This week’s Friday sermon (khutbah), delivered in mosques across Türkiye and prepared by the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), focused on the timeless ethics of trade as exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The sermon highlighted the moral responsibilities of Muslims in business, emphasizing honesty, integrity, fairness, and the importance of earning through halal (lawful) means.

The sermon opened with a story from the Prophet’s life in which a companion sought guidance regarding commercial practices. The companion explained that he would begin by offering a lower price when buying and a higher price when selling. The Prophet’s guidance was clear and unequivocal: traders must always declare the actual price, whether they are buying or selling, regardless of whether a transaction occurs. This simple yet profound teaching underscores Islam’s insistence on transparency and truthfulness in all commercial dealings.

The sermon emphasized that justice and fairness form the foundation of Islamic trade ethics. Citing the Quranic verse, “Weigh with justice, and do not give short measure,” the sermon reminded worshippers that accurate measurement and honesty are essential in every transaction. Beyond mere financial fairness, the sermon stressed that true commerce must reflect moral integrity, avoiding deception, manipulation, or exploitation.

Prophet Muhammad himself set the highest example in commerce. Known as Muhammad al-Amin, “the Trustworthy,” he was respected for his integrity long before his prophethood. The sermon noted that the Prophet encouraged diligence, hard work, and earning through halal means, warning against laziness, reliance on begging, or engaging in deceitful practices. The Prophet also emphasized accountability, reminding traders that actions that harm others, including tampering with scales or misrepresenting goods, would be met with divine judgment.

The sermon also addressed modern-day commercial malpractices, noting that many people today, driven by the desire for rapid wealth, have lost sensitivity to what is halal and haram. Practices such as misrepresenting products, engaging in black-market transactions, hoarding, or exploiting economic hardships are considered unethical and sinful in Islam.

The sermon highlighted several specific unethical behaviors in trade, including failing to fulfill promises or commitments, charging different prices for locals and foreigners without justification, taking advantage of times of public hardship, natural disasters, or school term periods to raise rents or inflate prices, and concealing defects in goods or exploiting a seller’s lack of knowledge to purchase items below their true value.

The sermon reinforced that such actions constitute a betrayal of trust and a violation of fellow Muslims’ rights. Prophet Muhammad’s teaching remains clear: “The Muslim is the brother of another Muslim, and it is not permissible for a Muslim to sell his brother goods in which there is a defect, without pointing that out to him.”

In addition to addressing individual ethics, the sermon emphasized the role of community and collective responsibility in trade. Türkiye’s historical Akhi organization, a spiritual and commercial guild, was cited as a model where faith, ethical conduct, and communal welfare were woven together. The organization promoted honest labor, ethical trading practices, and social solidarity, demonstrating that commerce could serve both material and spiritual purposes.

The sermon called on contemporary Muslims to revive the spirit of the Akhi understanding: earning through lawful means, integrating moral responsibility into trade, and ensuring that business activities do not distract from religious obligations such as prayer, charity, and remembrance of Allah. The Diyanet emphasized that successful trade should benefit not only the trader’s pocket but also the heart and society.

The sermon concluded with a reminder of the ultimate spiritual rewards for ethical commerce. Prophet Muhammad said: “The honest and trustworthy merchant will be together with the Prophets, the truthful, and the martyrs on the Day of Judgment.”

The sermon underscored that the blessing of trade lies in honesty, its peace lies in what is halal, and its true gain lies in seeking the pleasure of Allah. Worshippers were encouraged to reflect on their business practices, uphold ethical standards, and ensure that their livelihoods are earned in a way that benefits both themselves and the wider community.

By focusing on trade ethics, Türkiye’s Diyanet highlights the enduring relevance of Islamic moral teachings in daily life, encouraging Muslims to cultivate honesty, fairness, and social responsibility in all commercial interactions.

The full text of the sermon is as follows:

OUR PROPHET (SAW) AND THE ETHICS OF TRADE

Honorable Muslims!

One day, a companion came into the presence of our beloved Prophet (saw) and said, “O Messenger of Allah! I am engaged in trade. When I buy goods, I initially state a lower price and gradually increase it. When I sell, I start with a higher price and then lower it. Is what I am doing correct?” Upon this, the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “Never act in the manner you described! If you are going to buy something, state its actual price —whether they give it to you or not. And if you are going to sell something, state its actual price —whether they buy it or not.”

Dear Believers!

One of the significant matters emphasized by our sublime religion, Islam, is the ethics of trade. At the core of the trade ethics commanded by Islam lies a deep sensitivity to what is lawful (halal) and unlawful (haram). In accordance with the verse,  وَاَق۪يمُوا الْوَزْنَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلَا تُخْسِرُوا الْم۪يزَانَ “Weigh with justice, and do not give short measure,”  establishing justice in measurement and weighing is essential. It is also essential to uphold truthfulness and integrity and to refrain from resorting to lies and deception.

Esteemed Muslims!

The best example for us in our commercial life is the Messenger of Allah (saw), who himself was engaged in trade. Even before his prophethood, he was known as Muhammad al-Amin, meaning Muhammad the Trustworthy. Our beloved Prophet (saw) encouraged hard work and earning through halal means, and he did not approve of laziness or begging. He warned those who tamper with their scales in trade, who allow lies to stain their words, or who mix haram into their earnings with the punishment of Hellfire.

Dear Believers!

Unfortunately, today we are witnessing the very times foretold by the Prophet (saw), when he said, “Certainly a time will come when people will not bother to know from where they earned the money, by lawful means or unlawful means.”  Some people, driven by the desire to earn more and to become wealthy through shortcuts, have lost their sensitivity to what is halal and what is haram. According to Islam, to misrepresent a product, to engage in black-market dealings, usury, and hoarding are acts of violating people’s rights and are haram. Failing to fulfill a promise, or committing to something one cannot deliver, is falsehood and a sin. Applying different prices to locals and foreigners in buying and selling is deception and a sin. Taking advantage of times of hardship, such as natural disasters, students’ school terms, or public servants’ designation periods, to raise rents or product prices is an infringement upon the rights of others and a grave sin.

In trade, knowingly concealing the defects of goods being sold, or taking advantage of a seller’s lack of knowledge or difficult circumstances to purchase an item below its true value, is opportunism and a betrayal of one’s labor. The warning of our Prophet (saw) is perfectly clear: “The Muslim is the brother of another Muslim, and it is not permissible for a Muslim to sell his brother goods in which there is a defect, without pointing that out to him.”

Honorable Muslims!

Our noble nation has carried the noble character of the Messenger of Allah (saw) into the realm of commerce through the Akhi organization. Akhi organization is a spiritual institution where goodness was woven upon the loom, where sweat of the brow meets prayer, and where earnings accumulate not only in the pocket but also in the heart. As our Almighty Lord states, “...by men who are not distracted—either by buying or selling—from Allah’s remembrance, or performing prayer, or paying alms-tax. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will tremble,”  they are a community of individuals whose hearts are engraved with faith, people who do not abandon their worship for the sake of trade. What falls upon us today is to once again let the spirit of akhi understanding prevail in our trade. It is to strive to earn our sustenance through halal means. Let us remember: the blessing of trade lies in honesty, its peace lies in what is halal, and its true gain lies in seeking the pleasure of Allah.

I would like to conclude this Friday’s khutbah with the following glad tidings of our beloved Prophet (saw): “The honest and trustworthy merchant will be together with the Prophets, the truthful, and the martyrs on the Day of Judgment.”  (ILKHA)