The requirement of mankind has given rise to business. Men in early society met their needs by trading commodities with one another. One had a specific commodity, whereas the others had a variety of commodities. As a result, people bartered with one another, which is known as the Barter system. It was, however, only successful for a short time. It was also not possible to exchange goods for goods because of the gradual increase of man’s diverse needs and demands. Human beings started to produce goods for making profits instead of exchanging goods. As a result, they devised several units of measurement for the exchange of products, such as the rare snail, oyster, stone, and so on. However, it was only successful for a short time. Metal coins, banknotes, and other forms of currency were later used to exchange products. In this way, corporate operations have progressed over time.
Al Quran strongly prohibits possessing other’s property by wrong means. Allah (SWT) said: Ò ye who believe! Eat not up to your property among yourselves in vanities: But let there be amongst you traffic and trade by mutual goodwill.”
(Al Quran, 4:29, vide, 73:20, 35:12, 62:10, 30:46, 62:10-11)
There is critical wisdom in business which is: a) Business can be used to make goods and services available. If a person makes commodities but is unable to distribute them to others, he or she will lose interest in producing more or will be forced to trash the goods. Similarly, if a talented person or a service provider (such as an advocate) is unable to find a client willing to extend his service, he will lose interest in his career. As a result, businesses can ensure that goods and services are available. b) Human necessities are multi-faceted. One\’s own efforts and capacity are insufficient to meet all of one\’s demands and requirements. He or she must rely on others. One person may supply one type of item or service, while another may provide a different type of item or service. As a result, one can accommodate the needs of another. That is why guys are so reliant on each other. That’s why men are dependent on one another. This dependency can be met through business. So, without business, human necessities cannot be met. c) Business is a fantastic way to make money and accumulate wealth. There are many legal ways to make money and support one\’s family, but entrepreneurship is particularly valuable. A man must give it his all. It necessitates physical & mental labor for man\’s earnings to become purer.
A careful study of “Kitab al-Buyu`\” (the book pertaining to business transactions) will reveal the fact that the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) based business dealings strictly on truth and justice. He has strongly disapproved of all transactions which involve any kind of injustice or hardship to the buyer or the seller. He wanted both, the buyer and the seller, should be truly sympathetic and considerate towards each other. One should not take undue advantage of the simplicity or ignorance of the other. The seller should not think that he has unrestricted liberty to extort as much as possible from the buyer. He must be just; he should take his own due and give the buyer what is his. Once, after rain Hazrat Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was visiting the market and saw a merchant whose stock was dry when he put his hand in the stock, he found out that he placed the wet stock beneath the dry stock and was trying to deceive the customers. So, while reprimanding the dishonest dealer, said: “Laisa Minna man gashshdna” (Whosoever deceives us is not one of us).
Hazrat Abd-al-Rehman ibn ‘Awf (R.A) was one of the closest companions of Hazrat Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and in the Ten with Glad tidings of paradise. Shortly after his arrival in Medina, the Prophet (SAW), in his unique way, began to pair with the Muhajirin (immigrants from Makkah) and the Ansaar (Muslim residents of Madinah). This established a strong fraternal bond and was intended to strengthen social cohesion and alleviate the destitution of Muhajirin. Abdur-Rahman (R.A.) was related by the Prophet (SAW) to Saad ibn Ar-Rabiah (RA). Saad (R.A.) in the spirit of generosity and magnanimity with which the Ansaar hailed the Muhajirin, told Abdur-Rahman (RA):
“My brother, among the inhabitants of Medina, I have the most riches, I have two orchards and two women, see which of the two orchards you like, and I will leave it for you and which of my two women will please you and I’ll divorce her for you.” He replied, “May Allah bless you in your family and in your fortune, but just show me where the souk is.” Abdur-Rahman (R.A.) went to the market and started negotiating with the few resources he had. He bought and sold, and his profits grew rapidly. Soon he had enough money to get married. The moral of this story is that always believe in yourself. Focus on your strengths and always try to find new opportunities in business and trade.
