I think I'm going mad, either that or I must be a coconut!

[umar25x]

@diamond321

It’s not bad at all. Any means of earning halal money is fine and respectable. It’s us humans who look at certain professions as respectable and some as not so respectable.

You do what you feel like doing. It’s your life and you do things as you please (as long as your actions are not hurting anyone) . You should not be bothered by what your friend is thinking. She has freedom of thinking and a freedom to have her opinion let her have it ! You have yours. Once someone said to me when I was going through problems in my life that “We don’t live for people” …yes it is as simple as that you are living for yourself and your family …you are not living for your friend or any other person who down plays your ideas or goals.

The best example of your question I have seen if of Bohra community …if you are aware of them. They feel no shame in adopting any profession as long as it’s halal and approved by their spiritual/religious leader. You’ll find in them many men who have retired from prestigious positions and have either opened up small shops of groceries or small outlets where they prepare smaosas and other things for school canteen etc. I have even seen them selling aloo chola chat at the road side and they feel proud of it. None of their community members look down at them they see work as work. They excel in catering services and confectioneries and they earn a decent living out of it. I knew a widow from the said community who didn’t have kids and she used to make pooris every day in her house and would sell it …that was how she was making her living. She didn’t ask for money instead she used the skills she had and earned enough to feed herself two times meal.

What is shameful is when we earn money trough haram means and when we ask for money from people out of laziness.

+1
well said, 100% agree…