Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #8

Two Traders

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said regarding the two traders:

فإن صدقا وبينا بورك لهما في بيعهما

“and if both the parties spoke the truth and described the defects and qualities (of the goods), then they would be blessed in their transaction” [1]

Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

The difference between “speaking the truth” and “describing the defect” is:

الصدق (Speaking the Truth) while describing the good/likeable qualities (of a commodity).

البيان (Making Known) the dislikable/undesirable qualities (of a commodity).

So, hiding the defect (in a commodity) is the opposite of making it clear/known; and adding in the description of a commodity which is not in it is the opposite of telling the truth. [2] [3]

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (1/322)]

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[1] Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (2079, 2082, 2110, 2114) and Saheeh Muslim (2833).

Narrated Hakeem bin Hizaam رضي الله عنه: Allaah’s Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “The seller and the buyer have the right to keep or return goods as long as they have not parted or till they part; and if both the parties spoke the truth and described the defects and qualities (of the goods), then they would be blessed in their transaction, and if they told lies or hid something, then the blessings of their transaction would be lost.”

[2] Allaah تبارك وتعالى described another type fraud in business transactions:

{Woe to al-Mutaffifeen (those who give less in measure and weight). Those who, when they have to receive by measure from men, demand full measure, and when they have to give by measure or weight to (other) men, give less than due. Do they not think that they will be resurrected (for reckoning), On a Great Day? The Day when (all) mankind will stand before the Lord of the `aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists).} [Surah al-Mutaffifeen (83): 1-6]

[3] In the past, Prophet Shu`aib عليه السلام peoples lack of faith in Allaah and on the Day of Judgment led them into cheating and injustice in their business dealings. So widespread was this that it was considered the norm in the society and no one would question this. It has now become the norm of our society where water is added to milk, chemicals in food, small stones/pebbles in food grains etc.