Question 784 - The Enlightening Answer Across the Ether, Vol 7

Question and answer [link]

Question 784

Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you. A man works as an employee for a merchant. His work consists of taking customers’ calls and sending them merchandise. The employee and merchant agreed upon his weekly wage, and the work proceeded well. After one year, the employee asked for an increase in his wage. The merchant hesitated, saying that profits had greatly decreased and that the reason was the employee’s negligence. The employee rejected the claim that he had been negligent. They agreed that another employee would come to manage the work and that the first employee would perform other work for the same merchant. The employee handed over his work to the second employee and waited for his new work, but the merchant broke his promise. After one month, the first employee considered doing the same kind of work for himself rather than for the merchant. Two days after he began, the merchant telephoned and said: ‘The second employee delivered to me one quarter of the amount I used to receive from you, and I want you to return to work.’ The first employee stated his conditions, but the merchant rejected them, and the call ended. The questions now are: Does the employee, if he is capable, have the right to open the same kind of business as the merchant in the market? Does the employee have the right to contact customers he knows through his work with the merchant? If a customer of the merchant comes on his own and offers to do business with the employee, may the employee accept him as a customer? If the merchant is harmed by this employee’s business, may the merchant plot to harm the employee outside the rules of Islam? The employee and merchant were very dear friends, but their condition is now different. What is your advice to them? May Allah reward you with the best reward. Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you. Sender: Abu Muhammad - Iraq

Source: The Enlightening Answer Across the Ether, Vol 7; Author: Imam Ahmed Al-Hasan; Question 784; Page Not available; AL-JAWAB-AL-MUNIR-V7-Q784. View Arabic source · Open the original Arabic source ↗