Working with Integrity: Honesty, Promises, Fair Wages and Respect
Honesty, promises kept, a fair wage, work well done: what the Quran and the Sunnah teach employees, employers and traders in everyday life.
Work as a dignity
Working to earn a living is not a mere material necessity: in Islam, it is a dignity and, with a good intention, an act of worship. The Prophet ﷺ said it very clearly:
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى، عَنْ ثَوْرٍ، عَنْ خَالِدِ بْنِ مَعْدَانَ، عَنِ الْمِقْدَامِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَا أَكَلَ أَحَدٌ طَعَامًا قَطُّ خَيْرًا مِنْ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ مِنْ عَمَلِ يَدِهِ، وَإِنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ دَاوُدَ ـ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ـ كَانَ يَأْكُلُ مِنْ عَمَلِ يَدِهِ ".
Narrated by al-Miqdam (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said: “No one has ever eaten better food than what he has earned by the work of his own hands. The Prophet of Allah Dawud (peace be upon him) used to eat from the work of his own hands.”
Dawud (peace be upon him) was a king, and yet he lived from his labour. The Prophet ﷺ himself tended sheep in his youth, and he said that all the prophets had been shepherds (reported by al-Bukhari). So there is no such thing as a lowly job: there is lawful earning, كَسْب حَلَال (kasb halal), and earning that is not.
With the right intention, feeding one’s family, serving others and preserving one’s dignity become a source of reward, for “actions are but by intentions” (reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
Strong and trustworthy
The Quran sums up in two words the qualities of a good professional. They are spoken by one of the two daughters of the old man of Madyan, about Musa (peace be upon him), who had come to help them:
قَالَتْ إِحْدَىٰهُمَا يَٰٓأَبَتِ ٱسْتَـْٔجِرْهُ ۖ إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ ٱسْتَـْٔجَرْتَ ٱلْقَوِىُّ ٱلْأَمِينُ
L'une d'elles dit: «O mon père, engage-le [à ton service] moyennant salaire, car le meilleur à engager c'est celui qui est fort et digne de confiance».الْقَوِيُّ الْأَمِين (al-qawiyy al-amin): strong, meaning competent and capable; trustworthy, meaning honest. One without the other is not enough. A highly competent but dishonest employee is a danger; an honest employee who neglects his work also fails in his commitment.
Trust, أَمَانَة (amana), covers many things at work: the time for which one is paid, borrowed equipment, confidential information, the money in the till, customers’ data. The Quran commands us to return deposits to their rightful owners (surah 4, verse 58).
As for competence, it joins a broader principle, excellence, إِحْسَان (ihsan):
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ، عَنْ خَالِدٍ الْحَذَّاءِ، عَنْ أَبِي قِلاَبَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الأَشْعَثِ، عَنْ شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ، قَالَ ثِنْتَانِ حَفِظْتُهُمَا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذَّبْحَ وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ فَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ " .
Narrated by Shaddad ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him)
There are two things I memorised from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He said: “Allah has prescribed excellence in everything. When you kill, do so in the best manner; when you slaughter, do so in the best manner: let each of you sharpen his blade and spare his animal suffering.”
If excellence is required even in the slaughter of an animal, it is all the more required in a report, a building site, a repair, a treatment or a service rendered to a customer.
Telling the truth and keeping promises
Truthfulness, صِدْق (sidq), is the basis of every working relationship:
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِنَّ الصِّدْقَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْبِرِّ، وَإِنَّ الْبِرَّ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَصْدُقُ حَتَّى يَكُونَ صِدِّيقًا، وَإِنَّ الْكَذِبَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْفُجُورِ، وَإِنَّ الْفُجُورَ يَهْدِي إِلَى النَّارِ، وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَكْذِبُ، حَتَّى يُكْتَبَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَذَّابًا ".
Narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. A man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Lying leads to debauchery, and debauchery leads to the Fire. A man keeps on lying until he is recorded with Allah as a liar.”
