14/17. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1230 — Gharar and Hasah Sales
What Has Been Related About: Sales of Gharar Are Disliked
Gharar Sale Hadith: Avoiding Unclear Transactions
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1230
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1230
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، أَنْبَأَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ بَيْعِ الْغَرَرِ وَبَيْعِ الْحَصَاةِ . قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ وَابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَأَبِي سَعِيدٍ وَأَنَسٍ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ كَرِهُوا بَيْعَ الْغَرَرِ . قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ وَمِنْ بُيُوعِ الْغَرَرِ بَيْعُ السَّمَكِ فِي الْمَاءِ وَبَيْعُ الْعَبْدِ الآبِقِ وَبَيْعُ الطَّيْرِ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَنَحْوُ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْبُيُوعِ . وَمَعْنَى بَيْعِ الْحَصَاةِ أَنْ يَقُولَ الْبَائِعُ لِلْمُشْتَرِي إِذَا نَبَذْتُ إِلَيْكَ بِالْحَصَاةِ فَقَدْ وَجَبَ الْبَيْعُ فِيمَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ . وَهَذَا شَبِيهٌ بِبَيْعِ الْمُنَابَذَةِ وَكَانَ هَذَا مِنْ بُيُوعِ أَهْلِ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Prohibited The Gharar Sale, And The Hasah Sale. [He Said:] There Are Narrations On This Topic From Ibn 'Umar, Ibn 'Abbas, Abu Sa'Eed, And Anas. [Abu 'Eisa Said:] This Hadith Of Abu Hurairah Is Hasan Sahih Hadith. This Hadith Is Acted Upon According To The People Of Knowledge, They Dislike The Gharar.Ash-Shafi'I Said: "The Gharar Sale Includes Selling Fish That Are In The Wate, Selling A Slave That Has Escaped, Selling Birds That Are In The Sky, And Similar Type Of Sales. And The Meaning Of Hasah Sale Is When The Seller Says To The Buyer: 'When I Toss The Pebble At You, Then The Sale Between You And I Is Final.' This Resembles The Sale Of Munabadhah And This Is One Of The Selling Practices Of The People Of Jahiliyyah."
[1] A sale involving uncertainty or deceit. It normally refers to the sale of what one does not possess, or what can not be defined, see the comments of the author.Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1230In-book reference : Book 14, Hadith 30English translation : Vol. 3, Book 12, Hadith 1230
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1230
This hadith gives a broad rule in Islamic business ethics. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم prohibited the Gharar sale and the Hasah sale. The text explains Gharar through examples mentioned by Ash-Shafi’i: selling fish in water, an escaped slave, birds in the sky, and similar sales. These examples share one problem: the item is not safely under control or clearly deliverable. The Hasah sale is also explained as a pebble-based sale where the deal becomes final when the seller throws a pebble. The message is simple. A sale should not be a game of uncertainty. It should be clear, known, and fair.
What we learn from this hadith
- Gharar sales involve serious uncertainty in what is being sold.
- A sale should not depend on a random act like throwing a pebble.
- The object of sale should be clear and deliverable.
- Islamic trade rejects practices that resemble unfair guessing or chance.
