65/3.3. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4551 — False Oath in the Market
"Verily, those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's Covenant and their oaths, they shall have no portion in the Hereafter (Paradise)... (till) ... and they shall have a painful torment." (V.3 -77)
{أَلِيمٌ} مُؤْلِمٌ مُوجِعٌ مِنَ الأَلَمِ، وَهْوَ فِي مَوْضِعِ مُفْعِلٍ.
Hadith About False Oath in Trade and Market Honesty
Sahih Bukhari : 4551
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4551
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيٌّ ـ هُوَ ابْنُ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ ـ سَمِعَ هُشَيْمًا، أَخْبَرَنَا الْعَوَّامُ بْنُ حَوْشَبٍ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي أَوْفَى ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ رَجُلاً، أَقَامَ سِلْعَةً فِي السُّوقِ فَحَلَفَ فِيهَا لَقَدْ أَعْطَى بِهَا مَا لَمْ يُعْطَهُ. لِيُوقِعَ فِيهَا رَجُلاً مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَنَزَلَتْ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَشْتَرُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ وَأَيْمَانِهِمْ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً} إِلَى آخِرِ الآيَةِ.
`Abdullah bin Abi `Aufa Narrated from:
A man displayed some merchandise in the market and took an oath that he had been offered a certain price for it while in fact he had not, in order to cheat a man from the Muslims. So then was revealed:--"Verily! Those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's Covenant and their oaths..."(3.77)
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4551In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 73USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 73
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4551
This Hadith about market honesty shows a direct example of cheating in trade. Abdullah bin Abu Aufa رضي الله عنه narrates that a man displayed merchandise in the market and took an oath that he had been offered a certain price for it, even though he had not. His aim was to cheat a Muslim man. Then the verse was revealed about those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah’s covenant and their oaths. The Hadith is very practical for anyone searching for a hadith about business honesty or false oath in selling. It shows that using Allah’s name to make a sale look better is not a small matter when it is based on a lie.
What we learn from this hadith
- A seller must not lie about the price offered for goods.
- Oaths should not be used to trick buyers.
- Market honesty is part of religious responsibility.
- A small gain is not worth falsehood in Allah’s name.
