International Workers’ Day

Dear Brothers in Islam! May 1st is celebrated as International Workers’ Day. On this day, the whole nation enjoys a holiday, yet the worker labors for his daily bread even on this day. Some political and social organizations might hold rallies and events to fulfill a formality, but those linked to this day are not fully aware of its significance or their rights. Moreover, a day off for employees, laborers, and daily wage workers might mean a day of hunger rather than leisure.

People relax and complete their holiday

Even on May 1st, workers labor!

Timely Payment of Wages is a Prophetic Tradition

Working and paying the workers’ due wages on time is a tradition of the noble prophets. Prophet Moses herded the sheep of Prophet Shoaib, who, seeing Moses’ strength, capability, and nobility, offered one of his daughters in marriage to him and said that he wanted Moses to work for him for a period. This incident is mentioned in the Holy Quran. It states:

قَالَ اِنِّيْۤ اُرِيْدُ اَنْ اُنْكِحَكَ اِحْدَى ابْنَتَيَّ هٰتَيْنِ عَلٰۤى اَنْ تَاْجُرَنِيْ ثَمٰنِيَ حِجَجٍ١ۚ فَاِنْ اَتْمَمْتَ عَشْرًا فَمِنْ عِنْدِكَ^([1])

“[Shoaib said] ‘I intend to wed one of these two daughters of mine to you on the condition that you serve me for eight years; if you complete ten, it will be of your own will.'”

Neglecting Workers’ Rights Leads to Divine Retribution

Deception, fraud against workers, and creating discord in the society are significant issues. Every person who employs others should ensure they respect their workers’ rights; this way, they will avoid regret and humiliation on the Day of Judgment. As one acts, so is one treated. Allah commandment is:

فَمَنْ يَّعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَّرَهٗؕ۰۰۷ وَمَنْ يَّعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَّرَهٗ^([2])

“Whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will also see it.”

Emphasis on Caring for Subordinates

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) particularly emphasized caring for one’s subordinates. For instance, it happened once that Hazrat Abu Dharr Ghifari and his servant were wearing similar garments. When asked by Hazrat Ma’rur bin Suwaid about it, Abu Dharr recounted that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had instructed him:

«يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ! …مَنْ كَانَ أَخُوْهُ تَحْتَ يَدِه فَلْيُطْعِمْهُ مِمَّا يَأْكُلُ، وَلْيُلْبِسْهُ مِمَّا يَلْبَسُ، وَلَا تُكَلِّفُوْهُمْ مَا يَغْلِبُهُمْ، فَإِنْ كَلَّفْتُمُوهُمْ فَأَعِيْنُوْهُمْ»^([3])

“O Abu Dharr! Feed them [your servants] what you eat, clothe them as you clothe yourself, and do not task them beyond their capacity; help them if you do so.”

It is evident that workers and employees should be paid enough to at least match the living standards of their employers in terms of food and clothing. Secondly, their wages should be sufficient for them to adequately support and provide for their families. However, the treatment meted out to workers today is often deplorable, as if their lives reflect the harshness faced by the labor class.

Negligence in Fulfilling Workers’ Rights is Sinful

Neglecting or delaying the fulfillment of workers’ rights is unlawful and sinful. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stressed the importance of timely wage payment. It is reported by Hazrat Abu Huraira that God Almighty says,

«قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى: ثَلَاثَةٌ أَنَا خَصْمُهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ: (1) رَجُلٌ أَعْطى^([4]) بِيْ ثُمَّ غَدَرَ، (2) وَرَجُلٌ بَاعَ حُرّاً فَأَكَلَ ثَمَنَه، (3) وَرَجُلٌ اسْتَأْجَرَ أَجِيْراً فَاسْتَوْفى مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُعْطِه أَجْرَه»^([5])

“I will be the opponent of three types of people on the Day of Judgment: one who makes a promise in My name and then breaks it, one who sells a free person and consumes the price, and one who hires a worker and having received the full work, does not pay him his wages.”

Overtime Must Be Compensated

Paying workers for overtime is mandatory. Withholding a part of the wage or delaying payment deliberately is sheer injustice, a sin leading to hell. Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar reports that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said,

«أَعْطُوا الْأَجِيْرَ أَجْرَه، قَبْلَ أَنْ يَّجِفَّ عَرَقُه»^([6])

“Give the worker his wages before his sweat dries.” The intention here is that once the work is completed, the worker’s compensation, salary, or other dues should be promptly paid.

In the same way, it is incumbent on the worker to demonstrate loyalty to his employer, avoid negligence and perform the duties during the stipulated work hours thoroughly. Both the employer and employee must fulfill their responsibilities.

