In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Abu-Bakr Al-Marwazee said: I heard Abu Abdillaah [Imaam Ahmad] saying, “Indeed I ordered them (i.e. my children) to go to the market and engage in trade”. (1)

Muhammad Ibn Moosaa said: I heard Ali Bin Ja-far saying: “My father took me along with him to Abu Abdillaah [Imaam Ahmad (rahimahullaah)] and said: “O Abu Abdillaah! This is my son.” So he supplicated for me and said to my father: “Order him to go to the market (for trade) and keep him away from his (idle or bad) companions.” (2)

Abu Bakr Al-Marroodhee narrated to us, saying: I said to Abu Abdillaah (i.e. Imaam Ahmad): ”For what (reason) did Sufyaan Ath-Thawri depart to Yemen?” He said: ”He departed for trade and to meet Ma’mar. They (i.e. the people) said: He (Sufyaan) had a hundred Deenaar, but seventy (Deenaar) is what is correct.” (3)

Abdul Malik Al-Maymoonee reported that Abu Abdillaah [Imaam Ahmad] said: A man said to Sariy Bin Yahyah (a student of the Taa’bi’een): “You travel on the sea in search of the dunyah (provision)?! He (Sari) said: “I want to be free from your (state of being) in need of the people.” (4)

Zaheer Ibn Saaleh Ibn Ahmad Bin Hanbal said: I heard my father saying: He used to even take a carpenter’s tool and depart to the houses of the people to carry out some work with his hands. (5)

Yoosuf Ibn Muslim said: I heard Ali Ibn Bakkaar saying: Ibraaheem Bin Adham used to offer himself for employment. Sulaymaan Al-Khawwaas used to glean (i.e. employed as a gatherer of the grain left over after harvest). (6)

Ishaq Ibn Daawud said: “I heard Al-Hasan Ibnul Waqee saying: It is more beloved to me that I (work to) earn two hundred miligrams (of something in weight) than someone giving me ten dirhams. (7)

Al-Allaamah Abdullah Bin Humaid [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “And we do not say that it is prohibited to study the beneficial worldly sciences because the religion of Islaam does not prohibit it, such as the knowledge of medicine, economics, business and its likes. However, these affairs come after rectification of the creed and after being [acquainted with] the knowledge of Tawheed. This is what is specified as an obligation”. (8)

[Ref 1: Source: Al-Hath-Thu Alaa At-Tijaarah Was-Sinaa’ah of Al-Khallaal (rahimahullaah) Page: 27]

[Ref 2: Al-Hath-thu Alaa At-Tijaarah Was-sinaa-ah. page:29]

[Ref 3: Al-Hath-thu alaa At-Tijaarah page: 35]

[Ref 4: Al-Hath-Thu Alaa At-Tijaarah Was-sinaa’ah. page: 30]

[Ref 5: Al-Hath-thu Alaa At-Tijaarah Was-Sinaa’ah. page: 39]

[Ref 6: Al-Hath-thu Alaa At-Tijaarah Was-sinaa’ah page: 54]

[Ref 7: Al-Hath-thu Alaa At-Tijaarah Was-Sinaa’ah. page 62]

[Ref 8: Al-Fataawaa Wad-Duroos Fil Masjid Al-Haraam. Pages: 938-944]