WHAT ARE ISLAMIC WORK ETHICS

It is in our nature to work. Embedded in our instinct – our Fitrah and the core values in Islam as given in the Quran and embodied by our Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him in his Sunnah and Hadiths. These provide guidance on how we should work and interact with others to be the best for ourselves and our community.

While Allah the Almighty has provided for us the bounties of this world as blessings, we are reminded that we must work for it, for we can only reap what we sow for:

“And He is the One Who has subjected the sea, so from it you may eat tender seafood and extract ornaments to wear. And you see the ships ploughing their way through it, so you may seek His bounty and give thanks to Him.”

an-Nahl, 16:14

“… and each person will have what he strived for.”

al-Najm, 53:39

Work is important in Islam. It provides self-respect, self-esteem, and self-reliance to oneself. It leads to a more productive and consequently a stronger ummah.

In the context of work ethics and character-building, one of the most over-arching verses in the Quran is this one :

“O you who believe! Fulfill (your) obligations.”

al-Ma’idah, 5:1

What does “Fulfill your obligations” mean?

Many translations interpret this phrase as referring to our covenants with Allah i.e. our promise to believe in the Oneness of Allah, pray only to Him, pay zakat, fast in the month of Ramadan, and perform the hajj if we can afford it.

Some scholars take a wider interpretation of the word “obligations”. The Arabic word aqad is interpreted to mean not only our obligations to God but also promises and contractual obligations we made amongst ourselves.

Work ethics is indeed largely about keeping and fulfilling our promises, within the confines of our core values, which we made;

To our family, whom we promise to provide for, with honestly earned wages.
To our employer, who promise us a certain amount of wages if we work for him according to our job scope and based on the terms of our employment.
To those who use our output, whether they are our co- employees or the final consumer,
To the society at large who expects us, for example not to use any material or manufacturing process or the waste effluents that can endanger the public and the environment,
In the case of a holder of public office, to ensure that our work is in the interest of the public, and not to abuse public trust for personal gain.

These elements of work ethics and guidance on how we interact with one another is reflected in several direct instructions that Allah The Most Merciful gave us in the Quran, including:

in our business dealings,

Keep your promise, fulfill your contracts (5:1)
Do not engage in bribery (2:188)
Keep the trust (2:283)
Do not reduce weight or measure to cheat people (6:152)

in our financial conduct,

Document your debt (2:282 – the longest verse in the Quran)
Grant more time to repay if the debtor is in hard time (2:280)

in our interactions with others,

Be dutiful to your parents (46:15)
Do not say a word of disrespect to parents (17:23)

( refer to Chap 5 in Seeking A Life Balance for a full list of all verses and a complete discussion)

Professor M.Kamal Hassan in a corporate talk extracted from the Quran ten core values that are relevant to work and leadership. These can be regarded as work ethics and are universal values.

10 ISLAMIC CORE VALUES RELEVANT TO WORK

Amanah – Honesty and Trustworthiness
Sidq – Truthfulness
Ru’yah – Vision
Mas Uluyiyah – Accountability
Ikhlas – Sincerity
Itqan – Quest for excellence
Shajaa’a – Courage
Sab’r – Patience and Perseverance
Way’y Ijtimaa’ll – Community consciousness
Ta’aawun – Cooperation

For Muslims, by internalizing and applying these core values mindfully in their work and daily life, this becomes part of their worship. The question to ask ourselves as Muslims is how much do we practice this in our daily lives or do we regard as worship only our solat and other specific ibadah?

Share on: