Written by: Imrān Ayyūb Lāhorī
➊ Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما:
“The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ forbade Bayʿ al-Muzābanah, which is when a man sells the fresh dates of his orchard for dry dates, or sells fresh grapes for raisins by measure, or sells crops for grain.”
«نهى عن ذلك كله» — “He ﷺ forbade all of these forms of sale.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2185; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1542; Aḥmad: 2/5; Abū Dāwūd: 3361; al-Nasāʾī: 7/266; Ibn Mājah: 2265; al-Ṭaḥāwī: 4/33)
➋ Ḥadīth of Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ رضي الله عنه:
When asked whether fresh dates could be sold for dry dates, the Prophet ﷺ said:
«أينقص الرطب إذا يبس؟»
“Do they reduce in weight when they dry?”
They replied, “Yes.” So the Prophet ﷺ forbade it.
(al-Muwaṭṭaʾ: 2/624; Abū Dāwūd: 3359; al-Tirmidhī: 1225; Ibn Mājah: 2264; Aḥmad: 1/179; Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār: 4/6; al-Dāraquṭnī: 3/49; al-Bayhaqī: 5/294)
➊ Ḥadīth of Zayd ibn Thābit رضي الله عنه:
“The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ allowed the sale of ʿArāyā by estimation (kharṣ) for dry dates.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2173, 2188; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1539; Abū Dāwūd: 3362; al-Tirmidhī: 1302; al-Nasāʾī: 7/267; Ibn Mājah: 2269; al-Dārimī: 2/168; al-Ḥumaydī: 399; Aḥmad: 5/181)
➋ Ḥadīth of Rāfiʿ ibn Khadīj and Sahl ibn Abī Ḥathmah رضي الله عنهما:
“The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ forbade Bayʿ al-Muzābanah except for the owners of ʿArāyā, for whom He permitted it.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2383; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1540; al-Tirmidhī: 1303; Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār: 4/29)
The allowance applies only when the amount is five wasqs or less (approx. 20 mann).
Ḥadīth:
“The Prophet ﷺ allowed the sale of ʿArāyā for an estimated amount of dry dates, in the case of five wasqs or less.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2190; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1541; Abū Dāwūd: 3364; al-Tirmidhī: 1301; al-Nasāʾī: 4541)
Due to the narrator’s uncertainty, acting upon the lesser amount is more precautionary.
The concession is valid, but within the limit of five wasqs or less as mentioned in the authentic ḥadīth.
Prohibition of Bayʿ al-Muzābanah
➊ Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما:
“The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ forbade Bayʿ al-Muzābanah, which is when a man sells the fresh dates of his orchard for dry dates, or sells fresh grapes for raisins by measure, or sells crops for grain.”
«نهى عن ذلك كله» — “He ﷺ forbade all of these forms of sale.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2185; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1542; Aḥmad: 2/5; Abū Dāwūd: 3361; al-Nasāʾī: 7/266; Ibn Mājah: 2265; al-Ṭaḥāwī: 4/33)
➋ Ḥadīth of Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ رضي الله عنه:
When asked whether fresh dates could be sold for dry dates, the Prophet ﷺ said:
«أينقص الرطب إذا يبس؟»
“Do they reduce in weight when they dry?”
They replied, “Yes.” So the Prophet ﷺ forbade it.
(al-Muwaṭṭaʾ: 2/624; Abū Dāwūd: 3359; al-Tirmidhī: 1225; Ibn Mājah: 2264; Aḥmad: 1/179; Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār: 4/6; al-Dāraquṭnī: 3/49; al-Bayhaqī: 5/294)
Scholarly Positions on the Prohibition
- Majority (Jumhūr), al-Shāfiʿī, Mālik, Qāḍī Abū Yūsuf, and Imām Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan: Not permissible.
- Abū Ḥanīfah: Permissible.
(al-Umm: 3/26; al-Ḥāwī: 5/130; al-Mabsūṭ: 12/184; al-Ikhtiyār: 2/32; Subul al-Salām: 3/56; al-Mughnī: 6/67)
Exception for Ahl al-ʿArāyā
➊ Ḥadīth of Zayd ibn Thābit رضي الله عنه:
“The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ allowed the sale of ʿArāyā by estimation (kharṣ) for dry dates.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2173, 2188; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1539; Abū Dāwūd: 3362; al-Tirmidhī: 1302; al-Nasāʾī: 7/267; Ibn Mājah: 2269; al-Dārimī: 2/168; al-Ḥumaydī: 399; Aḥmad: 5/181)
➋ Ḥadīth of Rāfiʿ ibn Khadīj and Sahl ibn Abī Ḥathmah رضي الله عنهما:
“The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ forbade Bayʿ al-Muzābanah except for the owners of ʿArāyā, for whom He permitted it.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2383; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1540; al-Tirmidhī: 1303; Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār: 4/29)
Meaning of ʿArāyā
- Linguistically: Plural of ʿAriyyah, meaning “to seek a gift.”
- Sharʿī sense: When a garden owner gifts a date palm to someone, but later dislikes their coming to the orchard, they may buy it back for dry dates by estimation.
Historically, in times of famine, Arabs would gift certain date palms to the poor. Later, to avoid their frequent visits or to allow them to sell before ripening, the owner would exchange the fresh dates for dry ones. This is a form of Muzābanah, but an exception was made for ʿArāyā.
(Fatḥ al-Bārī: 5/136; Nayl al-Awṭār: 3/579; al-Rawḍah al-Nadiyyah: 2/238; Subul al-Salām: 3/1139)
Limit for Ahl al-ʿArāyā
The allowance applies only when the amount is five wasqs or less (approx. 20 mann).
Ḥadīth:
“The Prophet ﷺ allowed the sale of ʿArāyā for an estimated amount of dry dates, in the case of five wasqs or less.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2190; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1541; Abū Dāwūd: 3364; al-Tirmidhī: 1301; al-Nasāʾī: 4541)
Due to the narrator’s uncertainty, acting upon the lesser amount is more precautionary.
Scholarly Opinions on the Limit
- Shāfiʿiyyah, Ḥanābilah, Ahl al-Ẓāhir: Permissible up to 5 wasqs.
- Ḥanafiyyah: Ḥadīths of ʿArāyā are abrogated (this claim of abrogation is without evidence).
(Rawḍat al-Ṭālibīn: 3/218; al-Hidāyah: 3/44; al-Ḥujjah ʿalā Ahl al-Madīnah: 2/547; al-Kāfī: p. 315; al-Mughnī: 6/119; Kashshāf al-Qināʿ: 3/209; al-Umm: 3/68; Subul al-Salām: 3/57)
Preferred (Rājiḥ) View:
The concession is valid, but within the limit of five wasqs or less as mentioned in the authentic ḥadīth.
