Pay The Labourer His Wages Before His Sweat Dries - Unpaid Garment Workers In Turkey Tag Zara Garments In Protest

The Associated Press recently reported that some workers in Turkey, Istanbul employed by Bravo Teksil complex, a company that Zara outsources some of it garment manufacturing to, are protesting non-payment for services rendered to the company by slipping labels into Zara garments in Zara stores stating the following:

"I made this item you are going to buy, but I didn’t get paid for it." 

According to the Associated Press, the factory workers claim that they were employed by Bravo Tekstil complex in Istanbul, and that they were not paid for their labour for the production of products for the clothing brand, Zara. The company is said to have closed overnight without paying its employees three months of back pay plus severance. Read the full story of the efforts of the workers to get paid before they resorted to tagging Zara garments here.

This story reminds us of the rules of employment in Islam according to the Qur'an and the hadith of Prophet Muhammad (May the peace and blessings of GOD be upon him). The employer - employee relationship or any business or transactional relationship is a contract, and believers (in the monotheism of GOD) are clearly instructed by GOD in the Qur'an to fulfil all contracts:

Qur'an:5:1:

"O you who have believed, fulfil all contracts..."

Qur'an:4:29:

"O you who have believed, do not consume one another's wealth unjustly but only [in lawful] business by mutual consent..."

Qur'an 2:188:

"And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly or send it [in bribery] to the rulers in order that [they might aid] you [to] consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know [it is unlawful]."

Quran: 26:181 - 184:

"Give full measure and cause no loss (to others).

And weigh with the true and straight balance.

And defraud not people by reducing their things, nor do evil, making corruption and mischief in the land.

And fear him who created you and the generations of the men of old."

It was narrated from Ismaa‘eel ibn ‘Ubayd ibn Rifaa‘ah from his father from his grandfather that he went out with the Prophet (May the peace and blessings of GOD be upon him) to the prayer place, and he saw the people engaging in trade. He said:

"O merchants!” and they responded to the Messenger of ALLAH (May the peace and blessings of ALLAH be upon him), craning their necks and looking up at him. He said, 'The merchants will be raised on the Day of Resurrection as evildoers, apart from those who fear ALLAH and are sincere and honest."

Abu Sa‘eed Al-Khudri  may  ALLAH  be  pleased  with  him narrated that the Prophet (May the peace and blessings of GOD be upon him), said:

"Whoever employs someone to work for him, he must specify for him his wage in advance." [Musannaf ‘Abdur-Razzaaq].

Abu Hurayrah  may  ALLAH  be  pleased  with  him narrated that the Prophet (May the peace and blessings of ALLAH be upon him) said:

"ALLAH Said, 'I will be the opponent of three on the Day of Judgment: one who makes a covenant in My Name and then breaks it; one who sells a free man as a slave and devours his price and one who hires a workman and having taken full work from him, does not pay him his wages."

‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar  may  ALLAH  be  pleased  with  him narrated that the Prophet (May the peace and blessings of ALLAH be upon him) said:

"Pay the labourer his wages before his sweat dries."

The above hadith is a metaphor for the fact that it is haram to delay and or postpone the payment for services rendered when one is able to pay. "Before his sweat dries" is a metaphor for the obligation to pay a worker, an employee etc as soon as the job is done, or the agreed period of payment is reached, for example hourly, weekly, monthly, yearly et al.

The worker, contractor, employee etc also has an obligation to perform and or deliver the best work possible - If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing well:

Al-Bayhaqi and Abu Ya‘la narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah, the wife of the Prophet may  ALLAH  be  pleased  with  her that the Prophet (May the peace and blessings of GOD be upon him) said:

"Verily, ALLAH loves that when anyone of you does something he does it perfectly."