Bismihi Ta`ala
*ARE YOU LOCKED IN BECAUSE OF ILL TREATMENT OF YOUR WORKERS?*A muslim should be careful towards acquitting the rights of workers. Because we have been told to fear Allah as concern to the rights of our subordinates. The beloved prophet Muhammad Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam established the rights of workers. He said: ‘’Finish give the salary of your worker before his sweat has dried.’’(Ibn Majah): سنن ابن ماجه – (حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَعْطُوا الْأَجِيرَ أَجْرَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَجِفَّ عَرَقُهُ The last words that the beloved prophet Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam uttered before leaving this world are: Take great care of establishing salaah. Don`t ever leave salaah. And fear Allah as per your subordinate workers/slaves.(Ibn Majah)سنن أبى داود – ()عَنْ مُغِيرَةَ عَنْ أُمِّ مُوسَى عَنْ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام قَالَ كَانَ آخِرُ كَلَامِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الصَّلَاةَ الصَّلَاةَ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ فِيمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ During this lock down/health curfew, your workers also are locked up inside their homes. You should fear Allah that the one who used to complete your works be in difficulty in his house. He has more merit for your help than other people (that are non family members). Your subordinates are under your personal umbrella that Shari`ah prescribe you to be attaentive to their rights. Normally, the monthly salaried workers who only work for you is called ‘’specialized worker’’ or ‘’ajeer khaas’’. He is entitled to whatever the local trend contract stipulate like holiday on Sundays, public holidays, etc. He should be paid doubled if the government or law prescribe it at year end. حاشية رد المحتار على الدر المختار (حاشية ابن عابدين) وتكملته – ()( وَالثَّانِي ) وَهُوَ الْأَجِيرُ ( الْخَاصُّ ) وَيُسَمَّى أَجِيرَ وَحْدٍ ( وَهُوَ مَنْ يَعْمَلُ لِوَاحِدٍ عَمَلًا مُؤَقَّتًا بِالتَّخْصِيصِ وَيَسْتَحِقُّ الْأَجْرَ بِتَسْلِيمِ نَفْسِهِ فِي الْمُدَّةِ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَعْمَلْ كَمَنْ اُسْتُؤْجِرَ شَهْرًا لِلْخِدْمَةِ أَوْ ) شَهْرًا ( لِرَعْيِ الْغَنَمِ ) الْمُسَمَّى بِأَجْرٍ مُسَمًّى
But note that the ‘’lockdown’’ issue has never been stipulated in the contract because it was not forecasted. Hence whatever the government says like ‘’half pay’’ or above that if convened between the employer and employee then this will be acceptable.On a dignified and human perspective, we advise full pay due to the dire need of the worker especially the family necessities during this lockdown. But else, the minimum is that he should be paid ‘’the half’’ as per the special prescription of the government/law for this lockdown/curfew duration. On the end note, we should be grateful to our workers. Gratefulness is a quality of a muslim. The beloved prophet Muhammad Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam used to be grateful to anyone who has helped him in anyway. He never forgot those 3 days he spent locked in the cave of Thour in the mountains of Makkah. He used to say: ‘’I remember those 3 days that I went though(when I left Makkah for Hijrah) such that I had no other food but whatever Bilaal r.a. could bring hiding under his armpit.’’(Tirmizi/Ibn Khuzeimah)
سنن الترمذي – ()حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ حَدَّثَنَا ثَابِتٌ عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَقَدْ أُخِفْتُ فِي اللَّهِ وَمَا يُخَافُ أَحَدٌ وَلَقَدْ أُوذِيتُ فِي اللَّهِ وَمَا يُؤْذَى أَحَدٌ وَلَقَدْ أَتَتْ عَلَيَّ ثَلَاثُونَ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ وَمَا لِي وَلِبِلَالٍ طَعَامٌ يَأْكُلُهُ ذُو كَبِدٍ إِلَّا شَيْءٌ يُوَارِيهِ إِبْطُ بِلَالٍقَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ وَمَعْنَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ حِينَ خَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ هَارِبًا مِنْ مَكَّةَ وَمَعَهُ بِلَالٌ إِنَّمَا كَانَ مَعَ بِلَالٍ مِنْ الطَّعَامِ مَا يَحْمِلُهُ تَحْتَ إِبْطِهِ صحيح ابن حبان – ()أخبرنا أبو يعلى ، حدثنا أبو بكر بن أبي شيبة ، حدثنا وكيع ، عن حماد بن سلمة ، عن ثابت ، عن أنس ، قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : « لقد أوذيت في الله وما يؤذى أحد ، ولقد أخفت في الله وما يخاف أحد ، ولقد أتت علي ثلاث من بين يوم وليلة ، وما لي طعام إلا ما واراه إبط بلال One of the ambition of Rasouloullah Swalallahou Alaihi Wasallam was to compensate and pay off whoever spent for the deen of Allah Ta`ala. Because he was grateful. And he would return the one who offer him gifts with other gifts. That is, if you offer him gifts, you would not return empty handed. So there he stand, like no other man in history proclaiming: ‘’I have returned the full due to whomsoever has done any kind favour to us/the deen of Allah, except for Abu Bakr r.a. Because he has continuously spending excessively upon the deen of Allah, that only Allah Ta`ala can return him his due on the day of Qiyaamah. No man`s wealth benefited me most than the wealth of Abu Bakr r.a. Should I choose a bosom friend, I would have chosen Abu Bakr. Listen to me! Abu bakr is the friend of Allah.’’(Tirmizi)سنن الترمذي – (عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ الْأَوْدِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا لِأَحَدٍ عِنْدَنَا يَدٌ إِلَّا وَقَدْ كَافَيْنَاهُ مَا خَلَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَإِنَّ لَهُ عِنْدَنَا يَدًا يُكَافِيهِ اللَّهُ بِهَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَمَا نَفَعَنِي مَالُ أَحَدٍ قَطُّ مَا نَفَعَنِي مَالُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا أَلَا وَإِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللَّهِ Corona or not, one day we will die. So better acquit the rights of everyone including our workers. ‘’Salaah, don`t leave salaah and fear Allah as to concern to your workers/slaves’’ were the last phrase of the beloved prophet Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam before leaving this world-Abu Dawood.So instead of charities upon others, better attend first to the needs of your workers. It is the system of Allah that whoever looks after His creations, the Creator will attend to you. It is no secret of a successful business would be the result of a considerate investment on salaries on human resources. Efficiency of human factor increases when you pay them well. Hence paying well will flourish your business. Because when wages are well paid, then you will have a dedicated and motivated staff that will increase production and hence your profits.Finally, let us ponder whether we are locked in today may be we ignored the rights of our workers. We forgot the last golden words of Rasouloullah Swalallahou Alaihi Wasallam. The way out from locks is to acquit the rights of everyone. *Like no other religion, my Islam had prescription against the spreading of pandemics. My Islam taught us to avoid consuming from unslaughtered animals, boars, monkeys, cats, dogs, pigs, bats, pangolins, rats, rodents and tortoise. During the last decades, deadly virus that cropped up are said to be from those animals that muslims are forbidden to consume. My Islam taught me to wash thoroughly the impurities in the toilet and wash hands after that. Wash hands and mouth before and after eating. And also washing the outer body parts 5 times a day.**Be muslim! Be clean! Be safe! Be healthy! Be wealthy!*
Mufti Mackoojee+23057921333