Prohibition of Selling a Non-Existent Item for Another Non-Existent Item
✍ Written by: Imran Ayoob Lahori
① Hazrat Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) narrates:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم نهي عن بيع الكالي بالكالي
"The Prophet ﷺ forbade selling a debt for another debt."
References: Weak — Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl 1382, Daraqutni 3/71, Hakim 2/57, Bayhaqi 5/290 — its chain contains Musa bin ʿUbaydah, who is weak.
② Imam Shafiʿi (رحمه الله) narrates with the wording:
نهي عن الدين بالدين
"He ﷺ forbade the sale of a debt for a debt."
Reference: Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr 3/26 — Imam Shafiʿi notes that the scholars of hadith consider it weak.
③ Hazrat Rafiʿ bin Khadij (رضي الله عنه) said:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم نهي عن بيع كالي بكالئ و دين بدين
"The Prophet ﷺ forbade selling a debt for another debt, and selling credit for credit."
Reference: Naṣb al-Rāyah 4/40 — also contains Musa bin ʿUbaydah, weak.
Scholarly Consensus:
Although no authentic hadith exists on this exact wording, the consensus of the scholars is that selling a debt for another debt is invalid.
References: Nayl al-Awṭār 3/527, Al-Rawḍah al-Nadiyyah 2/208
Similarly, the sale of any non-existent thing for another non-existent thing is prohibited. This is further supported by the ahadith forbidding ḥabl al-ḥabalah (sale of the unborn offspring of an unborn animal) and malāqīḥ & maḍāmin (sale of unborn animals or that in the womb), as their invalidity is due to the non-existence of the subject matter.
① Hazrat Jābir (رضي الله عنه) narrates:
إذا ابتعت طعاما فلا تبعه حتى تستوفيه
"When you buy grain, do not sell it until you have taken possession of it."
References: Muslim 1528, Ahmad 3/392, Bayhaqi 5/312
② Hazrat Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) said:
نهي رسول الله أن يشترى الطعام ثم يباع حتى يستوفي
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade buying grain and then selling it before taking full possession of it."
References: Muslim 1528, Ahmad 2/337
③ Another narration:
حتى يكتاله
"Until he measures it."
Reference: Muslim 1528
④ Hazrat Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) said:
People would buy grain at the market’s high ground and sell it there before moving it.
فنهـا هـم رسـول اللـه عن بيعه فى مكانه حتى ينقلوه
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade them from selling it in its place until they had moved it."
References: Muwatta 2/641, Muslim 1527, Ahmad 1/56, Abu Dawood 3494, Nasa’i 7/287
⑤ Hazrat Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) said:
"I think all things are the same as grain in this ruling."
References: Bukhari 2135, Muslim 1525, Abu Dawood 3497, Tirmidhi 1291, Ibn Mājah 2227, Ahmad 1/221, Bayhaqi 5/312, Humaydi 1/236
⑥ Hazrat Zayd bin Thabit (رضي الله عنه) narrates:
نهى أن تباع السلع حيث تبتاع حتى يحوزها التجار إلى رحالهم
"The Prophet ﷺ forbade selling goods where they were bought until the traders had moved them to their places."
References: Sahih — Sahih Abu Dawood 2988, Abu Dawood 3499, Hakim 2/40, Daraqutni 3/13
⑦ Hazrat Ḥakīm bin Ḥizām (رضي الله عنه) narrates:
إذا اشتريت شيئا فلا تبعه حتى تقبضه
"When you buy something, do not sell it until you take possession of it."
References: Ahmad 3/403, Tabarani al-Kabir 3107, Nasa’i 7/286
Preferred Opinion (Rājiḥ): Imam Shafiʿi’s view is strongest, as the authentic ahadith support it.
Note (Imam al-Shawkani رحمه الله):
Hazrat Ibn ʿAbbās’s analogy likely came from not knowing the explicit hadith of Zayd bin Thabit and Ḥakīm bin Ḥizām.
Reference: Nayl al-Awṭār 3/532
✍ Written by: Imran Ayoob Lahori
Prohibition of Debt-for-Debt and Sale of Non-Existent Goods
① Hazrat Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) narrates:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم نهي عن بيع الكالي بالكالي
"The Prophet ﷺ forbade selling a debt for another debt."
