Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Sir, i am very much empressed from your web side, really you are serving our greatest releagion. Sir, I am sattle here in Saudi Arabia since five years, I have one question in my mind since long but until now i could not find a satisfactory answer. I will be very greatfull to you if you tell me the answer of my question in the light of Quran ans sunnah.
Question.HOW WE CAN DETERMINE/CALCULATE THE WAGES OF A LABER PERSON IN ACCORDING TO ISLAMIC LAWS ?
I will be very greatfull to you if you give me answer.
Thanks and regards.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Labour wages in Shariah

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

May Allah Subhanah reward you with the best of this world and the Hereafter for your kind comments of encouragement for our humble efforts in the propagation of the Truth. If our humble and modest efforts have helped even one brother or sister get closer to Allah and His Deen of Truth, then we would consider ourselves indeed fortunate to have been given this opportunity by the Lord Most Merciful to serve in His Cause. We hope, beg, and pray the Merciful Lord accepts our humble and weak efforts, forgives us our shortcomings, and saves you, us, and all the believers from the torment of the Hell Fire. Ameen.

Your Question: HOW WE CAN DETERMINE/CALCULATE THE WAGES OF A LABOR PERSON IN ACCORDING TO ISLAMIC LAWS ?

Islamic Law does not apply a standard rule while determining the wages of a person done for a particular job. Depending on the market conditions of demand and supply prevalent in the times one lives in, the one who employs may offer a price to get the job done, or the one who works may demand a particular amount to get the job done; provided both the employer and the employ agree on the work to be done for a particular amount of wages. The calculation or determination of the wages of a person are determined according to the prevalent times as in a free-market economy depending on the demand and supply conditions. A scientist will be paid his dues according to his skills, an engineer his, a doctor his, and a gardener for his skills.

The conditions that Islam applies is one of righteousness and honesty; both, for the one who employs the worker, and the worker who is employed. Neither the employer nor the employed should take advantage of the personal condition of the other; the employer should neither deceive nor delay the payment to the employed when the work is done, nor should the employed deceive or delay the work for which he has agreed to take wages.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2987 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "Give the hireling his wages before his sweat dries."

In conclusion, there is no set maximum or minimum wage in Islamic Law; a worker may get a million dollars for doing a job or a few dollars to do a menial job, depending on the market conditions of the prevalent times.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan