It was narrated that Raafi’ ibn Khadeej (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:

It was said: O Messenger of Allaah, what kind of earning is best? He said: “For a man to work with his hands and every honest transaction.”  

Narrated by Ahmad (17265); classed as hasan by the commentators on al-Musnad; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb (1691).

It was narrated from al-Miqdaam (may Allaah be pleased with him) that;

the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No one ever eats anything better than that which he earned with his own hands. The Prophet of Allaah Dawood (peace be upon him) used to eat that which he earned with his own hands.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1966). 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah be pleased with him): 

“The scholars differed as to the best type of work. Al-Mawardi said: The basic types of earning a living are: agriculture, trade and manufacturing. The most likely view of al-Shaafa’i is that the best of them is trade. He said: The most correct in my view is that the best of them is agriculture, because it is the closest to tawakkul (putting one’s trust in Allaah). 

Al-Nawawi followed it with the hadeeth of al-Miqdaam (quoted above) and said that the correct view is that the best way of earning a living is by working with one’s hands. If it is also in agriculture, then that is the best way of earning a living, because it involves both working with one’s hands and putting one’s trust in Allaah, and it benefits both humans and animals, and because usually some of it is given for free.  

I say: Superior to that in things that are done using one’s hands is what one acquires of the wealth of the kuffaar through jihad. This is how the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the companions earned wealth and it is the noblest way of acquiring wealth, because it is making the word of Allaah supreme, suppressing the word of His enemies, and brings benefit in the Hereafter. 

He said: If a person does not work with his hands, then agriculture is best for him, for the reasons we mentioned. 

I say: This is based on the fact that the benefit of agriculture is not limited to the one who practices it. However, that does not apply only to agriculture, rather anything that one does with one’s hands is going to benefit others, because this involves producing things that people need.  

In fact that varies according to circumstances and according to individual cases. And Allaah knows best. “

Fath al-Baari (4/304).