Philosophy of Economic Development

1) Anas b. Malik reported that Allah’s Messenger (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) thus told him: “When a non-believer does good he is made to taste its reward in this world. And so far as the believer is con­cerned, Allah stores (the reward) of his virtues for the Hereafter and provides him sustenance in (this) world in accordance with his obedience to Him.”

2) ‘Anas b. Malik reported: “A person from Ansar came to the Apostle of Allah (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) and begged something. He (the Holy Prophet) said: ‘Is there anything in your home?’ He said: ‘I have got an under-garment. We wear a part of it and spread rest of it (as a bed). And we have got a wooden cup by which we drink water.’ He (the Holy Prophet) said: ‘Bring that to me.’ He (the reporter) said that he came to him with these things and the Messenger of Allah (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) took them in his hand and said: ‘Who will buy these two articles?’ Someone said: ‘I am to buy them for one dirham.’ He said: ‘Who will add to one dirham (i.e. who will buy for more than one dirham)?’  He (the Prophet) said this for two or three times. Someone said: ‘I am to buy it for two dirhams.’ He gave these things to him for two dirhams and gave these dirhams to the said Ansari. He (the Holy Prophet) said: ‘Buy food for your family with one of these and buy with the other an axe and bring that to me.’ He brought (the axe) to him and the Prophet fixed a piece of wood in it with his hand and then said to him: ‘Go, cut wood and sell and do not show yourself to me for the next 15 days.’ He went, cut the wood and sold it then he came and he had 10 dirhams. He brought clothes with some of them, and food with the others; then the Messenger of Allah (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) said: ‘This is better for you than that the begging should become a spot (of disgrace) on your face on the Day of Resurrection. Begging is not allowable but only to one who is in grinding poverty or is seriously in debt and one suffering from painful ailment’.”

3) Abu Usama reported that the Holy Prophet (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) said: “A person would be taken to a gate of the Paradise. When he would raise his head he would find inscribed there: The reward for sadaqa is ten times and for a loan it is eighteen times, because whoever comes for a loan is in (real) need. But when sadaqa is given by you, the receiver may not be (really) needy.”

4) Hamza, son of ‘Abdullah, reported on the authority of his father that the Apostle of Allah (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) said: “When a man is always begging from people, he would meet Allah (in a state) that there would be no flesh on his face.”

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) as saying: “He who begs the riches of others to increase his own is asking only for live coals, so let him ask a little or much.”

5) ‘Amr b. Hareeth reported: his brother Sa‘id b. Hareeth saying: “I heard Allah’s Messenger (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) used to say: ‘Who­ever sells an estate, there is no blessing in its price except that he builds a similar one with its price’.”

Source: Economic Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): A Select Anthology of Hadith Literature on Economics, Muhammad Akram Khan. Republished with permission.