Labour as Partner

1) Al-Ma‘rur b. Suwaid said: We went to Abu Dharr (Ghifari) in Rabadha and he had a mentle over him, and his slave had one like it.” We said: “Abu Dharr, had you joined them together, it would have been a complete garment.” Thereupon he said: “There was an alterca­tion between me and one of the persons among my brothers.  His mother was a non-Arab; I reproached him for his mother.  He com­plained against me to Allah’s Apostle (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam). As I met Allah’s Apostle (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam), he said: “Abu Dharr, you are a person who still has (in him the remanants of the days of) Ignorance.” Thereupon 1 said: “Allah’s Messenger (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) he who abuses (other) persons, they abuse (in return) his father and mother.” He (the Holy Prophet, Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) said: “Abu Dharr, you are a person who still has (in him the remnants of) Ignorance. They (your servants and slaves) are your brothers. Allah has put them in your care, so feed them with what you eat, clothe them with what you wear, and do not burden them beyond their capacities; but if you burden them (with an unbearable burden), then help them (by sharing their extra burden).”

2) Abu Huraira reported. Allah’s Messenger (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) as saying: “When the slave of anyone amongst you prepares food for him and he serves him after having sat close to (and undergoing the hardship of) heat and smoke, he should make him (the slave) sit along with him and make him eat (along with him), and if the food seems to run short, then he should spare some portion for him (from his own share)” (another narrator) Dawud said: “i.e. a morsel or two.”

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