Matters that reduce Rizq (livelihood) Fatwa No: 85370
- Fatwa Date:1-1-2003
I have received an email which lists the THINGS THAT REDUCE "RIZQ". Are these THINGS based on Islamic concepts? Is there any supporting Sahi Hadith for any of these? I am listing only few of these THINGS below:_______________________________Rabbi ighfir wa anta khairu-raahimeenRabbana baark lanaa fee maa a'ataana, wa anta khiru-raaziqeenTHINGS THAT REDUCE "RIZQ".· Going to the market before sunrise. · Combing hair with a broken comb. · Walking in front of the aged. · Urinating while naked. · Sitting at the main door. · Sweeping the house at night.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
As for matters that you mentioned in your question, some constitute a true reason to prevent Rizq (livelihood) while others are dispraised in Shari'a though we have no evidence to prove that such matters prevent Rizq but in general, since each and every misdeed constitutes a reason to prevent Rizq and good.
Allah says: {And if the people of the towns had believed and had the Taqwâ (piety), certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth, but they belied (the Messengers). So We took them (with punishment) for what they used to earn (polytheism and crimes, etc.)} [7:96]
In the same vein, the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "A man is prevented from receiving Rizq due to a misdeed" [ Ibn Majah, Ahmad, al-Hakim and Ibn Hibban from Thauban ]
Here are our answers to your questions in details:
1- We have no evidence which proves that going out to Souq before sunrise prevents Rizq. But, it is reported that going out early brings down blessings. Ahmad reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "Oh Allah! Bless the mornings of my Ummah."
2- There is no evidence proving that using a broken comb prevents the sustenance and there is no evidence that it is dispraised.
3- As for walking in front of an aged, it is a form of respect that is needed in Islam to behave politely with the aged and to avoid walking in front of them. But, we have no evidence that such an action prevents (or not) one's Rizq.
4&5 - Also, there is no proof concerning sitting at the main door or the house at night, if it is praised or not. But, it is against politeness to sit at roadbed for nothing.
6- As for prayers, believing that prayer is not important constitutes Kufr (disbelief), and one becomes outside of the fold of believers since it is the 2nd pillar or Islam.
7&8- Then, there is no doubt that being ungrateful towards parents is one of the major sins. Also, addressing parents by their names contradicts the needed politeness and good treatment with them.
9-Cursing children and praying bad things for them are prohibited actions for the Prophetic Hadith that reads: "Do not invoke a curse upon yourselves or upon your children or upon your property, lest the moment of curse may coincide with the moment of the acceptance of supplication and your malediction might be accepted" [ Muslim ]
Another Hadith reads: 'When a person curses something or someone the curse ascends towards the heaven, then all the gates of heaven are closed against it; thereafter it descends to the earth, and then the gates of the earth are closed against it. After this it turns towards the right and left and when it finds no way there too, it turns to the person or the thing which has been cursed and gets attached to him or it, if the same may deserve it; otherwise, it returns to the one who uttered it.' [ Abu Dawood ]
10- As for breaking ties with the relatives, it is prohibited. Since such relation constitutes one of the Islamic obligations, i.e. having good relation with relatives. Also, breaking such ties reduces Rizq just as having good ties with relatives increases Rizq.
In the Prophetic (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) Hadith from Anas : 'Whoever likes to have increase in his Rizq and to live long, should honor ties with his blood relatives' [ Bukhari and Muslim ]
11- There is no evidence concerning managing fiscal affairs without prior thought. But, this is a form of mismanagement that leads to losing good and bringing bad.
12- False swearing is one of the major sins as recorded in the sound Hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari . But, there is no evidence that this sin prevents Rizq.
13- Miserliness is strongly dispraised.
Allah says: {…..And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful.} [59:9]
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "Avoid miserliness since it led those people before you to destruction." [ Ahmad and Abu Dawood ] But, we have no evidence that such action prevents Rizq.
14- As for telling lies, it is prohibited in Shari'a. There are so many pieces of evidence in the Qur'an and Sunnah for such prohibition. But, there is no evidence, which proves that such a deed may prevent Rizq.
15- As for turning away the needy, Allah and His Messenger ordered us to satisfy the other's needs.
Allah says: {….And urged not on the feeding of AlMiskîn (the poor)….} [69:34]
{….And repulse not the beggar …...} [93:10]
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "And whoever fulfills the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs." [ Bukhari and Muslim ]
Also, there is no evidence that it has an effect on Rizq.
16- As for rushing out of mosque, it is desirable for a Muslim to remain at Mosque to do usual optional deeds as prayers and zikr. But, there is no proof that indicates if this issue has relation with Rizq.
17- Then, a Muslim is required to spend time in useful things, world or spiritual matters. But, killing time is rejected.
18-26 - As for buying bread from a beggar, sleeping a lot or nakedly, eating while lying down, leaving dishes unclean, not honoring bread crumbs, not washing hands before and after eating, using wood as a toothpick and biting nails, we say there is no any evidence which proves that any of the above mentioned constitutes a cause to prevent Rizq and most of them are permissible and some others break the sense of honor.
27- As for greediness, it is dispraised in Shari' a, but we have no evidence concerning its being a cause to reduce Rizq.
28- As for lavish expenditure, Allah says: {….. and eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allâh) likes not Al-Musrifûn (those who waste by extravagance).} [7:31]
29- It is permissible to eat while in the state of Janabah, although it is desirable to be on Wudu.
30- As for urinating in the place of washing, the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) banned one to urinate in the place where one takes a shower. But, if urine takes its way into siphon, as the state in present bathrooms, then there is no problem.
Generally speaking, a Muslim has to be careful of such papers written by ignorant people, who introduce into Shari'a what is not related to it. Then, committing misdeeds is, in fact, leads to prevention of Rizq.
Allah knows best