Excessive Work Should Not Be Demanded from Employees

Being blinded by worldly greed and giving employees lower wages, undue harshness, or reprimanding them, and demanding work beyond their capacity is utterly unjust; everyone must avoid such behavior. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said,

«وَلَا يُكَلَّفُ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ إِلَّا مَا يُطِيقُ»^([7])

“Do not make them work more than they can bear.” Thus, only as much work should be taken from someone as they are capable of.

Agreement on Compensation Before Starting Work

Paying less after the work is completed or quoting a lower wage than initially stated is deceitful and prohibited.

«أَنَّ رَسُولَِ^([8]) g نَهى عَنِ اسْتِئْجَارِ الْأَجِيْر، حَتَّى يُبَيَّنَ لَه أَجْرُه»

Hazrat Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) forbade hiring a worker without specifying their wage beforehand.

Injustice to Employees Causes Displeasure of Allah and His Messenger

While it is essential to consider the various rights of workers and employees, it is equally important to treat them well, whether they are mosque imams, religious and secular teachers, factory workers, or those working under a contractual system, drivers, or domestic workers. Whenever an employee is hired, their salary and working hours should be established, and they should be provided with compensation and facilities that reflect the current economic conditions and inflation. Proactive steps should be taken to increase the compensation of workers and employees in line with inflation to protect their rights. Often, however, the situation is quite the opposite, leading to violation of workers’ rights, injustice, and the displeasure of Allah and His Messenger. It is narrated by Abu Umamah Bahili that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said,

«مَنْ اقْتَطَعَ حَقَّ امْرِئٍ مُّسْلِمٍ بِيَمِينِهِ، فَقَدْ أَوْجَبَ اللهُ لَهُ النَّارَ، وَحَرَّمَ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ»

«وَإِنْ كَانَ قَضِيباً مِن أَرَاكٍ»^([9])

“Whoever swears falsely to usurp the right of a Muslim, Allah makes the Fire obligatory for him and forbids Paradise for him.” Even if it were something as insignificant as a piece of a Miswak (twig used for cleaning teeth).

This shows that neglecting the rights of workers and employees, not paying their wages on time, overworking them while underpaying, and infringing on their rights are sinful acts that lead to Hell, and everyone must avoid them.

Forgiving the Mistakes of Workers, Employees, and Domestic Servants

Whether at home, in the office, school, shop, factory, or any field, everyone interacts with servants, employees, and laborers, and they should be treated with kindness and compassion. However, it is often observed that people severely humiliate them for minor errors or lapses, scolding them, and even resorting to physical abuse. In some cases, women and girls working in homes are not spared from being branded with hot irons or metal rods! This is utterly inhumane behavior, and Islam does not permit it. Therefore, if our employees or laborers make a mistake, they should be forgiven, and physical abuse should be strictly avoided. Abdullah bin Umar stated that a person asked the Messenger of Allah, “O Messenger of Allah, how many times should we forgive our servant?” The Prophet remained silent until the question was repeated three times, and then he said,

«اعْفُوا عَنْهُ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً»^([10])

“Forgive him seventy times a day.”

The Kind Treatment of Servants by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

The Prophet of the Worlds (PBUH) treated his servants with great kindness and would forgive them if they made a mistake. Anas bin Malik narrated,

«خَدَمْتُ النَّبِيَّ g عَشَرَ سِنِیْنَ بِالْمدِیْنَةِ وَأَنَا غُلَامٌ، لَیْسَ کُلُّ أَمْرِيْ کَمَا یَشْتَهِيْ صَاحِبِيْ أَنْ یَکُوْنَ عَلَیْهِ، مَا قَالَ لِيْ فِيْهَا: “أُفٍّ” قَطُّ، وَمَا قَالَ لِيْ: “لِمَ فَعَلْتَ هٰذَا؟” أَمْ “أَلَّا فَعَلْتَ هٰذَا”»^([11])

“I served the Prophet (PBUH) for ten years in Medina while I was a boy. Not every task I performed was to his liking due to my young age, yet the Prophet of Mercy never said ‘Uff’ to me, nor did he ever say, ‘Why did you do this?’ or ‘Why did you not do this?'”

Cursing Employees is Highly Inappropriate

Cursing workers and employees over minor issues has become a common practice, which is highly inappropriate. Anas reported,

«لَمْ يَكُنْ رَسُولُ اللهِ فَاحِشاً، وَلَا لَعَّاناً، وَلَا سَبَّاباً»^([12])

“The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was not obscene, nor did he curse or abuse verbally.”

Maintaining the Dignity of Workers and Employees

We should treat our employees with respect and honor, not demean them when they err, act with forgiveness and forbearance, and not injure their dignity, for every human being is worthy of respect. Allah Almighty states,

﴿وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِيْۤ اٰدَمَ﴾^([13])

“And We have certainly honored the children of Adam.” Thus, as Muslims, we should respect our fellow Muslim brothers and sisters, even if they are our employees.

