Islamic Ruling on False Bidding and Selling Over Another’s Sale

Bidding to Inflate Prices and Selling Over Another’s Sale is Prohibited


✍ Written by: Imran Ayoob Lahori

Linguistic Clarification of “Najash”​

The term تناجش is used to mean “bidding higher than another” and “frightening away game,” and is derived from the verbal form تفاعل.
References: Al-Munjid p.874, Al-Qāmūs al-Muḥīṭ p.545

Shar‘i Definition​

It is when a person increases the price of an item without the intention of purchasing it, but only to trap someone else into buying it at a higher rate. This is called “najash” because the bidder arouses interest in the item.

• If this is done in agreement with the seller beforehand, then both are equally sinful.
• If the seller is unaware, only the bidder is sinful.
• Sometimes the seller himself exaggerates the purchase price to stir competition among buyers.

References: Fatḥ al-Bārī 5/90, Tuhfat al-Aḥwadhī 4/604

Prohibition of Najash (False Bidding)​

① Hazrat Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) narrates:


نهى رسول الله عن النجش
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade najash."
References: Bukhari 2142, Kitāb al-Buyūʿ: Bāb al-Najash…, Muslim 1516, Muwatta 2/683, Nasa’i 7/258, Ibn Mājah 2173, Ahmad 2/108, Sharḥ al-Sunnah 4/290


② Hazrat Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) narrates:


نهى أن يبيع حاضر لباد وأن يتناجشوا
"The Prophet ﷺ forbade a city dweller from selling on behalf of a Bedouin, and from artificially inflating prices through bidding."
References: Bukhari 2140, 2150, Muslim 1515, Nasa’i 7/258, Tirmidhi 1190, Ibn Mājah 2172, Ahmad 2/274


Consensus:
Imam Ibn Baṭṭāl (رحمه الله) stated that there is consensus among scholars that the one practicing najash is sinful.
Reference: Fatḥ al-Bārī 4/355

Prohibition of Selling Over Another’s Sale​

① Hazrat Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:


لا يبع أحدكم على بيع أخيه
"None of you should sell over the sale of his brother."
References: Muwatta 2/523, Ahmad 2/122, Bukhari 5142, Muslim 1412, Abu Dawood 2081, Tirmidhi 1292, Ibn Mājah 1868, Darimi 2/135


② Hazrat Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) narrates:


لا يبيع الرجل على بيع أخيه
"A man should not sell over the sale of his brother."
References: Bukhari 5143, Muslim 1413, Abu Dawood 2080, Nasa’i 6/73, Ibn Mājah 1867


A narration with the wording:
أن من باع من رجلين فهو للأول منهما
"Whoever sells to two persons, it is for the first of them" — is weak.
Reference: Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl 1853

Explanation of the Scenario​

• Sale over a sale occurs when a transaction has been made with an option (khiyār) period, and during that period, another person convinces the buyer to cancel the first deal by offering him a cheaper and better alternative.
• Purchase over a purchase is also prohibited — where someone convinces the seller to cancel a pending sale and sell the item to him for a higher price.

References: Subul al-Salām 3/1084, Nayl al-Awṭār 3/541


Ibn Ḥajar (رحمه الله): There is no difference of opinion regarding the prohibition of this act.
Reference: Fatḥ al-Bārī 5/88