References: Weak — Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl 1382, Daraqutni 3/71, Hakim 2/57, Bayhaqi 5/290 — its chain contains Musa bin ʿUbaydah, who is weak.
② Imam Shafiʿi (رحمه الله) narrates with the wording:
نهي عن الدين بالدين
"He ﷺ forbade the sale of a debt for a debt."
Reference: Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr 3/26 — Imam Shafiʿi notes that the scholars of hadith consider it weak.
③ Hazrat Rafiʿ bin Khadij (رضي الله عنه) said:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم نهي عن بيع كالي بكالئ و دين بدين
"The Prophet ﷺ forbade selling a debt for another debt, and selling credit for credit."
Reference: Naṣb al-Rāyah 4/40 — also contains Musa bin ʿUbaydah, weak.
Scholarly Consensus:
Although no authentic hadith exists on this exact wording, the consensus of the scholars is that selling a debt for another debt is invalid.
References: Nayl al-Awṭār 3/527, Al-Rawḍah al-Nadiyyah 2/208
Similarly, the sale of any non-existent thing for another non-existent thing is prohibited. This is further supported by the ahadith forbidding ḥabl al-ḥabalah (sale of the unborn offspring of an unborn animal) and malāqīḥ & maḍāmin (sale of unborn animals or that in the womb), as their invalidity is due to the non-existence of the subject matter.
Prohibition of Selling Before Taking Possession
① Hazrat Jābir (رضي الله عنه) narrates:
إذا ابتعت طعاما فلا تبعه حتى تستوفيه
"When you buy grain, do not sell it until you have taken possession of it."
References: Muslim 1528, Ahmad 3/392, Bayhaqi 5/312
② Hazrat Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) said:
نهي رسول الله أن يشترى الطعام ثم يباع حتى يستوفي
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade buying grain and then selling it before taking full possession of it."
References: Muslim 1528, Ahmad 2/337
③ Another narration:
حتى يكتاله
"Until he measures it."
Reference: Muslim 1528
④ Hazrat Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) said:
People would buy grain at the market’s high ground and sell it there before moving it.
فنهـا هـم رسـول اللـه عن بيعه فى مكانه حتى ينقلوه
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade them from selling it in its place until they had moved it."
References: Muwatta 2/641, Muslim 1527, Ahmad 1/56, Abu Dawood 3494, Nasa’i 7/287
⑤ Hazrat Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) said:
"I think all things are the same as grain in this ruling."
References: Bukhari 2135, Muslim 1525, Abu Dawood 3497, Tirmidhi 1291, Ibn Mājah 2227, Ahmad 1/221, Bayhaqi 5/312, Humaydi 1/236
⑥ Hazrat Zayd bin Thabit (رضي الله عنه) narrates:
نهى أن تباع السلع حيث تبتاع حتى يحوزها التجار إلى رحالهم
"The Prophet ﷺ forbade selling goods where they were bought until the traders had moved them to their places."
References: Sahih — Sahih Abu Dawood 2988, Abu Dawood 3499, Hakim 2/40, Daraqutni 3/13
⑦ Hazrat Ḥakīm bin Ḥizām (رضي الله عنه) narrates:
إذا اشتريت شيئا فلا تبعه حتى تقبضه
"When you buy something, do not sell it until you take possession of it."
References: Ahmad 3/403, Tabarani al-Kabir 3107, Nasa’i 7/286
Opinions of the Scholars
- Imam Malik (رحمه الله): Before possession, sale is only invalid for grain; other items are allowed.
- Imam Ahmad (رحمه الله): If the item is measurable or weighable, it cannot be sold before possession; otherwise, it is allowed.
- Imam Shafiʿi, Imam Zafar, Imam Muhammad (رحمهم الله): Nothing may be sold before possession, whether grain or otherwise.
- Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Abu Yusuf (رحمهم الله): Immovable property may be sold before possession; movable goods may not.
Preferred Opinion (Rājiḥ): Imam Shafiʿi’s view is strongest, as the authentic ahadith support it.
Note (Imam al-Shawkani رحمه الله):
Hazrat Ibn ʿAbbās’s analogy likely came from not knowing the explicit hadith of Zayd bin Thabit and Ḥakīm bin Ḥizām.
Reference: Nayl al-Awṭār 3/532
