22/18. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1594b — Returning Riba Dates
Selling Food Like for Like
Hadith About Returning Unequal Date Exchange
Sahih Muslim : 1594b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1594b
وَحَدَّثَنَا سَلَمَةُ بْنُ شَبِيبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ أَعْيَنَ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْقِلٌ، عَنْ أَبِي قَزَعَةَ، الْبَاهِلِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي نَضْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ أُتِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِتَمْرٍ فَقَالَ " مَا هَذَا التَّمْرُ مِنْ تَمْرِنَا " . فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بِعْنَا تَمْرَنَا صَاعَيْنِ بِصَاعٍ مِنْ هَذَا . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " هَذَا الرِّبَا فَرُدُّوهُ ثُمَّ بِيعُوا تَمْرَنَا وَاشْتَرُوا لَنَا مِنْ هَذَا " .
Abu Sa'id Narrated from:
Dates were brought to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), and he said: These dates are not like our dates, whereupon a man said: We sold two sa's of our dates (in order to get) one sa', of these (fine dates), whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: That is interest; so return (these dates of fine quality), and get your (inferior dates); then sell our dates (for money) and buy for us (with the help of money) such (fine dates).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1594bIn-book reference : Book 22, Hadith 123USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 10, Hadith 3872
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1594b
This Hadith reports that dates were brought to Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, and he noticed they were not like their usual dates. A man said they had sold two sa's of their dates for one sa' of these fine dates. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said this was interest, told them to return the fine dates, get back their dates, then sell their dates and buy the fine kind. This Hadith is useful for searches about riba in date exchange, returning an interest-based sale, and two sa's for one sa'. The text gives both correction and replacement: undo the unequal exchange, then use a separate sale.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم identified the unequal date exchange as interest.
- The fine dates were to be returned in this case.
- The original dates were to be taken back.
- A separate sale and purchase was given as the proper path.
