Islamic Ethics in Giving & Taking: Being “Ḥalal” Extends Beyond Food

In the Sunan of al-Tirmidhi we find the Hadith of Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah, who said, "The Messenger of Allah said to me: 'I seek refuge in Allah for you O Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah from leaders to come after me. Whoever comes to their doors to approve of their lies and supports them in their oppression, then he is not of me, and I am not of him, and he will not meet me at the Fount*. And whoever comes to their doors, or does not come, and he does not approve of their lies and does not support them in their oppression, then he is from me, and I am from him, and he will meet me at the Fount. Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah! Salat is clear proof, and fasting is an impregnable shield, and charity extinguishes sins just as water extinguishes fire. O Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah! There is no flesh nourished and fed on filth except that the Fire has more rights over it.'"

This Hadith of Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah emphasizes for us the importance of spiritual and moral integrity. The connection between the end of the ḥadīth about eating filth is prescient, as it connects back to the earlier warning against supporting deceitful, oppressive leadership. It highlights the essential roles of truthfulness and ethical conduct in both personal integrity and societal governance. As individuals and institutions, we must uphold accountability and responsibility in the allocation and consumption of our resources.

The word used here in Arabic is “Suḥt” meaning filth but specifically used to describe impermissible earnings, food, and drink. So, when a person eats or drinks Ḥarām they have consumed suḥt/filth. When they earn from illicit sources, they are also consuming suḥt/filth. The sources that most commonly come to mind are things like dealing in Ribā or selling things that are forbidden. The same word is used in another ḥadīth, that of Qabīṣah ibn Mukhāriq, that delineates that suḥt/filth is not just about illicit business earnings or seeking kickbacks and government favors, but is also about the improprieties related to soliciting charity from others.

The Ethics of Fundraising & Solicitation

Muslim collects in his Saḥīḥ from the hadith of Qabīṣah ibn Mukhāriq al-Hilāli, in which Qabīṣah came to ask for charity from the Prophet ﷺ, who said to him: "O Qabīṣah! Indeed, soliciting others is not permissible except for one of three: A man who has taken on another's debt, thus asking for help becomes permissible for him until he receives it and then refrains; And a man whom a calamity has struck, wiping out his wealth, thus asking for help becomes permissible for him until he finds a means of living (or he said a means to sustain his life); and a man who has been stricken by poverty so severe that three of his community of people of wisdom say: 'So-and-so has been stricken by poverty.' Thus, asking of others becomes permissible for him until he finds a means of living (or he said a means to sustain his life). As for asking for help beyond these, O Qabīṣah, is filth whose consumer eats as filth."

Please note that solicitation here is not referring to sales, partnerships, or any sort of business agreement where there is an exchange of value for a good or a service. What we are referring to here is charitable solicitation, and there are specific circumstances that justify seeking assistance from others. Allowing for those in need to solicit others for helps fosters a framework where we as community can support each other responsibly while avoiding exploitation.

The hadith - while addressed to Qabīṣah - conveys a nuanced message to potential donors about the ethical and effective provision of charitable assistance. It emphasizes the importance of carefully verifying genuine need, through evidence of adversity and evaluation of the solicitor's sincerity, rather than merely assessing their worthiness with subjectivities like family background, appearance, or personal like/dislike. Donors are encouraged to focus on aiding those facing circumstances beyond their control, such as calamity victims, individuals encumbered by debt—either their own or that of others—and those genuinely impoverished.

Moreover, the hadith advocates for promoting self-sufficiency, discouraging dependency, and remaining vigilant against potential misuse and exploitation of generosity. This approach not only aims to ensure that aid reaches those in true need but also seeks to prevent donor fatigue, mitigate any resentment among the affluent towards giving, and address possible feelings of entitlement among beneficiaries.

What About Crowdfunding?

People with sufficient funds soliciting for personal, luxury projects may be ethically questionable, as it diverts resources from community aid and those in real need, undermining values of dignity and collective support. This raises the question of defining wealth and need limits, a topic long debated among scholars. Some reference specific amounts from Hadith and early Islamic narratives to define these limits, while others rely on the concept of sufficiency (evidenced in part by the previous ḥadīth).