At work, it is played out in small things: not inflating a CV, not inventing an excuse for being late, not promising a deadline you know is unrealistic, daring to say “I don’t know” or “I made a mistake.” The Prophet ﷺ listed among the signs of the hypocrite the one who lies when he speaks, breaks his word when he promises and betrays when he is entrusted with something (reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim). The Quran reminds us that we will be questioned about our commitments:
وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا۟ مَالَ ٱلْيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُۥ ۚ وَأَوْفُوا۟ بِٱلْعَهْدِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْـُٔولًۭا ﴿34﴾ وَأَوْفُوا۟ ٱلْكَيْلَ إِذَا كِلْتُمْ وَزِنُوا۟ بِٱلْقِسْطَاسِ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌۭ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًۭا ﴿35﴾
(34) Et n'approchez les biens de l'orphelin que de la façon la meilleure, jusqu'à ce qu'il atteigne sa majorité. Et remplissez l'engagement, car on sera interrogé au sujet des engagements. (35) Et donnez la pleine mesure quand vous mesurez, et pesez avec une balance exacte. C'est mieux [pour vous] et le résultat en sera meilleur.A signed contract, an accepted quote, a scheduled appointment are commitments. If you cannot keep them, you give notice as early as possible and look for a solution, rather than disappearing.
Employers: a fair wage, without delay
Islam protects in particular the person who sells his labour. In a hadith qudsi, Allah declares Himself the adversary of whoever wrongs him:
حَدَّثَنِي بِشْرُ بْنُ مَرْحُومٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سُلَيْمٍ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " قَالَ اللَّهُ ثَلاَثَةٌ أَنَا خَصْمُهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، رَجُلٌ أَعْطَى بِي ثُمَّ غَدَرَ، وَرَجُلٌ بَاعَ حُرًّا فَأَكَلَ ثَمَنَهُ، وَرَجُلٌ اسْتَأْجَرَ أَجِيرًا فَاسْتَوْفَى مِنْهُ، وَلَمْ يُعْطِ أَجْرَهُ ".
Narrated by Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah said: I will be the adversary of three people on the Day of Resurrection: a man who gives his word in My name and then betrays it, a man who sells a free person and eats up the price, and a man who hires a worker, gets the full work out of him and does not give him his wage.”
حَدَّثَنَا الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا وَهْبُ بْنُ سَعِيدِ بْنِ عَطِيَّةَ السُّلَمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَعْطُوا الأَجِيرَ أَجْرَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَجِفَّ عَرَقُهُ " .
Narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them)
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Give the worker his wage before his sweat dries.”
In concrete terms: paying on the agreed date, not withholding an invoice without reason, declaring one’s employees, respecting working hours and leave. The Prophet ﷺ also asked us not to burden those who work for us beyond their strength and, if we do, to help them (reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim). Respect also shows in words: we do not belittle a colleague, an intern or a delivery driver.
Trade: the exact scale
The Quran affirms that Allah has made trade lawful (surah 2, verse 275), but it warns those who cheat on the measure:
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ وَيْلٌۭ لِّلْمُطَفِّفِينَ ﴿1﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ٱكْتَالُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ يَسْتَوْفُونَ ﴿2﴾ وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمْ أَو وَّزَنُوهُمْ يُخْسِرُونَ ﴿3﴾
(1) Malheur aux fraudeurs (2) qui, lorsqu'ils font mesurer pour eux-mêmes exigent la pleine mesure, (3) et qui lorsqu'eux-mêmes mesurent ou pèsent pour les autres, [leur] causent perte.Today, the scale may be a price tag, a product photo, an odometer or an online advertisement. One day the Prophet ﷺ passed by a heap of grain, plunged his hand into it and found dampness hidden beneath the surface; he said: “Whoever deceives is not one of us” (reported by Muslim). He also announced blessing for the seller and the buyer who tell the truth and show the defects, and said that the blessing of their sale disappears when they conceal and lie (reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
When we have made a mistake
Everyone makes mistakes at work. Integrity shows above all in how we handle them:
Steps
Acknowledge the mistake quickly, without hiding it or blaming someone else.
Inform the person concerned: manager, client or colleague.
Propose a solution to put it right, or refund what must be refunded.
Understand what happened so that it does not happen again.
Ask Allah for forgiveness if you have failed in a commitment, and follow the fault with a good deed.
The Prophet ﷺ reminded us that everyone will be questioned about his wealth: how he earned it and how he spent it (reported by at-Tirmidhi). Working with integrity means preparing that answer a little every day.
