22/18. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1593b — Fine Dates and Riba
Selling Food Like for Like
Hadith About Fine Dates and Riba
Sahih Muslim : 1593b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1593b
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَجِيدِ بْنِ سُهَيْلِ بْنِ عَبْدِ، الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم اسْتَعْمَلَ رَجُلاً عَلَى خَيْبَرَ فَجَاءَهُ بِتَمْرٍ جَنِيبٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَكُلُّ تَمْرِ خَيْبَرَ هَكَذَا " . فَقَالَ لاَ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا لَنَأْخُذُ الصَّاعَ مِنْ هَذَا بِالصَّاعَيْنِ وَالصَّاعَيْنِ بِالثَّلاَثَةِ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " فَلاَ تَفْعَلْ بِعِ الْجَمْعَ بِالدَّرَاهِمِ ثُمَّ ابْتَعْ بِالدَّرَاهِمِ جَنِيبًا " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) deputed a person to collect revenue from Khaibar. He brought fine quality of dates, whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Are all the dates of Khaibar like this)? He said: No. We got one sa' (of fine dates) for two sa's (of inferior dates), and (similarly) two sa's for three sa's. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Don't do that rather sell the inferior quality of dates for dirhams (money), and then buy the superior quality with the help of dirhams.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1593bIn-book reference : Book 22, Hadith 121USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 10, Hadith 3870
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1593b
This Hadith gives a practical correction for a date exchange. A man brought fine dates from Khaibar. When Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم asked about them, he said they would take one sa' of those dates for two sa's of lower quality dates, and two sa's for three sa's. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told him not to do that. Instead, he should sell the inferior dates for dirhams and then buy the superior dates with dirhams. This Hadith is important for searches about riba in dates, superior dates Hadith, and how to avoid usury in exchange. The teaching stays focused on dates of different quality.
What we learn from this hadith
- Unequal exchange of dates of different quality was rejected in the text.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم gave a separate-sale method using dirhams.
- The Hadith teaches that better quality does not justify unequal same-item exchange here.
- The solution was to sell first and then buy.
