Al-Muqaddimāt al-Mumahhidāt - Ibn Rush al-Jadd - (2/164)

Al-Muqaddimāt al-MumahhidātIbn Rush al-Jadd

“We have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world and raised some of them above others in rank, so that some may employ others in their service.” [al-Zukhruf: 32]

He, blessed and exalted, means that one may employ another to serve him, while another benefits his fellow from the bounty Allah has placed in his hands. This is a mercy from Him towards His servants and a blessing He enumerates among His favours to them: He has made their need for one another a means of sustaining their livelihoods and lives in this world. This is an expression of His wisdom; there is no god but Him.

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The hiring that Allah has permitted His servants, making it a mainstay of their affairs and a means of sustaining their livelihoods and lives, is not unrestricted. Rather, it is subject to the provisions established by the Sunnah and the Sharia: some forms are permissible and others prohibited. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever performs an act that is not in accordance with our command will have it rejected.”

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The permissible forms fall into two categories: (the first) with compensation, and (the second) without compensation. An arrangement without compensation is a gift, and is lawful only when freely given by its donor. An arrangement involving compensation takes various forms, including task-based rewards and hire, both of which are established by the Book of Allah, mighty and majestic, and the Sunnah of His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

Allah, blessed and exalted, says concerning hire:

“If they breastfeed your children for you, give them their payment, and consult together in a fair manner.” [al-Talāq: 6]

He, exalted, also says:

“So they set out until, when they came to the people of a town, they asked its people for food, but they refused to offer them hospitality. They found there a wall about to collapse, so he set it upright. He said, ‘If you wished, you could have taken payment for it.’” [al-Kahf: 77]

That is, payment with which to feed yourself. He, blessed and exalted, also relates the words of one of Shuayb’s two daughters in the account of Moses and Shuayb, peace be upon them both:

“One of the two women said, ‘Father, hire him. Surely the best person you can hire is one who is strong and trustworthy.’” [al-Qasas: 26]

﴿نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ مَعِيشَتَهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِيَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا سُخْرِيًّا﴾ [الزخرف: ٣٢]، يقول ﵎: ليستسخر هذا هذا في خدمته إياه، ويعود هذا على هذا بما في يديه من فضل الله رحمة منه لعباده ونعمة عددها عليهم بأن جعل افتقار بعضهم إلى بعض سببا لمعاشهم في الدنيا وحياتهم فيها، حكمة منه لا إله إلا هو. فصل والاستئجار الذي أذن الله فيه لعباده وجعله قواما لأحوالهم وسببا لمعاشهم وحياتهم ليس على الإطلاق، بل هو مقيد على ما أحكمته السنة والشريعة، فمنه الجائز ومنه المحظور، قال رسول الله ﷺ: " من «عمل عملا ليس على أمرنا فهو رد». فصل فالجائز منه يكون على وجهين، (أحدهما) بعوض، (والثاني) بغير عوض؛ فأما ما كان منه على غير عوض، فهو هبة من الهبات لا يحل إلا عن طيب نفس من واهبه، وأما ما كان على عوض، فإنه ينقسم على وجوه شتى، منها الجعل والإجارة وهما قائمان من كتاب الله ﷿ وسنة نبيه ﷺ، قال الله ﵎ في الإجارة: ﴿فَإِنْ أَرْضَعْنَ لَكُمْ فَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ وَأْتَمِرُوا بَيْنَكُمْ بِمَعْرُوفٍ﴾ [الطلاق: ٦]، وقال تعالى: ﴿فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ قَالَ لَوْ شِئْتَ لاتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا﴾ [الكهف: ٧٧]، أي: ثوابا تأكله. وقال ﵎ حاكيا عن إحدى ابنتي شعيب في قصة موسى وشعيب ﵉: ﴿قَالَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا يَا أَبَتِ اسْتَأْجِرْهُ إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ اسْتَأْجَرْتَ الْقَوِيُّ الأَمِينُ﴾ [القصص: ٢٦]