Achieving self sufficiency at the estate and ways to acquire supplementary income
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
Allah ﷻ is the Sole Provider, the only Sustainer, and the One who makes arrangement and brings the means into existence for the feeding and sustenance of the entire creation, and it is no difficulty for Him to do so. Allah ﷻ can provide without means and against the apparent means, and Allah ﷻ is the One who puts the effect and result in the means.
Kathrah (abundance) and Barakah (blessings) in wealth, time, life and all other manner of rizq, are in the hands of Allah ﷻ alone. Kathrat is given to all, but barakah is reserved for the people of Imaan and A'maal.
Barakah is to be able to achieve much with little resources. Barakah is to have your rizq go a long way instead of being wasted away shortly after coming in, and not being sufficient in spite of earning large sums of money.
Nabi ﷺ taught us to strive for barakah in our earnings, as opposed to focusing only on kathrah, by:
Placing our trust in Allah ﷻ as our Provider and Sustainer
Being punctual in salaah and instructing our family and subordinates to do the same
Earning only halaal wealth through halaal means
Inculcating taqwa - being cautious and careful so as not to break the commands of Allah ﷻ
Striving for ones rizq in the early part of the day, not sleeping at this time
Not being involved in interest dealings, deception in marketing and advertising, invalid business transactions, haraam insurance and doubtful products, investments and dealings
Fulfilling the obligation of zakaat
Spending in sadaqah (which brings barakah and kathra)
Performing the hajj when it becomes due to do so
Maintaining family relations even if they break them
Performing Salaatud Dhuha
Reciting Surah Waqia (which also prevents poverty)
Reciting abundant istighfaar
Remaining in wudhu
Being moderate in expenditure
Choosing simplicity in all matters
Not being wasteful and extravagant, especially with food
The practice of keeping sheep and goats has also been mentioned as a direct source of barakah in a number of ahadeeth such as the following
Sayyidatuna Ummu Hani (radiyallahu’anha) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) told her: ‘Keep sheep/goats, for there is certainly barakah (blessings) in them.’ (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 2304)
These are amongst the strongest means to attract sustenance that is infused with barakah, and if a person will adopt these means they will never find themselves short or unable to make ends meet ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ
Naturally, a muslim will have to take practical steps to acquire their rizq, as Allah ﷻ has made the system of this world such that one has to go out and make an effort to obtain ones rizq. Umar (ra) himself is reported to have said:
لَا يَقْعُدُ أَحَدُكُمْ عَنْ طَلَبِ الرِّزْقِ وَيَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ ارْزُقْنِي فَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ أَنَّ السَّمَاءَ لَا تُمْطِرُ ذَهَبًا وَلَا فِضَّةً
"None of you should sit around refraining from seeking rizq while he says 'O Allah grant me rizq' as verily the skies do not rain down gold and silver"
Many have asked that how will residents at the estate earn a living and sustain themselves if they choose to move here permanently?, so after understanding first what I have said above and knowing that rizq is only from Allah ﷻ, who distributes according to His perfect knowledge and wisdom, I have written this post detailing the various ways that we aim to assist residents gain self sufficiency and also have a supplementary income ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ
The ideal
The final outcome and scenario of self sufficiency at the estate, which is inevitable according to the ahadeeth, is that a resident should be able to live without the need for the use of a fiat currency, a currency which is not backed and redeemable by any real physical asset, such as the paper money we use today.
Instead, there has to be a total shift to the original method, of using a real physical asset which has real value or ones labour, in order to acquire other things of real value or services. Today we trade our fiat currency, the paper money we hold, which has no 'real' value in order to acquire these things of real value, such as eggs, bread, meat, petrol, clothing or services such as a haircut, labour etc.
Because it has always been this way as far back as we can remember we think this is the only way that life works, but it wasn't this way for the majority of humankind's existence. People traded goods and services as well as gold and silver for other goods and services. This was how it was in the time of sahaba (RA) as well.
In the aakhir zamaana, the last period of time on earth, the ahadeeth tell us that the most beneficial wealth of a muslim will be the sheep that they take into the mountains, where they will go to save their deen and be safe from the fitan.
There will be a return of gauging wealth by real assets which have real value, instead of the current system that gauges wealth by the sum value of your paper currency.
