[^2] Ayyub, the brother of Adim ibn Bayya’ al-Harawi, is reported to have said that he and some others were sitting in the presence of Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) when al-’Ala' ibn Kamil came and sat in front of the Imam (‘a) and asked, “Pray to Almighty Allah to provide me with easy sustenance.” The Imam (‘a) answered: لاَ أَدْعُو لَكَ! أُطْلُبْ كَمَا أَمَرَكَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ. No, I will not. You must seek sustenance as Almighty Allah has ordered you to do.
[^3] This struggle to seek sustenance has been elevated to such a degree that it has attained the rank of jihad or even higher. In an authentic tradition, al-Halabi has reported Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as saying: الْكَادُّ عَلَى عِيَالِهِ كَالْمُجَاهِدِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ. He who works to provide his dependents with sustenance is like a mujahid who fights for the sake of Almighty Allah.
[^4] According to another authentic tradition, Zakariyya ibn Adam has reported Imam al-Ridha (‘a) as saying: الَّذِي يَطْلُبُ مِنْ فَضْلِ اللهِ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، مَا يَكُفُّ بِهِ عِيَالَهُ أَعْظَمُ أَجْراً مِنَ الْمُجَاهِدِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ. He who seeks the grace of Almighty Allah to provide enough sustenance for his dependents will have a greater reward than fighting for the sake of Almighty Allah.
[^5] Muhammad ibn Marwan has reported Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as saying: إِنَّ فِي حِكْمَةِ آلِ دَاوُودَ: يَنْبَغِي لِلْمُسْلِمِ الْعَاقِلِ أَنْ لاَ يُرَى ظَاعِناً إِلاَّ فِي ثَلاَثٍ: مَرَمَّةٍ لِمَعَاشٍ، أَوْ تَزَوُّدٍ لِمَعَادٍ، أَوْ لَذَّةٍ فِي غَيْرِ ذَاتِ مُحَرَّمٍ.
The following statement is written in the book of wisdom of (Prophet) David’s household: A Muslim of sane mind must not be seen busy except in three pursuits: improving his livelihood, supplying himself with provisions for the life to come, and seeking lawful pleasures. A rational Muslim is also required to dedicate an hour to acts directed to Almighty Allah, another hour to meeting his brethren-in-faith to discuss the affairs of the Hereafter, and a third hour to gain lawful pleasures.
The third hour helps him do the work of the first two hours properly.