The Oud Trade & Spiritual Excellence

Ensar Oud

Well-Known Member
#1
We often hear the story of how Islam spread to Malaysia and Indonesia. Rather than by the sword, the Religion of Peace reached these lands by virtue of the moral excellence and lofty character traits displayed by merchants traveling there from the Indian subcontinent, to buy and sell merchandise. People who dealt with them were struck by their honesty, their generosity, and their scrupulous dealings, to the extent that it became plain to them that whatever faith they were on must be the truth.

Of the 'spirituality' connected to Oud, then, is that which must be displayed by us merchants when buying and selling this sacred substance. Unfortunately, the Oud trade is rife with double dealing, deception, cutthroat competition, and at times the ugliest forms of slander meant to discredit any given merchant so as to nib at their market share. Because this is an extremely dangerous practice, I would like to devote this thread to the injunctions of the Holy Quran and Sunnah regarding trade, honesty, spiritual excellence, and all praiseworthy traits that Islam lives to uphold and inculcate.

All of what is to follow is intended as a reminder to myself, first and foremost. Because virtually all Oud merchants that I know of buying and selling in the West are Muslims, I will quote from the Quran and Hadith in the original Arabic wherever possible, so as to preserve the beauty and power of the original. Whoever is interested in the translation can simply enable 'automatic translation' on their browser, or quickly and easily Google the translation into English.

May the beauty, the dignity, the high aspiration and moral excellence of the merchants who brought Islam to Malaysia and Indonesia shine on us, so that we may all be imbued by such traits! Ameen.

This is far more important than the 'other' aspect of buying and selling, which brings only a fleeting and oftentimes highly deceptive benefit.
 

Ensar Oud

Well-Known Member
#2
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إِنَّ التُجَّارَ يُبعَثُونَ يَومَ القِيَامَةِ فُجَّارًا ، إِلَّا مَن اتَّقَى اللَّهَ وَبَرَّ وَصَدَقَ

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Indeed, merchants will be raised on the Day of Arising as profligates – save those who feared Allah, were righteous, and spoke the truth."
 
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Ensar Oud

Well-Known Member
#4
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : إِنَّ التُجَّارَ هُمُ الفُجَّارَ ، قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ؟ أَوَ لَيسَ قَد أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ البَيعَ ؟ قَالَ : بَلَى ، وَلِكِنَّهُم يُحَدِّثُونَ فَيَكذِبُونَ ، وَيَحلِفُونَ فَيَأثَمُونَ

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "No doubt, merchants are the true sinners."

Someone said: "O Messenger of Allah! But hasn't Allah sanctioned trade?"

He said: "Of course! But they speak and they lie, and they swear and they sin."
 

Ensar Oud

Well-Known Member
#5
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : التَّاجِرُ الصَّدُوقُ الأَمِينُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

"The truthful, trustworthy merchant shall be with the prophets, the saints and the martyrs."
 

Ensar Oud

Well-Known Member
#6
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : الْمُسْلِمُ مَنْ سَلِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

"The Muslim is he whose tongue and whose hand the Muslims are safe from."
 
#7
Great reading Ensar, although I had more trouble with the meaning of profligate than the Arabic. Always good to remind each other of the path in a world with so many twists and turns on the journey through.
 

Ensar Oud

Well-Known Member
#9

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ مَا كَانَ خُلُقٌ أَبْغَضَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنَ الْكَذِبِ وَلَقَدْ كَانَ الرَّجُلُ يُحَدِّثُ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالْكِذْبَةِ فَمَا يَزَالُ فِي نَفْسِهِ حَتَّى يَعْلَمَ أَنَّهُ قَدْ أَحْدَثَ مِنْهَا تَوْبَةً. ‏

Aishah, may Allah be well pleased with her, narrates:

"There was no character trait more hateful to the Messenger of Allah than lying. If a man told a lie in the presence of the Prophet, he would continue to feel some unrest in his heart until he knew that the man had repented."
 
#10
True! Fair dealing is what makes us 'human'. Thanks, Ensar, for a kind of reminder. Inward-ness does count a lot. Merchants ought to be fair, and 'wearer' of Oud ought to be inwardly pure. Then Oud unveils it's grace, dignity and beauty.
 

