The first Partner is Allah, the Creator and the Provider. The second partner is you, the helpless human being. You become of value when you trade with Allah. The only thing required from you in this transaction is to be true to your promise.
Who created this soul that is in you? It is Allah who did. It is Allah who gave you this money that you have. And Allah is the One Who is going to purchase what He created and what He gave to you by giving the paradise that He owns. So, who is the winner, you or Allah?
This transaction is well stated and registered in His Holy Book revealed to His messenger:
Allah (SWT) says: “It is a promise in truth which is binding on Him in the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and the Qur’an. And who is truer to His covenant than Allah?” (At-Tawba, 111)
The commodity that you buy is Paradise, the beauty and pleasure of which is beyond the imagination of any human being. He who enters it never dies and stays therein, forever.
Because of this, the companions of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) chose Paradise and sacrificed their lives for Allah’s sake, in order to glorify the Word of Allah. As a result, these companions are among those who were sincere in their trade with Allah.
Allah referred to them in this verse: “Only those are the believers who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not but strive with their wealth and their lives for the Cause of Allah. Those! They are the truthful.” (Hujurat, 15)
There are so many attractions that lure men to seek eternity on this Earth, but Allah’s call is much stronger. Allah (SWT) says: “O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the Cause of Allah (Jihad) you cling heavily to the earth! Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world as compared to the Hereafter.” (At-Tawba, 38)
And since human nature tends to weigh things according to its desires, Allah forewarned us that the wisest choice is to live according to the Islamic code of life.
Allah (SWT) says: “Say: “If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight, are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His Cause, then wait until Allah brings about His Decision (torment). And Allah guides not the people who are Al-Fasiqun.” (At-Tawba, 34)
We ask Allah (SWT) to make us among those who do business with Him.
Written by: Dr. Ahmed A. S. Hammouda
Professor in Al-Azhar University
And Islamic American University
Translated by: Abdullah Zettili