In the last period, the food you can grow, the meat, eggs, milk etc you get from your animals, your water, your land, your gold and silver, these things will constitute 'wealth'.
The world currency of the time, if there is one, will not mean anything to those who have escaped the fitnah, whether it be paper currency, electronic funds or cryptocurrency.
There has been a push away from cash to electronic funds for many years now, 'banking the unbanked' so that your wealth can be blocked if you don't conform with the dajjaali world order, now there is a sinister push to cryptocurrencies and government backed cryptocurrencies like the one BRICS is envisioning, the evil of which people do not realise. With crypto they can control your wealth on a transactional level, they can determine what you can and cannot buy so that your wallet, cards and other forms of digital payment will only work for what they want it to and will not work for what they do not. That is why even if the currency is backed by gold again, it will still never be the same as the real asset.
The ideal situation is that a person lives on their own land, in a peaceful, safe, clean and natural environment, making the ibada of Allah ﷻ their priority, practicing, learning and teaching deen, growing food and rearing animals, enough for their family, and trading the extra for other real goods and services they need, raising their children to be establishers of salaah and defending their deen, life, family, wealth and property while fulfilling the obligation of enjoining good and forbidding evil and striving to establish the deen.
Practical considerations:
To grow enough food and rear animals for ones family a large space is not needed, it can be done on as little as 500sqm and if the vertical farming method is used, a commercial farm can even be operated and the produce shared, bartered, sold outside or traded for other goods and services.
With vertical farming an increase of up to 50X is possible so it would be the equivalent of farming on 25000 square meters.
Growing food to sell will be the most valuable and viable business in future and the new methods of hydroponics are actually better than the monoculture chemical based farming practiced today
Since there will always be a demand for food, one can trade or sell the food produce in order to obtain other goods and services, whether necessities or luxuries one may want from outside the estate
By combining the keeping of poultry and other animals as well as aquaponics, a natural cycle can be created that eliminates the need for buying fertiliser and other inputs. The cost of running this business will therefore be minimised
Residents can work together to grow different crops and produce and then barter them or partner together to sell them outside the estate as well.
To achieve the ideal some time is required for crops to grow, animals to start breeding so one has to start early. We therefore encourage residents to start buying seeds now and prepare to plant them even before building their homes. For preparedness we encourage everyone, including those not thinking about residing at the estate to at least buy a seed bank such as these from livingseeds: https://livingseeds.co.za/10-year-survival-seed-bank.html
It may take anywhere between 1 year to 10 years to achieve the ideal, and of course residents may choose to live in a hybrid way, still using the regular currency mixed with growing their own food and bartering etc while it is still possible to do so.
The transition period
For most, if not all the residents who wish to migrate permanently at some stage, there will be a period of transition during which they will need some savings, passive income, work or business that they are able to do while living at the estate in order to bridge the gap until they achieve the ideal situation and they may want to continue getting this income even after achieving the ideal.
This is the primary issue being addressed in this article, as of course it is only natural that residents need to be able to afford moving to the estate, building a home, covering basic necessities and having additional income for travel expenses and other goods and services that cannot be produced at the estate. Residents would also want to be able to maintain their existing lifestyle that they are used to which is definitely understandable and expected. For this very reason we have done the work on designing homes that are of a similar standard to what we are used to so that the goal can be achieved sustainably and for the long term without becoming so difficult that it deters us and our families from doing so.
Employment
Remote working is now very common and if a resident is able to do this in their existing field of work then this is naturally the most convenient scenario. Shops will be available at the estate where goods can be purchased that are both grown at the estate and brought in from outside. Shopping can also be done in the surrounding towns of Ficksburg, Senekal and Fouriesburg where larger chain stores are located.
Working in the surrounding towns may also be possible though one will have to travel in and out of the estate regularly
Jobs at the estate itself will become available as the project progresses and the community grows over time ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ. Naturally, the preference will be given to residents of the estate first. In fact the hope is that all those working at the estate in the various related concerns and businesses will all be estate residents ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ. These jobs will be advertised to residents as they become available for application ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ
We envision enough jobs becoming available at the estate structures and organisations and the related businesses managed by us for all the residents ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ .
Amongst the non-profit and profit based concerns that will create employment opportunities ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ , are the following:
The estate madaaris and darul uloom structures which will need teachers and support staff. The darul uloom may eventually cater for a few hundred students ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ which will necessitate a large number of staff in different departments ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ
Madaaris and makaatib in surrounding areas and nearby towns are planned ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ and will also require teachers and support staff
The tuition structure for homeschooled students of the estate that will need teachers
The estate educational program for teaching life and community skills such as woodworking, plumbing etc. will also need teachers.
A formal skills and technical college is also being planned to be run on a nearby property that will require teachers in various skills ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ (This is one of the early projects planned to create future employment)
The estate clinic will require health practitioners and support staff. A clinic is also planned to service the neighbouring communities ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ
The estate farming enterprise will require a number of staff in different capacities including managers, drivers, butchers etc
The estate hunting activities will require guides, professional hunters and support staff
The accommodation enterprise and wellness retreat will require a growing staff compliment ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ. This also includes the lodge that will be run outside the estate.
A solar farm is being considered which will require specialist professionals and other staff ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ
Factories are planned to be developed on the neighbouring farm which will require managers and admin staff ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ (More details will become available to residents in time ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ)
Aged care services are planned for the elderly which will need carers and support staff as well as cooks ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ
A number of other organisations and businesses are also being planned which we will release information about in future ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ. In this way we expect that as the community grows there will be employment opportunities for all residents of the estate and their children ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ. This will be a win-win scenario as these organisations and businesses would not be possible without the residents, and the residents also would be able to achieve their aim of living at the estate through the employment ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ. May Allah ﷻ make it a reality, آمين
Business and investment
Business and investment are an essential part of the employment process and is encouraged in deen.
Residents who are inclined may wish to consider running a business in the estate which they are free to do or opening or purchasing businesses in the surrounding areas and towns.
Residents who wish to invest capital rather than run their own business, or in addition, will be given the first opportunity to participate in the business investment projects that are made available ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ which include but are not limited to the ones mentioned above that will create employment opportunities. Our policy is that all the investment ventures will be located nearby to the estate so that proper oversight and management can take place and also so that the residents themselves can verify the businesses they are investing in by seeing it themselves on a regular basis.
Amongst the business and investment opportunities that are currently being planned ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ are the following:
Investment into the game animals on the estate. The estate has a few hundred premium game animals for hunting and this is one of the first ventures that will be made available to residents for investment. Income will accrue from the breeding, selling and hunting activities which is a lucrative business that is already running at the estate and will be expanded with the building of more accommodation facilities, hides and watering holes ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ . There is also the opportunity for doing halal game meats which is a growing business.
Investment into the cattle farming business that is also already operating successfully at the estate. This currently also comprises of a large number of animals and is the subsequent venture being prepared for residents ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ. An abattoir license is also being considered which will make it possible to provide high quality free range halal meat to the market ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ
Crop and poultry farming - the farming on the estate and surrounding farms owned by the estate will be expanded over time ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ and will be available to invest in as part of the farming coop. This will be varied with short and long term crops, poultry and eggs, milk and dairy products etc in order to minimise risk and practice healthy permaculture type organic farming which results in healthy produce and does not damage the soil.
Real estate - A number of real estate opportunities are being looked at in the surrounding towns where rental properties can be developed to provide rental income streams ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ A number of towns in the nearby areas are experiencing good growth which presents good opportunity alhamdulillah. Further details will be made available privately to residents ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ.
Retail businesses - A number of carefully selected retail opportunities will be considered in the surrounding towns ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ for investment partnership. As this area presents high risk, these will be very carefully assessed before proceeding.
The returns from the above investments will vary and Allah ﷻ is the final decider on what amounts can be achieved. The primary focus will be barakah through only engaging in permissible activities and methods, and also preferring those that are sunnah, healthy and clean. In this way even if the return is less the barakah will be more ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ .
Residents can also suggest opportunities for consideration in order to make the transition to settling at the estate easier ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ
جزاك اللهُ خيراً
و عليكم السلام و رحمة الله وبركاته
Note that these investment opportunities are not available or being advertised to the general public. They are to give an idea of what is possible and envisioned and will be discussed and initiated privately with residents as private ventures who may be interested, as and when they arise ان شاء الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ
Comments