Prohibition of concealing defects in trade, hoarding, selling a free person, and selling alcohol

① It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) passed by a heap of grain in the market. He (peace be upon him) put his hand into it, and his fingers became wet. He (peace be upon him) asked:

ما هذا يا صاحب الطعام ؟

“O seller of grain! What is this?”
He replied: O Messenger of Allah! It had rained on it. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

أفلا جعلته فوق الطعام حتى يراه الناس ، من غشنا فليس منا

“Why did you not place the wet part on top of the grain so that people could see it? Whoever cheats us is not one of us.”

② It is also narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) passed by a man who was selling grain. He (peace be upon him) asked him:
“How are you selling the grain?”
When he told him, Allah revealed to the Prophet to put his hand inside it. So the Prophet (peace be upon him) put his hand inside, and it was wet. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

ليس منا من غشنا

“Whoever cheats us is not one of us.”

③ Sayyiduna Hakim bin Hizam (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that he said:

المتبايعان بالخيار ما لم يتفرقا ، فإن صدقا وبينا بورك لهما فى بيعهما ، وإن كتما وكذبا محقت بركة بيعهما

“When buyers and sellers separate, the option to either maintain or cancel the sale remains with them. If they speak the truth and disclose defects, their sale is blessed. But if they conceal defects and lie, the blessing is removed from their sale.”

① It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ya’la bin Umayyah رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:

احتكار الطعام فى الحرم إلحاد فيه

“Hoarding grain in the sanctuary to increase its price is equivalent to disbelief.”

② Sayyiduna Mu’ammar bin Abdullah رضي الله عنه narrates from the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم that he said:

لا يحتكر إلا خاطئ

“Only a sinful person hoards.”

① Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه reports that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:

قال الله تعالى : ثلاثة أنا خصمهم يوم القيامة : رجل أعطى بي ثم غدر ، ورجل باع حرا فأكل ثمنه ، ورجل استأجر أجيرا فاستوفى منه العمل ولم يعطه أجره

“Allah Almighty says: There are three types of people with whom I will be an enemy on the Day of Resurrection. One is the person who makes a covenant by My name and then breaks it. The second is the person who sells a free person and consumes his price. And the third is the person who hires a laborer, takes full work from him, but does not pay him his wages.”

① Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما narrates that Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab رضي الله عنه received news that a certain person had sold alcohol. He said: May Allah destroy that person, does he not know that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:

لعن الله اليهود ، حرمت عليهم الشحوم فجملوها فباعوها

“May Allah curse the Jews, when fats were forbidden to them, they melted them and started selling them.”

② Sayyiduna Mughirah bin Shu’bah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:

من باع الخمر فليشقص الخنازير

“Whoever sells alcohol, it is as if he is cutting up a pig and selling its pieces.”