Encouraging Employees

If employees or workers perform a task excellently and beautifully, they should be wholeheartedly encouraged to foster a spirit of improvement and competition among them.

Increasing the Salaries of Employees

Whether the job is easy or difficult, whether the shop is small or large, it is the right of the employees working there to have their salaries set based on their capabilities and qualifications, and these should be increased annually so that they do not fall into economic difficulties and can perform their tasks with full concentration and dedication.

Some Jurisprudential Issues Related to Workers

There are numerous jurisprudential issues related to workers, some of which are as follows:

1. Honest Work for Lawful Wages: Workers should perform their duties honestly to earn lawful and permissible wages. Imam Ahmad Raza, a respected figure in Sunni Islam, states, “There are three states of work: slow, moderate, and very fast. If a worker works slowly, he is sinful, and it is unlawful for him to take the full wage. He should only take as much wage as he deserves for the work done and should return any excess to the employer.”
2. Work on Lawful Terms: Engage in labor under lawful conditions, and do not engage in personal work during the agreed time. Imam Ahmad Raza asserts, “It is unlawful to violate the agreed lawful constraints, and it is also unlawful to engage in personal work during the sold time, and taking full wages for substandard work is also unlawful.”
3. Avoid Unlawful Conditions: Do not set any unlawful conditions that could lead to mutual disagreements and are religiously reprehensible. Scholars state, “An employer cannot prevent a worker or servant from performing the Friday prayer. However, if the main mosque is far away, the employer may deduct from the wage for the inconvenience caused, and the worker cannot demand compensation for that.”
4. Fasting and Work During Ramadan: Some workers use work as an excuse to skip fasting during the blessed month of Ramadan, claiming that work is not possible while fasting or that earning a livelihood is also necessary and a form of worship. Sadr al-Shariah, Mufti Amjad Ali Aazmi, writes, “It is not permissible to engage in such work during the days of Ramadan that likely leads to such weakness that one may think of breaking the fast. Therefore, builders and laborers engaged in physically demanding tasks should reduce their workload to be able to fast.”
5. Voluntary Fasting: Regarding voluntary fasting, “If a worker or servant observes a voluntary fast and cannot complete the work, the employer, i.e., the person for whom he works or who has hired him, must permit this.”

Summary

The progress of a nation and its resources is hidden in the labor of its citizens. Countries and institutions that take care of the payment and rights of their workers are destined for progress. Every skilled, hardworking, and capable individual desires to work where their skills are properly utilized, and they are fully compensated for their efforts. However, where the opposite is true, people avoid working or laboring there, and thus the country, institution, or society continues to decline instead of progressing.

Therefore, in the light of the blessed life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), we should fully reward the efforts of the working class in our country, appreciate their work, stay informed about their conditions, engage in kind conversations with them, treat them with a smiling face, encourage them for their hard work, visit them when they are sick, pray for them and ask for forgiveness after their death, continue to benefit them through the transfer of rewards, and if possible, continue to support and provide for their families financially.

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([1]) پ20، القصص: 27.

([2]) پ: 30، الزلزلة: 7، 8.

([3]) “صحيح البخاري” كتاب العتق، باب قول النبيّ g: «العبيد إخوانكم فأطعموهم مما تأكلون» …إلخ، ر: 2545، صـ695، 696.

([4]) بحذف المفعول، أي: أعطى يمينه بي، أي: عاهَد عهداً وحلفَ عليه ثمّ نقضه (“فيض القدير” حرف القاف، تحت ر: 6013، ٤/471).

([5]) “صحيح البخاري” کتاب البیوع، باب إثم من منع أجر الأجير، ر: 2270، صـ638.

([6]) “سنن ابن ماجه” كتاب الرهون، باب أجر الأجراء، ر: 2558، الجزء 2، صـ648.

([7]) “صحيح مسلم” كتاب الأيمان، باب اطعام المملوك مما يأكل …إلخ، ر: 1662، الجزء 5، صـ94.

([8]) “مسند الإمام أحمد” مسند أبي سعيد الخدري h، ر: 11565، 4/119.

([9]) “صحيح مسلم” كتاب الإِيْمان، بابُ وعيد من اقْتَطع حق مسلم …إلخ، ر: 137، الجزء 1، صـ85.

([10]) “سنن أبي داود” كتاب الأدب، باب في حقّ المملوك، ر: 5121، 5/543.

([11]) المرجع نفسه، باب في الحلم وأخلاق النبيّ g، ر: 4741، 5/340.

([12]) “صحیح البخاري” کتاب الأدب، باب ما ينهى من السباب واللعن، ر: 6046، صـ1449.

([13]) پ: 15، بني إسرائيل: 70.