Going further
- Read the verses on those who cheat: Surah al-Mutaffifin, verses 1 to 6.
- Praying at work without conflict: schedules, breaks and dialogue.
- The chapters on truthfulness and trust in Riyad as-Salihin.
- The supplication when leaving home to go to work: Hisn al-Muslim.
Questions fréquentes
What does Islam say about honesty at work?
Truthfulness and trust (amana) are at the heart of faith: paid time, equipment, money and information entrusted to us must be respected. The Prophet ﷺ counted lying, a broken promise and betrayal of a trust among the signs of hypocrisy.
When must an employee or a contractor be paid, according to Islam?
The hadith “give the worker his wage before his sweat dries” calls for paying without delay, on the agreed date. Withholding a wage that is due, without reason, is a serious injustice: in a hadith qudsi, Allah declares Himself the adversary of whoever does not pay his worker.
May one use company equipment for personal purposes?
Equipment entrusted to us is part of the amana, the trust. In principle, one sticks to the rules set by the employer and, when in doubt, asks for permission. For a specific situation, a qualified person can advise you.
Is trade encouraged in Islam?
Yes. The Quran affirms that Allah has made trade lawful, and the Prophet ﷺ promised blessing to traders who tell the truth and show the defects of their goods. Cheating on the measure or hiding a flaw, on the other hand, is severely condemned.
How can prayer and work be reconciled?
With a little organisation and dialogue, it is often possible: using breaks, knowing the time window of each prayer, talking calmly with one’s employer. The article Praying at work without conflict details these guidelines.
Mots arabes de cet article
- Kasb halal كسب حلال
- Lawful earnings: money earned through honest, permitted work or trade.
- Amana أمانة
- Trust, deposit: everything entrusted to us (time, property, secrets) that we must respect and give back.
- Ihsan إحسان
- Excellence: doing well what one does, as if one knew that Allah sees us.
- Sidq صدق
- Truthfulness: speaking the truth and being sincere in one’s words and commitments.
- Al-qawiyy al-amin القوي الأمين
- “The strong, the trustworthy”: the two qualities of the good employee according to Surah al-Qasas.
- Khiyar al-majlis خيار المجلس
- The right to withdraw from a sale as long as the two parties have not separated, accepted by certain schools.
Sources et références
Chaque référence a été contrôlée automatiquement : existence du verset ou du hadith, numérotation sunnah.com, degré d’authenticité selon les savants.
- Coran 28:26Vérifiéquran.com
- Coran 17:34-35Vérifiéquran.com
- Coran 83:1-3Vérifiéquran.com
- Coran 4:58Vérifiérendre les dépôts à leurs ayants droitquran.com
- Coran 2:275VérifiéAllah a rendu le commerce licitequran.com
- Sahîh al-Bukhârî n° 2072Sahîh (authentique) · al-Bukhârî (recueil authentique par consensus)VérifiéVoir sur sunnah.com
- Sahîh Muslim n° 1955aSahîh (authentique) · Muslim (recueil authentique par consensus)VérifiéVoir sur sunnah.com
- Sahîh al-Bukhârî n° 6094Sahîh (authentique) · al-Bukhârî et Muslim (muttafaq ‘alayh, Muslim n° 2607a)VérifiéVoir sur sunnah.com
- Sahîh al-Bukhârî n° 2227Sahîh (authentique) · al-Bukhârî (recueil authentique par consensus)VérifiéVoir sur sunnah.com
- Sunan Ibn Mâjah n° 2443Sahîh (authentique) · al-AlbânîVérifiéVoir sur sunnah.com
- Sahîh al-Bukhârî n° 1Sahîh (authentique) · al-Bukhârî et Muslim (muttafaq ‘alayh)Vérifiéles actes ne valent que par les intentionsVoir sur sunnah.com
- Jâmi‘ at-Tirmidhî n° 2417Sahîh (authentique) · Ahmad Muhammad Shâkir, al-AlbânîVérifiéchacun sera interrogé sur ses biensVoir sur sunnah.com
Dans l’application
Cet article est une synthèse pédagogique : il résume des sources vérifiées et ne constitue pas une fatwa. Les détails de pratique peuvent varier selon les écoles. Pour une situation personnelle, consultez une personne qualifiée. Signaler une erreur
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