Imam Abu Hanifa ((رحمت اللہ علیہ) was one of the greatest merchant. Many of his agencies were established in different cities. He used to deal with great traders of that time and used to do transaction of millions. In spite of his great and flourish business, he was very particular and care taker of it that one single penny could not add up to his treasure through haram and illegal source.
According to Prophet's Sallallaho alihi wasallam forecast we are living in a era where no one is safe from usury. All trade transactions usually occurred via banks. Generally, Muslim investors and rich merchants give loans on interest, even more then Jews. it is told that to run a business is impossible nowadays but in the past both the trade and loan were being practiced without any interest.
4th centuries tourist 'Hauqai' while exploring reached to the border of west Africa that is Badgasht, he observed tradition of trade of millions of rupees and reciprocation of loans without usury and interest and also read their documents therefore, quoting one of such incident in his diary about usury ribs free loan. "I saw a receipt of law in Badgasht which was related to Muhammad bin Abi Sadoon's loan which had a few just righteous and just people's witnesses inscribed on it. The money mentioned on receipt was 42,000 cord coins.
According to one of the narrations Gori invaded India taking loan for the last time from Imam Razi. Alimgir son Murad Bakhs the governor of Gujarat once took loan of 6 laces from Haji peer Muhammad Zahid Ali which was all without interest was just due to akhira and pure intentions were involved invocations of needy people. That’s why their business flourished and capital remained saved. such Akhira oriented business and trade was common those days.
Imam Abu Hanifa ((رحمت اللہ علیہ) was one of the greatest merchant. Many of his agencies were established in different cities. He used to deal with great traders of that time and used to do transaction of millions. In spite of his great and flourish business, he was very particular and care taker of it that one single penny could not add up to his treasure through haram and illegal source and due to this precautions if he could face any loss then he never got dishearten. He strictly instructed his workers that they must sell defected cloth after proclaiming its defects. Once Hafs bin Abdur Rehman forgot this advice and sold defected pile of silk cloth without renouncing it to the customer. When Imam Sahab came to know about that, he spent the cost that was 30,000 dirham of that cloth in the way of Allah just to save himself from punishment in hereafter as the buyer was unknown. Once a woman came to Iman sahib to sell a pile of silk cloth, he asked the cost she said 2 dirham, he said it is less, she said okay give me 200 dirham. Imam sahib said the actual cost of this silk cloth is 500 dirham woman laughed, unexpectedly and said are you making me fool? He said no and handed over 500 dirham. He always had an eye on the life hereafter.
Similarly Ibn Sireen (رحمت اللہ علیہ) also had an akhira oriented trader. He always preferred his buyer’s benefit over his personal benefits and profits. Once he had grapes from lands of Jarjarays. Some people tried to clean them via wine, he refused and said make it dry (raisins) and sell it when he saw the refusal of men, he threw it in the water and wasted it so the hands of people could not reach at the thing which is haram. Sometimes people gave him invalid coins, whenever he came to know about that he rather forwarding it, separate it to save others from cheating, on his death his hiers found 500 invalid coins in a box.
In the previous centuries Muslims were as dominant in the trade as America and British in this era on the globe. Muslims were in every nook and corner as traders their trade and marketing are not compared by today’s trade and marketing. While going to Muragar from Urdbail there is a place name as Korsarah. On this place, trade festival were arranged in the beginning of Islamic months and people of different tribes and nations used to visit these festivals and they buy and sell clothes, perfumes, vinegar, light appliances, gold, silver, horses, donkeys, cows, bull, sheep and goats. The area of that ground was approximately 9 miles/sq and according to Ibn Hauqul the collected material and stuff was more than one could see in ground of Arafat and that really refreshes memories of Hajj. Percentage of trade transaction can be judge by this that Abu Ishaq sold in this festival 2 lac cattles in a year. Abu Muhammad sold 10 lac sheep and same did by a famous merchant Shoaib Ibn Meerai.
While going to Qairwaan, a famous city of desert Libya, a person has to pass a city Barqa. It is a great trade city. Trade of wool, black pepper, honey, wax, olive oil is common here. Traders/ merchants from different countries used to visited without any pause caravans and caravans were found in the way led to this city which is in fact the fruits of Muslim’s hard work and good intentions. In the past trade was highly appreciated and all transactions were based on honesty, that’s why they had a prosperous trade, wealth was common.
Most of the companions were traders and always they were akhira oriented. Hazrat Talha((رحمت اللہ علیہ) was famous due to his generosity, he left 12 lac dirham in cash and property of 3 crore for his heirs. According to Ibn Saad 3 leather bags (similarly to cow’s skin) of gold was discovered from his house.
Famous merchant Abdur Rehman Ibn Auf’s four wives each got 80 thousand gold coins after his death and those who worked on gold their hands got wounds and other late relatives have in no counts.
