Business and Marriage
Assalamu alaykum respected Alim,
I seek your guidance regarding a significant matter concerning the comparison between engaging in business and seeking employment in light of Islamic principles. Is it more favorable in the eyes of the Deen to pursue business endeavors over seeking conventional employment? I am also curious about whether individuals who opt for business ventures may experience financial inferiority compared to those in formal employment, and whether being employed is considered superior in this regard according to religious teachings.
Furthermore, I am pondering whether pursuing business is deemed more commendable than seeking employment from a religious standpoint, and whether individuals who choose business paths are perceived to be less successful than their counterparts in employment. Is being employed generally considered preferable over entrepreneurship in Islamic teachings?
In a specific scenario, a marriage proposal has been received for a young man who is currently balancing university studies with running a business. However, the parents of the prospective bride are hesitant to proceed with the proposal. They express concerns that the young man might abandon his studies due to the demands of his business commitments. Their argument against the marriage proposal is rooted in the fear that he may deceive them by promising to prioritize his education while intending to focus primarily on his business. Is it justified to view engagement in business negatively in this situation? How can this reasoning be considered valid for rejecting someone’s marriage proposal?
Furthermore, it’s worth mentioning that the young man in question, despite being a revert that the parents of the prospective bride have borrowed money from the young man on occasion, indicating their trust in him. He is highly regarded by the local mosque’s imam and enjoys a favorable reputation within the community. Despite his lack of a traditional family background, the parents of the prospective bride rely on him for various forms of assistance and consider him a trusted companion. For instance, he assists their daughter’s younger brother in sports and academic endeavors and also at the local Mosque, demonstrating his integral role within their family dynamic. However, the main concern of the prospective bride’s parents is that he is a revert without a family background, and they hold the misconception that those involved in business are illiterates and inferior to those who are employees in companies.
Furthermore, please consider that we reside in the West, where early marriage might help avoid certain sins, and where academic pursuits alone do not encompass all aspects of education; engaging in business may allow one to pursue religious studies more comfortably.
I seek your wise counsel on this matter. JazakAllah khayr.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Wa ‘alaykum us-salāmu wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Dear questioner,
Your initiative in contacting us brought us great joy.
In Islam, earning halal money is encouraged, whether through self-employment or employment by others. As long as the income is halal, the source of it, whether from one’s own business or from employment, is inconsequential.
Islam promotes early marriages that are straightforwardly contracted. The prophet ﷺ has advised us to accept the proposal if we are satisfied with their religion and character otherwise trials and corruption will spread in the earth but according to Islamic principles, parents or the one proposed possess the authority to accept or decline marriage proposals, irrespective of the reasoning.