Our Prophet Muhammad (PbUh) said,
“Pay the labour their wage before their sweat dries out,”
and being a part of an Islamic Republic, it is obligator to follow his teachings. Our Prophet Muhammad (PbUh) has glorified labour in a way that is far more better than today’s entire human rights organization. He summed up modern day’s dilemma faced by our blue-collared labourers.
Where there is so much injustices are prevailing within society, it is truism that government or higher officials do not pay or pay so less wages that the labourers in the lower class especially, hardly make their ends meet. Sometimes the wage given is either delayed or paid in fragments that they are unable to fulfil their basic requirements. Labour may be done manual, intellectual or physical, Civil society believes and wishes that it should be honored and respected. The worker should be praised. The hierarchy among the labour class is the objective of rejection in Islam.
“No food is better than that which is earned from one’s own hand,”
was our Prophet’s (PbUh) belief. Our Prophet Muhammad (PbUh) himself set an example to promote all sorts of labour until it’s halal, by working with sahaba in building of his mosque or even while digging the trench for the Battle of Trench. He participated himself, negating the notion that any job done is small or worthless. Not just working outside, but he actively participates in household chores.
Pakistan It is adherently believed, that our labour class is backbone and they have all rights to walk upright in a society. For that they should not just be paid on time, but they should be paid equivalent to any other profession. They should be given health and educational facilities like government officials get while sitting for few hours in chilled offices, however these workers work is scorching heat. The minimum wage in Pakistan is 37,000 PKR/Month. Unfortunately 75% of the population is unpaid or paid far less than this. While some places like Packages Mall offers jobs to educated children of retired workers to sustain their lifestyle. We should raise voice against this underpaid class, which discovers a voice as they do not have it on their own. The baggage of guilt we all carry when these underprivileged yet very integral part of our community hardly survives in the society.
Zainab Shahzad
Excellent and very true. You have articulated it so well.
You have rightly guided us all through article to follow the teachings of messenger and quran.