Rules for Returning Borrowed Items, Measuring Grain, Selling by Estimate, and Earnings from Manual Labor

This excerpt is taken from the Arabic book Al-Awamer wal-Nawahi by Sheikh Hussain bin Mubarak Al-Mawsili, whose Urdu translation has been done by Muhammad Sarwar Gohar under the title Ahkamat o Mamnoaat.

Returning a Borrowed Item​

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① It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم borrowed a large bowl, and when it was lost, the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم guaranteed it to its owners.

Reference: Tirmidhi, but the book's investigator states that I did not find this narration in Sunan Tirmidhi. Ibn Adi narrated it in Al-Kamil 3/1363. The words of this narration are: A respected wife of the Noble Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم borrowed a bowl.

② Sayyiduna Samurah رضي الله عنه narrates from the Noble Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم that he said:
على اليد ما أخذت حتى تؤديه
"When a person takes something in his hand, he is responsible for it until its return."

Reference: Abu Dawood, Kitab al-Buyu' 3561. Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Buyu' 1266. The narration is weak. It has a good narrator who is a mudallis.

Instructions Regarding Measuring Grain​

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① It is narrated from Sayyiduna Miqdad bin Ma'di Karib رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
كيلوا طعامكم يبارك لكم فيه
"Measure your grain, for it will bring you blessings."

Reference: Bukhari, Book of Sales 2128. Sunan Ibn Majah 2232.

② It is narrated from Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنه that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
إذا بعت فكل ، وإذا ابتعت فاكتل
"When you sell grain, measure it, and when you buy it, measure it as well."

Reference: Bukhari, Book of Sales 403/4, commentary.

Prohibition of Selling Grain by Estimation​

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① It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
من اشترى طعاما فلا يبعه حتى يستوفيه
"Whoever buys grain should not sell it before taking full possession of it."

Reference: Bukhari, Book of Sales 2126. Muslim, Book of Sales 1526.

And he explained that we used to buy grain from caravan people by estimation, so the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم forbade us from selling it without transferring it from that place.

Instructions Regarding Earning by One’s Own Effort​

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① Sayyiduna Miqdad bin Ma'dikarib رضي الله عنه narrates from the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم that he said:
ما أكل أحد طعاما قط خيرا من أن يأكل من عمل يديه ، وإن نبي الله داود كان يأكل من عمل يده
"No one has ever eaten better food than that which is earned by his own hands. And the Prophet of Allah, Dawud عليه السلام, used to eat from the earnings of his own hands."

Reference: Bukhari, Book of Trade, Chapter on Encouragement towards Earnings, Hadith 2072. Ibn Majah, Book of Trade, Chapter on Encouragement towards Earnings 2138.