Ensar Oud

Well-Known Member
#11
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم غفر الله لرجل كان قبلكم كان سهلا إذا باع سهلا إذا اشترى سهلا إذا اقتضى

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

"May Allah forgive a man who went before you; he was easygoing when he sold, easygoing when he bought, easygoing when he judged."
 

Ensar Oud

Well-Known Member
#12
:عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ
يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ وَافَقْتُ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ مَا أَدْعُو؟
قَالَ: " تَقُولِينَ:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي "

Aisha narrates that she said: "O Messenger of Allah, have you seen what I should supplicate for if I should find the Night of Destiny?"

He said: "Say, O Allah, you are oft-forgiving and you love forgiveness, so forgive me."
 
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kooolaid79

Well-Known Member
#13
By the grace of the Creator I was fortunate again to have finished the recitation of the Holy Quran in prayer last night on one of the biggest nights of the year.
I made Dua (prayer) for everyone here, some by name and some in general.
May Allah grant us the ability to see many more Ramadan's in the future InshaAllah.
 

RobertOne

Well-Known Member
#14
Please forgive my intrusion onto this thread but I think what I have to say should be said here, specifically.

I nominate Taha for extra Eid prayers this saturday for his wholeness and mercy.

And for all of us unreligous, let's all visualise and hope for his Oud-Cured eye maintaining it's improvement and getting better.
 

Taha

Well-Known Member
#15
:eek: Wowee!!
I will unabashedly accept the nomination!

Amazingly, the oud-curing does indeed seem to be permanent. I can read text on my screen clearly without using my glasses now (yes, I do have a number, but hate wearing glasses hence why there are no photos/videos of me sporting them - against Ensar's better judgement and advice, I should add). When I cover my left eye, its all fuzzy. So clearly, my left oud-cured eye is the one that's got better sight in it. :)
 

Ensar Oud

Well-Known Member
#16
Amazingly, the oud-curing does indeed seem to be permanent. I can read text on my screen clearly without using my glasses now (yes, I do have a number, but hate wearing glasses hence why there are no photos/videos of me sporting them - against Ensar's better judgement and advice, I should add). When I cover my left eye, its all fuzzy. So clearly, my left oud-cured eye is the one that's got better sight in it. :)
I just wrote you some first-rate medical advice vis-a-vis the above. But then I deleted it, in apprehension of the red tape population. Better luck next time.... ;)
 

Ensar Oud

Well-Known Member
#18
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: انْصُرْ أَخَاكَ ظَالِمًا أَوْ مَظْلُومًا‏. قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَذَا نَنْصُرُهُ مَظْلُومًا فَكَيْفَ نَنْصُرُهُ ظَالِمًا قَالَ: تَأْخُذُ فَوْقَ يَدَيْهِ

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Help your brother, be he oppressor or oppressed."

They said: "O Messenger of Allah! It is alright to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is the oppressor?"

He said: "By seizing his hand."
 
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Ensar Oud

Well-Known Member
#19
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ: "كُنْت خَلْفَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم يَوْمًا، فَقَالَ: يَا غُلَامِ! إنِّي أُعَلِّمُك كَلِمَاتٍ: احْفَظْ اللَّهَ يَحْفَظْك، احْفَظْ اللَّهَ تَجِدْهُ تُجَاهَك، إذَا سَأَلْت فَاسْأَلْ اللَّهَ، وَإِذَا اسْتَعَنْت فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاَللَّهِ، وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْأُمَّةَ لَوْ اجْتَمَعَتْ عَلَى أَنْ يَنْفَعُوك بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَنْفَعُوك إلَّا بِشَيْءٍ قَدْ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ لَك، وَإِنْ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى أَنْ يَضُرُّوك بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَضُرُّوك إلَّا بِشَيْءٍ قَدْ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْك؛ رُفِعَتْ الْأَقْلَامُ، وَجَفَّتْ الصُّحُفُ"

Abdullah, son of Abbas (may Allah be well pleased with them both) narrates:

One day I was riding with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and he said: "O young man, I shall teach you some words: Watch out for Allah and Allah will watch out for you. Watch out for Allah and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, then ask Allah; and if you seek help, then seek help from Allah. And know that if the people were to gather together to benefit you with anything, they would not benefit you except with what Allah had already prescribed for you. And if they were to gather together to harm you with anything, they would not harm you except with what Allah had already prescribed against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried."