Work Ethic Values from Surah At-Taubah 105

In adult daily life, we often get caught in the routine of waking up in the morning, going to work, coming home, and repeating it all the next day. Work is often seen merely as a means of earning a living or fulfilling life’s demands. In Islam, however, work is not solely a worldly affair, it is an act of worship that will be held accountable before Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, on the Day of Judgment.

One verse of the Qur’an that reinforces this view is Surah At-Taubah, verse 105, which teaches that every deed will be seen by Allah. The verse reads:

وَقُلِ اعۡمَلُوۡا فَسَيَرَى اللّٰهُ عَمَلَكُمۡ وَرَسُوۡلُهٗ وَالۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ​ؕ وَسَتُرَدُّوۡنَ اِلٰى عٰلِمِ الۡغَيۡبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُمۡ بِمَا كُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ​‏

Meaning: “Say (O Muhammad), ‘Do [as you will], for Allah will see your deeds, and [so will] His Messenger and the believers. And you will be returned to the Knower of the unseen and the seen, and He will inform you of what you used to do.’”

Surah At-Taubah 105 serves as a reminder that whatever form our work takes, as long as it is intended to seek the blessing of Allah and carried out according to His guidelines, it will hold noble value.

Lecturer of Al-Quran and Tafsir Studies at Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS), Alfiyatul Azizah, L.C., M.Ud., explained that Surah At-Taubah verse 105 signals Allah’s command to His Messenger to convey to the repentant Muslims that they should increase their righteous deeds. This command is rooted in the asbabun nuzul, the circumstances that led to the revelation of certain Qur’anic verses.

The righteous deeds referred to can take the form of charity, zakat, or other good works. “The main message is that every deed, whether from a believer or a non-believer, will be held accountable before Allah, the Messenger, and all the Muslims in the hereafter, after which Allah will reward each person according to what they have done,” Alfiyatul explained in an online interview on Friday (8/8/2025).

The commandٱعْمَلُوا  (do or act) is general in scope, Alfiyatul continued, and encompasses all activities beneficial to oneself and to society. This becomes the foundation of the Islamic work ethic: working with full responsibility, professionalism, and discipline for the benefit of the community.

In short, the meaning of Surah At-Taubah verse 105 is an encouragement to keep moving, creating, and contributing for the betterment of life in both this world and the hereafter. Not merely working in the sense of earning a living, but encompassing all positive activities intended as acts of worship.

“In the principles of tafsir, a command can only be given by one who is of a higher rank (the Creator) to one of a lower rank (the created),” she said.

Alfiyatul emphasized that by recognizing our position, a servant will always be obedient, and compliant with Allah’s decrees. One form of such obedience is to follow His commands and avoid all His prohibitions.

In the same way, when it comes to individuals and members of society, the command ٱعْمَلُوا (“do”) is general in scope, thus carrying a very broad meaning. She said, “All righteous deeds that can be performed and strived for in order to build civilization for the common good and shared prosperity.”

In Surah At-Taubah verse 105, what should be emphasized is the spirit and values the Qur’an seeks to cultivate, rather than the specific type of work. According to Alfiyatul, essentially all types of work are good, as long as they do not violate the commands of Allah and His Messenger.

“The standard is based on the decrees of Allah and His Messenger, not on the size of the salary, the cleanliness of the workplace, the neatness of the uniform, or other worldly and non-essential matters,” she stressed.

Alfiyatul explained that in the sirah (biographical accounts of the Prophet), there are many descriptions of how the Prophet Muhammad and his companions ideally lived their lives. In addition to worshiping, studying Islam, and spending time with the Prophet, the companions also worked to fulfill their daily needs.

In a hadith, Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam said:

ما أكَلَ أحَدٌ طَعامًا قَطُّ، خَيْرًا مِن أنْ يَأْكُلَ مِن عَمَلِ يَدِهِ، وإنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ داوُدَ عليه السَّلامُ، كانَ يَأْكُلُ مِن عَمَلِ يَدِهِ

Meaning: “No one ever eats food better than that which he has earned through the work of his own hands. And indeed, the Prophet of Allah, Dawud, peace be upon him, used to eat from the earnings of his own labor.” (Hadith narrated by al-Bukhari, No. 2072)

This hadith illustrates how the Prophet Muhammad encouraged his followers to remain active in meeting their daily needs. It is also narrated that the Prophet constantly motivated his companions to keep moving forward and to do good, especially in the matter of work.

“Because the income they earn through work can be used to help others, honor their families, and serve as a means of worshiping Allah,” Alfiyatul concluded.

Writer: Genis Dwi Gustati

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid

Editor: Al Habiib Josy Asheva