21/4. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1515c — Honest Market Conduct
The prohibition of urging a buyer to cancel a purchase in order to sell him one's own goods; And urging a seller to cancel a sale already agreed upon so that one can buy the goods oneself; And the prohibition of artificially inflating prices; And the prohibition of letting milk accumulate in the udder in order to deceive the purchaser
Hadith About Honest Market Conduct in Islam
Sahih Muslim : 1515c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1515c
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ يُتَلَقَّى الرُّكْبَانُ لِبَيْعٍ وَلاَ يَبِعْ بَعْضُكُمْ عَلَى بَيْعِ بَعْضٍ وَلاَ تَنَاجَشُوا وَلاَ يَبِعْ حَاضِرٌ لِبَادٍ وَلاَ تُصَرُّوا الإِبِلَ وَالْغَنَمَ فَمَنِ ابْتَاعَهَا بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ بِخَيْرِ النَّظَرَيْنِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَحْلُبَهَا فَإِنْ رَضِيَهَا أَمْسَكَهَا وَإِنْ سَخِطَهَا رَدَّهَا وَصَاعًا مِنْ تَمْرٍ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Do not go out to meet riders to enter into transaction with them; none of you must buy in opposition to another, nor must you bid against one another; a townsman must not sell for a man from the desert, and do not tie up udders of camels and sheep, and he who buys them after that has been done has two courses open to him: after he has milked them he may keep them if he is pleased with them, or he may return them along with a sit of dates if he is displeased with them.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1515cIn-book reference : Book 21, Hadith 15USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 10, Hadith 3620
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1515c
This hadith gives a wider set of rules for honest market conduct. Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said not to meet riders for trade before they reach the market, not to buy in opposition to another, not to bid against one another, not to let a townsman sell for a man from the desert, and not to tie up the udders of camels and sheep. The hadith also mentions what happens if someone buys such an animal: after milking it, he may keep it if pleased, or return it with a sa‘ of dates if displeased. The main message is that trade should not be built on tricking people, blocking fair market access, or creating a false impression. It is a strong hadith on Islamic business ethics.
What we learn from this hadith
- Do not meet traders before the goods reach the market.
- Do not buy in opposition to another person or bid against one another.
- Do not create a false impression by tying the udders of animals.
- The buyer in the stated case is given a choice after discovering the matter.
