Sahih al-Bukhari 2186 (Book 37, Hadith 11)
employed laborers to work for him from morning till night for specific wages. They worked till
midday and then said, ‘We do not need your money which you have fixed for us and let whatever we
have done be annulled.’ The man said to them, ‘Don’t quit the work, but complete the rest of it and
take your full wages.’ But they refused and went away. The man employed another batch after them
and said to them, ‘Complete the rest of the day and yours will be the wages I had fixed for the first
batch.’ So, they worked till the time of `Asr prayer. Then they said, “Let what we have done be
annulled and keep the wages you have promised us for yourself.’ The man said to them, ‘Complete the
rest of the work, as only a little of the day remains,’ but they refused. Thereafter he employed another
batch to work for the rest of the day and they worked for the rest of the day till the sunset, and they
received the wages of the two former batches. So, that was the example of those people (Muslims) and
the example of this light (guidance) which they have accepted willingly.
“ مَثَلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْيَهُودِ وَالنَّصَارَى كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ اسْتَأْجَرَ قَوْمًا يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُ عَمَلاً يَوْمًا إِلَى اللَّيْلِ عَلَى أَجْرٍ مَعْلُومٍ، فَعَمِلُوا لَهُ إِلَى نِصْفِ النَّهَارِ فَقَالُوا لاَ حَاجَةَ لَنَا إِلَى أَجْرِكَ الَّذِي شَرَطْتَ لَنَا، وَمَا عَمِلْنَا بَاطِلٌ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ لاَ تَفْعَلُوا أَكْمِلُوا بَقِيَّةَ عَمَلِكُمْ، وَخُذُوا أَجْرَكُمْ كَامِلاً، فَأَبَوْا وَتَرَكُوا، وَاسْتَأْجَرَ أَجِيرَيْنِ بَعْدَهُمْ فَقَالَ لَهُمَا أَكْمِلاَ بَقِيَّةَ يَوْمِكُمَا هَذَا، وَلَكُمَا الَّذِي شَرَطْتُ لَهُمْ مِنَ الأَجْرِ. فَعَمِلُوا حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ حِينُ صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ قَالاَ لَكَ مَا عَمِلْنَا بَاطِلٌ، وَلَكَ الأَجْرُ الَّذِي جَعَلْتَ لَنَا فِيهِ. فَقَالَ لَهُمَا أَكْمِلاَ بَقِيَّةَ عَمَلِكُمَا، فَإِنَّ مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ النَّهَارِ شَىْءٌ يَسِيرٌ. فَأَبَيَا، وَاسْتَأْجَرَ قَوْمًا أَنْ يَعْمَلُوا لَهُ بَقِيَّةَ يَوْمِهِمْ، فَعَمِلُوا بَقِيَّةَ يَوْمِهِمْ حَتَّى غَابَتِ الشَّمْسُ، وَاسْتَكْمَلُوا أَجْرَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ كِلَيْهِمَا، فَذَلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ وَمَثَلُ مَا قَبِلُوا مِنْ هَذَا النُّورِ ”.
Sahih al-Bukhari 2186 (Book 37, Hadith 11)
The above hadith is from the Sahih al-Buhari collection of hadiths. The compilation known as Sahih al-Bukhari is a paramount collection of the Sunnah and hadith of the Prophet Muhammad. Its creator, Muḥammad ibn Ismā‘īl al-Bukhārī, dedicated his life to this work, completing it around 847. It holds a position of immense respect as arguably the most authentic book in Sunni Islam after the Holy Quran. As a key pillar of the six canonical books (Kutub al-Sittah), its detailed 97-chapter structure houses an estimated 7,563 narrations that continue to shape Islamic theology, law, and ethics to this day.
Use the tags to drill down deeper and find connections and new streams of information to help you fill gaps in knowledge and better connect the dots. Eman and Life is a growing database of knowledge with the mission to help further us in our pursuit of the best lifestyle through the guidance of the Quran and Sunnah.
For more Hadith in Book 37: Hiring