44/26. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4517 — Do Not Trade What Is Unseen
Explanation Of that
Hadith About Unknown Goods and Unclear Sales
Sunan an-Nasai : 4517
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4517
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْمُعْتَمِرُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عُبَيْدَ اللَّهِ، عَنْ خُبَيْبٍ، عَنْ حَفْصِ بْنِ عَاصِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ نَهَى عَنْ بَيْعَتَيْنِ أَمَّا الْبَيْعَتَانِ فَالْمُنَابَذَةُ وَالْمُلاَمَسَةُ وَزَعَمَ أَنَّ الْمُلاَمَسَةَ أَنْ يَقُولَ الرَّجُلُ لِلرَّجُلِ أَبِيعُكَ ثَوْبِي بِثَوْبِكَ وَلاَ يَنْظُرَ وَاحِدٌ مِنْهُمَا إِلَى ثَوْبِ الآخَرِ وَلَكِنْ يَلْمِسُهُ لَمْسًا وَأَمَّا الْمُنَابَذَةُ أَنْ يَقُولَ أَنْبُذُ مَا مَعِي وَتَنْبُذُ مَا مَعَكَ لِيَشْتَرِيَ أَحَدُهُمَا مِنَ الآخَرِ وَلاَ يَدْرِي كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا كَمْ مَعَ الآخَرِ وَنَحْوًا مِنْ هَذَا الْوَصْفِ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet forbade two kinds of transactions: Munabadhah and Mulamasha. And he said that Mulamasah means when one man says to another: "I will sell you my garment for your garment," and neither of them looks at the garment of the others, rather he just touches it. And Munabadhah is when he says: "I will throw what I have and you throw what you have," so that they buy from one another, and neither of them knows how much the other has, and so on.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4517In-book reference : Book 44, Hadith 69English translation : Vol. 1, Book 8, Hadith 4521
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4517
This hadith about unknown goods explains two forbidden transactions. Mulamasah is described as a man saying, “I will sell you my garment for your garment,” while neither person looks at the other’s garment and only touches it. Munabadhah is described as one person saying, “I will throw what I have and you throw what you have,” so that they buy from one another while neither knows how much the other has. The teaching is very direct: a sale should not be based on ignorance of the item or amount. Islamic business ethics call for clear knowledge of what is exchanged, not blind touching, throwing, or guessing.
What we learn from this hadith
- Do not trade garments without each side looking at the other’s garment.
- Do not exchange goods when neither side knows what the other has.
- Touching alone is not a clear basis for trade.
- Both sides should know the item or amount being exchanged.
