Rights of the Employer and Employee

Sheikh Salaah al Budayr

Rabee ath Thaani 18, 1429 ~ April 25, 2008

All Praise is for Allah, Who has fed us and given us to drink, Who clothed us and gave us
shelter. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, the One True God
without any partner, Who is our Supporter, our Sustainer, and our Creator. I bear witness that
Muhammad is the servant and messenger of Allah, who is our prophet, our leader, and our
beloved messenger. He advised us to hold steadfast to tawheed, the oneness of Allah, and he
called us to goodness. May Allahs peace and blessing be upon him, his family members and
his companions who were the most truthful ones.

Oh Muslims, fear Allah for the successful ones are ones who fear Him, and the winners are
the guided ones. He is the happiest one who prevents himself from doing evil. Allah says O
you who believe! Fear Allh as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of
Islm. [Surah Ale Imraan: Ayah 102]

Oh believers, not everyone of us has a property or a means of transportation or a tool with

which he works. And not everyone of us masters everything or has the ability to find
someone to assist him. This is why Allah the Almighty has made lawful for us renting and
hiring property and equipment, and hiring others to help us in our work. To meet the needs of
people, Allah has made all of this permissible and it is the sunnah of the anbiya and the
saliheen. Aysha (Radiallahu Anha) said The Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alayhi
Wasallam) and Abu Bakr (Radiallahu Anhu) hired a person from Banu Adiyy as a
guide. [Saheeh Bukhari] So fear Allah, oh servants of Allah. Abu Hurayrah (Radiallahu
Anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said Every
prophet commissioned by Allah was a shepard over a flock of sheep. His companions
asked Even you, oh Messenger of Allah? He replied Yes, I would take care of a flock of
sheep for the people of Makkah. [Saheeh Bukhari] Ali (Radiallahu Anhu) said I used to
draw water from a well in exchange for a date provided that the date was fresh and
good. [Ibn Majah] Abu Masud al Ansaar (Radiallahu Anhu) narrates that whenever
Messenger of Allah (Salallayhi Wasallam) ordered us to give in charity, we used to go to
the market and work as porters and we would get a mudd which is a special type of
grain and then give it in charity. [Saheeh Bukhari] Those were days of poverty, and
todays some of us have hundreds of thousands.

Oh Muslims, if you are hired to do something, you have to perfectly complete it according to
the agreed way and time, and you do not deserve the wage until after the completion of the
task. It is not allowed for the employee or the workers to take on a task for which they have
no experience. If he is ignorant in a field, it is not permissible for him to take on such a task.
How many have claimed to be doctors or physicians while they are not? And how many have
claimed to be craftsmen while they are not? And how many a time do such people cause
destruction and loss of property? Amr bin Shuayb narrated from his father who narrated
from his (Amrs) grandfather (Radiallahu Anhum) that the Prophet (Salallahu Alayhi
Wasallam) said Whoever tries to cure somebody claiming to be a doctor while he is not,
then he is responsible for his action. [Abu Dawud] Therefore, the worker and those who
are hired for different tasks and jobs should fear Allah. Additionally, those have private

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businesses should be truthful and sincere, honest and loyal, reliable and precise. They should
be aware of this loyalty and avoid delaying their tasks without any reasoning. Know that
every individual will be questioned on the Day of Judgement about the trusts given to him.

Oh Muslims, the worker deserves his wage only after the completion of his job and it is
forbidden to delay giving him his wage after he has completed it. Allah warned those who
delay paying the wage to their employee as narrated by Abu Hurayrah (Radiallahu Anhu) in a
divine hadith where Allah says There are three people who I shall be their opponent on
the Day of Judgment: a man who is giving something in my name and then betrays it, a
man who sells of a free man as a slave and consumes the price, and the man who hires
another for his labor, makes use of his service and then does not give him his wages.
[Saheeh Bukhari] Abdullah ibn Umar (Radiallahu Anhum) has narrated from the Prophet
(Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) Give the laborer his wage before his sweat dries. [Ibn
Majah]

Fellow Muslims! Amongst the things the Shariah has made permissable for us is renting
property and land. The property owner should allow the tenant to utilize the property for the
agreed time. It is not prohibited for the property owner to throw out the tenant before the
allotted time is up. The tenant on the other hand should look after the property and should
not use it for anything other than the agreed purpose. The property is a trust in his hands until
it is returned to the owner. When the allotted time is up, the rent becomes a debt on his head,
and it is forbidden for him not to pay. Also he may not delay returning the property when the
time is up. It is also forbidden to give the property owner problems in any way, even that
which may lead to the court. This not a right of a Muslim on another.

Oh Believers! Some people are very poor, so sympathy should be shown to them. Show
mercy on your tenants and do not overcharge them. Be kind and merciful. Be patient and
tolerant with them, for he who is patient with debt or helps another to pay of his debt then he
will be in the shade of Allah on the day of Judgment. And his provisions and livelihood will
be blessed, for indeed Allah helps those helps his brother! May Allah benefit us all from the
Quran and Sunnah and benefit us from its signs, verses, and wisdom. I seek the forgiveness
of Allah for myself, you, and all the Muslims, so seek His forgiveness for He is the Oft
Forgiver, Most Merciful.

All praise is due to Allah, for His mercy on us. And our thanks are for Allah for His guidance
and generousity upon us. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah,
the One true God without any partners. Glory be to Him! And I bear witness that
Muhammad is the servant and messenger of Allah, who calls to seek Allahs pleasure. May
Allahs peace and blessings be upon him, his family members, his companions and brothers.

Oh Believers, fear Allah, for He is Ever Watchful over you. Obey Him, and do not disobey
Him. O you who believe! Be afraid of Allh, and be with those who are true (in words
and deeds). [Surah Tawbah: Ayah 119]

Fellow Muslims, it is forbidden to rent or hire something for that which is unlawful, such as
hiring people for wailing at the time of a death, hiring music or singers, hiring smoking pipes,
and dealing and distributing drugs and intoxicants. The property owner is forbidden in
renting his property for singing or music purposes and for gambling purposes. It is also
unlawful to rent ones property who uses it for innovation in the deen, for sorcery, and for all
indecent acts. Whoever helps such a group of people, then they are from them. So fear

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Allah, oh beleivers, and stay from all unlawful matters, for he who leaves out something for
the sake of Allah then Allah will compensate him with something far better.

Know that Allah has enjoined upon you something which He started Himself, then His
angels, and then you, saying: Allh and His angels send Salt on the Prophet. O you who
believe! Send your Salt on him, and greet him with the Islmic way of greeting. [Surah
Ahzaab: Ayah 56]

Oh Allah! Send your peace and blessings on your beloved Prophet Muhammad
continously until the Day of Judgement. Oh Allah, honor him and increase his status and
glory. Honor him, oh Allah, and be pleased with his household and companions, the
Muhajireen and the Ansaar and upon us with them, oh Most Merciful, Oft Forgiver.

Oh Allah, honor Islaam and Muslims. Oh Allah, honor Islaam and Muslims.

Oh Allah, make this land secure and for the rest of the Muslim countries

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