Trade with Non-Muslims (Hadith No. 1914)

Bismillah.

Volume 3, Book 34, Number 419 :
Narrated by ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Abu Bakr (radiallaahu `anhumaa)
We were with the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) when a tall pagan with long matted unkempt hair came driving his sheep. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) asked him, “Are those sheep for sale or for gifts?” The pagan replied, “They are for sale.” The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) bought one sheep from him.

Ibn Battaal said,

Trade with the disbelievers is permitted, but you cannot sell things to people at war with the Muslims, thereby helping them against the Muslims.

Ibn Taymiyyah said:

The principle is: people are allowed to do whatever they need to do, so long as this has neither been prohibited by the Qur’an nor Sunnah. This same principle applies inversely to acts of worship; by which one intends to draw near to Allah: such acts are invalid without authority from either of these sources. The aim of worship is only to draw near to Allah. For religion is what Allah has sanctioned, and the prohibited is what Allah has forbidden; in contradiction to those whom Allah has condemned, who forbade things which He had not forbidden, associated partners with Him without any instruction, and invented acts of worship without His Authority.

Starting from this rule, and relying upon the text of the Qur’an, the Sunnah, the practice of the Prophet, his Companions and the Imams of the Ummah, we can say, dealings with the disbelievers for purposes of trade and so on cannot be considered evidence of alliance. In fact, trade with them is allowed. When Ibn Taymiyyah was asked about trade with the Mongols he said, “Whatever trade is allowed with others is also allowed with Mongols. That which is not allowed with others is not allowed with Mongols. You may buy goods they produce, horses and so on from them, just as you may buy such things from Bedouins, Turks or Kurds. You may likewise sell them food, clothing and such things as you are allowed to sell to others.

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Asking Allah by Virtue of Our Good Deeds (Hadith No. 1913)

Bismillah.

Volume 3, Book 34, Number 418 :
Narrated by Ibn ‘Umar (radiallaahu `anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “While three persons were walking, rain began to fall and they had to enter a cave in a mountain. A big rock rolled over and blocked the mouth of the cave. They said to each other, ‘Invoke Allah with the best deed you have performed (so Allah might remove the rock)’. One of them said, ‘O Allah! My parents were old and I used to go out for grazing (my animals). On my return I would milk (the animals) and take the milk in a vessel to my parents to drink. After they had drunk from it, I would give it to my children, family and wife. One day I was delayed and on my return I found my parents sleeping, and I disliked to wake them up. The children were crying at my feet (because of hunger). That state of affairs continued till it was dawn. O Allah! If You regard that I did it for Your sake, then please remove this rock so that we may see the sky.’ So, the rock was moved a bit.
The second said, ‘O Allah! You know that I was in love with a cousin of mine, like the deepest love a man may have for a woman, and she told me that I would not get my desire fulfilled unless I paid her one-hundred Dinars (gold pieces). So, I struggled for it till I gathered the desired amount, and when I sat in between her legs, she told me to be afraid of Allah, and asked me not to deflower her except rightfully (by marriage). So, I got up and left her. O Allah! If You regard that I did if for Your sake, kindly remove this rock.’ So, two-thirds of the rock was removed.
Then the third man said, ‘O Allah! No doubt You know that once I employed a worker for one Faraq (three Sa’s) of millet, and when I wanted to pay him, he refused to take it, so I sowed it and from its yield I bought cows and a shepherd. After a time that man came and demanded his money. I said to him: Go to those cows and the shepherd and take them for they are for you. He asked me whether I was joking with him. I told him that I was not joking with him, and all that belonged to him. O Allah! If You regard that I did it sincerely for Your sake, then please remove the rock.’ So, the rock was removed completely from the mouth of the cave.”

This Hadith is an example of tawassul. We learnt previously that the correct Islamic tawassul is of various types. Seeking to draw close to Allaah through righteous deeds is one of them, whereby a person asks Allaah by virtue of the best deeds that he has done, such as salaah, fasting, reading Qur’aan, avoiding haraam things, and so on.

It happened with me and my friends once. We were out stuck in the rain with no umbrellas and no ride. Then we thought to ask Allah by virtue of our good deeds to ease our situation. Alhamdulillah it worked. You should try it some time! :)