It is the duty of man to profit from this favor and to exert himself to seek Allah's bounties throughout the earth. It is not permitted to the Muslim to avoid working for a living on the pretext of devoting his life to worship or trust in Allah, as gold and silver certainly do not fall from the sky. It is also not permissible for him to depend on charity while he is able to earn what is sufficient for his own and his family's needs through his own efforts. If, under the pressure of need, one is forced to ask for financial help from the government or from individuals, he is blameless. For a man who suffers calamity and loses his property, it is permissible for him to ask until he is able to stand on his own feet.
Some people regard certain kinds of work or professions as contemptible.
He taught his Companions that the whole of a human being's dignity is tied up with his work any sort of work and that real disgrace and humiliation consist of depending on other people's help. The Muslim can earn his livelihood by agriculture, trade, or industry or by any profession or employment as long as it does not involve doing, supporting, or propagating anything haram. The general rule in regard to earning a living is that Islam does not permit its followers to earn money in any way they like, rather it differentiates between lawful and unlawful methods based on the criterion of the overall well-being of the society. One may formulate as a general rule that any transaction in which one person's gain results in another's loss is unlawful, while any transaction which is fair and beneficial to all the parties concerned and which is transacted by mutual consent is lawful. In either case, a person who makes someone else suffer for his own benefit is, in effect, shedding his blood and opening the door for others to do the same to him, thus leading to his own eventual ruin.