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What is Book 13 of the Iḥyāʾ?
Book 13 of Imam al-Ghazālī's Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn is called Etiquettes of Earning and Living, or the Book of the Etiquette of Earning a Livelihood. It belongs to the quarter on Norms of Daily Life. Imam al-Ghazālī wrote in the 11th to 12th century. The book answers a question every working Muslim faces: how do I earn a living without harming my religion? Al-Ghazālī's answer covers the merit of work itself, the knowledge a trader needs before he sells, and the conduct that keeps a transaction just and kind.
The book has five chapters. Chapter 1 is on the merit of earning and the encouragement towards it. Chapter 2 is on the knowledge of earning through sale and transactions. Chapter 3 clarifies justice and the avoidance of oppression in transactions. Chapter 4 is on kindness and benevolence in dealings. Chapter 5 is on the merchant's compassion for his religion, that is, how a person in trade keeps his faith in view while he works. The description sums it up as the virtues of honest labor, the conditions for lawful trade, and the spiritual responsibilities that accompany worldly pursuits.
Is there an English audiobook of Etiquettes of Earning and Living?
Yes. Joyful Muslims publishes the complete Book 13: Etiquettes of Earning and Living as an English audiobook (about 2 hours), translated from the Arabic, with a word-synced bilingual transcript. It covers the Islamic ethics of earning a livelihood: the virtues of honest labor, the conditions for lawful trade, and the spiritual responsibilities that accompany worldly pursuits.
Is it free to listen?
The whole library is open to everyone. Every member gets five hours of listening free each month; Joyful+ removes the time limit.
What does it cover?
Five chapters: the merit of earning, the knowledge needed for sale and transactions, justice and avoiding oppression in dealings, kindness and benevolence in dealings, and the merchant's compassion for his religion.
Last updated 2026-09-11
Inside the book.
Chapters
Word-synced with the narrator.
The first three minutes are transcribed here. In the app, the Living Manuscript scrolls through the entire book in rhythm with the audio — Arabic alongside English.
Living Manuscript
Listen to the full book in the app for the complete Living Manuscript.
The full, word-synced transcript in Arabic and English is in the app.