Consensus exists on certain points, such as the ineligibility of the wealthy for Zakat al-Mal and the impermissibility of affluent individuals directly seeking personal charitable support. Opinions vary on accepting unsolicited gifts; however, a prevailing view, supported by a hadith narrated from ‘Umar in Muwattā’ of Mālik, where the Prophet told him, “Whatever comes to you without asking then eat from it and keep it, as this is only sustenance Allah has brought to you” suggests it is acceptable.

The core issue is not crowdfunding but its misuse for non-essential personal gains rather than fostering equitable and legitimate community support. The goal is to encourage a culture of mindful giving, prioritizing genuine needs and enhancing community welfare, thereby promoting an environment of mutual respect, solidarity, and ethical responsibility.

Examples of Illicit & Filthy Earnings

Other than the obvious forms of illicit earnings such as engaging in Riba, selling Ḥarām goods, and general immoral behavior in business, there are other various forms of earnings that are considered illicit and morally reprehensible. While I do not have the space to cover all the texts related to this here, these broadly include misusing public property, mishandling charity, engaging in kickbacks, theft from public treasury, giving and receiving bribes, committing fraud, manipulating trade practices, hoarding food to influence prices, delaying salaries, and tampering with weights and measures. These actions undermine social justice and economic fairness. In modern contexts, similar unethical practices manifest as charging for non-existent services, creating fake business entities to cheat partners, and shifting financial risks onto less powerful parties.

In the nonprofit sector, ethical breaches manifest through fundraising for vanity projects and extravagant PR or social events, diverting funds towards agendas that conflict with community values, exploiting community influence to secure grants supporting these agendas, and justifying fundraising for infrastructure under the guise of serving youth or families without actual investment in people. Additionally, there is the improper allocation of charity and zakat, directing them away from rightful beneficiaries. These practices not only diverge from the intended purpose of nonprofit efforts but also erode trust and undermine the genuine support meant for those in need.

In family relations and inheritance matters, ethical violations include claiming more than one's fair share during events like death, divorce, or settlements, failing to safeguard assets with legal precautions such as prenuptial agreements, wills and trusts, sales contracts, and gift receipts. Another common instance is leveraging state laws against one’s family members to take more than permitted in settlements and distributions. Even more common are parents pressuring their children to care for them while they have sufficient personal wealth they choose not to utilize. Such actions contribute to the disenfranchisement and unfair deprivation of others' rights, and reflect a disregard for the principles of justice, equitable distribution, and responsibility enshrined in Islamic teachings.

Is “Ḥalāl” limited to what we eat?

The concept of "Ḥalāl" extends far beyond dietary restrictions, encompassing all aspects of ethical living, including the acquisition and consumption of wealth. This is illustrated in hadiths where the source of earnings is scrutinized for its moral implications. Al-Bukhari collects from Aisha that her father Abu Bakr was brought some food by a young servant boy who admitted that it was from earnings he made by tricking people before Islam. Abu Bakr gagged himself and vomited out the food.

Al-Ṭabarāni records from Ibn Umar that he once saw a slave boy shepherding sheep in the desert and asked him if he would give him one. When the boy refused, Ibn Umar told him "Just say that a wolf ate it." To which the boy said looking up at the sky "Then where is Allah?" Ibn Umar "It is actually more befitting for me to be saying ‘Where is Allah?’". Ibn Umar was so moved by a boy's honesty to rectify a potential wrong, he found the boy’s master, purchased the boy and the herd of sheep from him, then freed the boy and gave him the herd.

These narratives highlight that earnings obtained by infringing on others' rights or through dishonest means are considered "suḥt," or filthy. Therefore, "Ḥalāl" embodies a comprehensive ethical framework that promotes integrity, fairness, and mutual respect in all transactions, ensuring a community thrives on the principles of compassion, solidarity, and ethical stewardship.

The teachings of our faith command us to be people of moral decency, integrity, and honesty through principled earning and thoughtful giving. We are encouraged to only earn from sources that are pure, to consume wealth and food that is pure, and to help those in genuine need. Our assistance of others should be predicated on fostering independence and self-sufficiency, and we are cautioned against seeking personal gains – or allowing others to reap personal gains - at the community's expense.

These principles show us the importance of not only personal financial viability, but the immense value and responsibility to protect community welfare and grow community resources. Being “Ḥalāl” extends beyond food to all life aspects, promoting a culture of compassion, honesty, purity, wholesomeness, and collective support.