First,
working hard can erase sins
The
Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Indeed, there are some
sins that cannot be erased by [the rewards of] prayer, charity, or the Hajj;
they can only be atoned for through earnest effort in earning a livelihood."
This clearly demonstrates the high status of work in Islam—to the extent that
through hard (diligent) work, sins can be forgiven by Allah the Almighty.
In
one hadith, Muhammad SAW (peace be upon him) stated: "Whoever feels
exhausted at night due to the work they performed during the day, that person
will be forgiven by Allah that night." Furthermore: "Whoever
feels exhausted in the evening from working—from laboring with their own
hands—will have their sins forgiven that very evening."
Second,
those who work hard will meet Allah with a radiant face
It
is mentioned in a narration that those who pursue a lawful and virtuous
profession will meet Allah the Almighty with a face as radiant as the full
moon. The Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever seeks a lawful and good
livelihood in this world will meet Allah the Almighty with a face as radiant as
the full moon." In a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah, the Messenger of
Allah said: "Whoever seeks a livelihood in this world through lawful
means—toiling for the sake of their family and out of care for their
neighbors—will be raised by Allah on the Day of Judgment with a face as
luminous as the full moon."
Third,
working facilitates the answering of prayers
Prayers
are answered by Allah the Almighty when the food we eat, the clothes we wear,
and the homes we live in are obtained through lawful and virtuous means. How
does one acquire these things? Naturally, through lawful work.
To
obtain lawful wealth, one cannot afford to be lazy or merely put in a
half-hearted effort. People say: "Nowadays, it is difficult to find
haram wealth, let alone halal ones." Mahatma Gandhi took this seriously.
There are seven social sins, he said, one of which is “getting rich without
working.”
Four,
work brings rewards (pahala)
One
day after Friday prayers, Caliph Umar asked a group of congregants relaxing in
the mosque: "Why are you still here? They answered: We are
people who trust in Allah." Hearing this answer, Umar threw them out
of the mosque, saying: "Don't stop working to seek sustenance, while He
knows that the sky has never rained gold or silver." This is in
accordance with the words of Allah: "When you have finished praying,
scatter on the face of the earth and seek Allah's grace (AI Jumuah: 9).
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