Q : Some people think that there are humble crafts and scold those working in crafts such as cooking, hairdressing, shoe making, cleaning, etc. Is there a legal foundation in support of this belief? Are such crafts rejected by the customs and nature of the Arabs? Please, advise! May Allah reward you with the best!
A : There is no harm in such crafts. They are like other permissible crafts on the condition that the craftsman should fear his Lord and give advice to his customers, not to cheat them according to the general meaning of the juristic proofs in this regard. For example, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked what type of earning was the best. The Prophet (peace be upon him) answered, "The work of a man's own hand, and every lawful sale." Narrated by AlBazzar and AlHakim considered it to be Sahih (a Hadith that has been transmitted by people known for their uprightness and exactitude; free from eccentricity and blemish).The Prophet (may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him) also says: Nobody has ever eaten a better meal than that which one has earned by working with one's own hands. Prophet David used to eat from the earnings of his manual labor. Narrated by AlBukhari in his Sahih.Because people are in need of these crafts as well as similar crafts, then stopping and disdaining them could mostly harm Muslims and make them in need of their enemies when the latter do such crafts. Cleaners should do their best to ensure safety of their bodies and cleanliness of their dresses and be careful to get rid of filthiness. May Allah grant us success!