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The Marketplace
In the market place, a difference is also felt. In a place where
there are true Muslims, everyone would leave his shop, etc to
perform the five daily prayers in congregation. In the time of
the Prophet (peace be upon him) people left their shops open and
no one stole or took advantage of the owner's absence.
Monopolizing is not allowed. Everyone has the right to have a
fair go at making an honest living. Usury is forbidden; taking
advantage of the poor, the indebted, the oppressed is not allowed.
No one is to sell something that has a hidden fault and all
people are raised to love and fear Allah, so most times, the
people themselves will enforce the rules of Allah because they
know it to be correct and in their best interests.
Another interesting characteristic of good Muslims is that if
there is for example, an electrical shop and a few doors down
there might be another one. Should you go into the first one
asking for something, and the owner doesn't have that item, it is
quite common to find that he will suggest you try the shop just
down the street. There is an obvious absence of 'the rat race'
mentality. The people know that their livelihood is taken care of
by Allah and that they will not receive more in their life than
what was preordained for them. The people do their best and leave
the rest to Allah. There is a great deal of cooperation and trust
between business people. I've often found that shops, which
reside side by side, when the owner of one has to leave for any
reason, the other shopkeeper will mind his shop and deal honestly.
On many occasions I saw shopkeepers often running between two
shops and thought to myself that he should hire someone to help
him, then I learned that he was minding his neighbors shop for
some time. The way he worked in his neighbors shop, you would
think it was his own. Such behavior stems from a deep, desire to
please Allah and knowing that Allah loves all that is good, fair
and just.
Islam - Between Myth and Reality
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