Ruling on Price Fixing (Tasiʿīr) and Waiving Loss Due to Calamities (Jawāʾiḥ)
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
Definition of Tasiʿīr:
Tasiʿīr means “fixing the price of goods.” It is a verbal noun from the form sʿarra – yusʿir in the pattern tafʿīl.
[Al-Munjid, p. 374]
Prohibition of Price Fixing
➊ Allāh Almighty says:
«وَاللَّهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْسُطُ» [Al-Baqarah: 245]
“It is Allāh who restricts and grants abundance.”
➋ Ḥaḍrat Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه narrates:
During the time of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, prices in Madinah rose high. The people said: “O Messenger of Allāh, fix prices for us.” The Prophet ﷺ replied:
«إن الله هو المسعر القابض الباسط الرازق، إني لأرجو أن ألقى ربي وليس أحد يطلبني بمظلمة في دم ولا مال»
“Indeed, it is Allāh who fixes prices, who makes things cheap or expensive, and who is the Provider. I hope to meet my Lord without anyone having a claim against me for wrongdoing in blood or wealth.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Ghāyat al-Marām: 323; Abū Dāwūd: 3451, Kitāb al-Buyūʿ: Bāb fī al-tasiʿīr; al-Tirmidhī: 1314; Ibn Mājah: 2200; al-Dārimī: 2/324; Aḥmad: 3/156]
Imām al-Ṣanʿānī رحمه الله said: This ḥadīth proves that price fixing is ẓulm (injustice), and injustice is ḥarām.
[Subul al-Salām: 3/1089]
Form of Tasiʿīr:
When the ruler, his deputy, or a market authority compels sellers to not sell above a fixed rate and halts natural price fluctuation for political or economic reasons, this harms traders and causes goods to be hoarded, depriving people of essentials.
Ruling on Jawāʾiḥ (Calamities)
Jawāʾiḥ is the plural of jāʾiḥah, meaning a disaster or calamity that destroys crops or wealth.
➊ Ḥaḍrat Jābir رضي الله عنه narrates:
«أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وضع الجوائح»
“The Prophet ﷺ waived the loss due to calamities.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Ṣaḥīḥ Abī Dāwūd: 2885, Kitāb al-Buyūʿ: Bāb fī bayʿ al-sinīn; Abū Dāwūd: 3374; al-Nasāʾī: 7/265; Aḥmad: 3/309]
➋ In another narration:
«أمر بوضع الجوائح»
“He ﷺ ordered that the loss due to calamities be waived.”
[Muslim: 1554]
➌ The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:
“If you sell fruit to your brother and it is struck by a calamity (like flood or storm), it is not permissible for you to take anything from him. On what basis would you take your brother’s wealth unjustly?”
[Muslim: 1554, Kitāb al-Muzāraʿah: Bāb waḍʿ al-jawāʾiḥ; al-Dārimī: 2/252; Abū Dāwūd: 3470; al-Nasāʾī: 7/264; Ibn Mājah: 2219; Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār: 4/34]
Opinions of Scholars:
[See details in: Nayl al-Awṭār: 3/552; al-Umm: 3/72; Rawḍat al-Ṭālibīn: 3/719; al-Mabsūṭ: 2/195; al-Mughnī: 6/177; Ḥāshiyat al-Dusūqī: 3/182]
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
Definition of Tasiʿīr:
Tasiʿīr means “fixing the price of goods.” It is a verbal noun from the form sʿarra – yusʿir in the pattern tafʿīl.
[Al-Munjid, p. 374]
Prohibition of Price Fixing
➊ Allāh Almighty says:
«وَاللَّهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْسُطُ» [Al-Baqarah: 245]
“It is Allāh who restricts and grants abundance.”
➋ Ḥaḍrat Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه narrates:
During the time of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, prices in Madinah rose high. The people said: “O Messenger of Allāh, fix prices for us.” The Prophet ﷺ replied:
«إن الله هو المسعر القابض الباسط الرازق، إني لأرجو أن ألقى ربي وليس أحد يطلبني بمظلمة في دم ولا مال»
“Indeed, it is Allāh who fixes prices, who makes things cheap or expensive, and who is the Provider. I hope to meet my Lord without anyone having a claim against me for wrongdoing in blood or wealth.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Ghāyat al-Marām: 323; Abū Dāwūd: 3451, Kitāb al-Buyūʿ: Bāb fī al-tasiʿīr; al-Tirmidhī: 1314; Ibn Mājah: 2200; al-Dārimī: 2/324; Aḥmad: 3/156]
Imām al-Ṣanʿānī رحمه الله said: This ḥadīth proves that price fixing is ẓulm (injustice), and injustice is ḥarām.
[Subul al-Salām: 3/1089]
Form of Tasiʿīr:
When the ruler, his deputy, or a market authority compels sellers to not sell above a fixed rate and halts natural price fluctuation for political or economic reasons, this harms traders and causes goods to be hoarded, depriving people of essentials.
- Imām Mālik: Ruler may fix prices.
- Some Shāfiʿīs: Price fixing is permissible in times of inflation.
- Majority (Jumhūr): Price fixing is never permissible in any situation.
- Preferred Opinion: The view of the majority is stronger.
[Nayl al-Awṭār: 3/603]
Ruling on Jawāʾiḥ (Calamities)
Jawāʾiḥ is the plural of jāʾiḥah, meaning a disaster or calamity that destroys crops or wealth.
➊ Ḥaḍrat Jābir رضي الله عنه narrates:
«أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وضع الجوائح»
“The Prophet ﷺ waived the loss due to calamities.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Ṣaḥīḥ Abī Dāwūd: 2885, Kitāb al-Buyūʿ: Bāb fī bayʿ al-sinīn; Abū Dāwūd: 3374; al-Nasāʾī: 7/265; Aḥmad: 3/309]
➋ In another narration:
«أمر بوضع الجوائح»
“He ﷺ ordered that the loss due to calamities be waived.”
[Muslim: 1554]
➌ The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:
“If you sell fruit to your brother and it is struck by a calamity (like flood or storm), it is not permissible for you to take anything from him. On what basis would you take your brother’s wealth unjustly?”
[Muslim: 1554, Kitāb al-Muzāraʿah: Bāb waḍʿ al-jawāʾiḥ; al-Dārimī: 2/252; Abū Dāwūd: 3470; al-Nasāʾī: 7/264; Ibn Mājah: 2219; Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār: 4/34]
Opinions of Scholars:
- Imām al-Shāfiʿī, al-Layth: Seller must return payment to buyer.
- Imām Aḥmad, Abū ʿUbayd: Same opinion.
- Imām Mālik: If less than one-third of the goods are destroyed, no waiver is required; if one-third or more is destroyed, it must be waived.
- Imām Abū Dāwūd: No authentic evidence for the “one-third” condition.
- Imām Abū Ḥanīfah: Waiver is recommended, not obligatory.
- Preferred Opinion: Waiver is obligatory in all cases.
[See details in: Nayl al-Awṭār: 3/552; al-Umm: 3/72; Rawḍat al-Ṭālibīn: 3/719; al-Mabsūṭ: 2/195; al-Mughnī: 6/177; Ḥāshiyat al-Dusūqī: 3/182]
