Wages (Kitab Al-Ijarah)

كتاب الإجارة

Chapter 1: Regarding The Earnings Of A Teacher

Narrated Ubaydah ibn as-Samit

I taught some persons of the people of Suffah writing and the Qur'an. A man of them presented to me a bow. I said: It cannot be reckoned property; may I shoot with it in Allah's path? I must come to the Apostle of of Allah (ﷺ) and ask him (about it). So I came to him and said : Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), one of those whom I have been teaching writing and the Qur'an has presented me a bow, and as it cannot be reckoned property, may I shoot with it in Allah's path? He said: If you want to have a necklace of fire on you, accept it.

Chapter 2: Regarding The Earnings Of Physicians

Narrated Abu Sa’id Al Khudri

Some of the Companions of Prophet (ﷺ) went on a journey. They encamped with a clan of the Arabs and sought hospitality from them, but they refused to provide them with any hospitality. The chief of the clan was stung by a scorpion or bitten by a snake. They gave him all sorts of treatment, but nothing gave him relied. One of them said: Would that you had gone to those people who encamped with you ; some of them might have something which could give you relief to your companion. (So they went and) one of them said: Our chief has been stung by a scorpion or bitten by a snake. We administered all sorts of medicine but nothing gave him relief. Has any of you anything, i.e. charm, which gives healing to our companion. One of those people said: I shall apply charm; we sought hospitality from you, but you refused to entertain us. I am not going to apply charm until you give me some wages. So they offered them a number of sheep. He then came to and recited Faithat-al-Kitab and spat until he was cured as if he were set free from a bond. Thereafter they made payment of the wages as agreed by them. They said: Apportion (the wages). The man who applied the charm said: Do not do until we come to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and consult him. So they came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) next morning and mentioned it to him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: From where did you learn that it was a charm ? You have done right. Give me a share along with you.

Kharijah b. al-Salt quoted his paternal uncle as saying that he passed by a clan (of the Arab) who came to him and said

You have brought what is good from this man. Then they brought a lunatic in chains. He recited Surat al-Fatihah over him three days, morning and evening. When he finished, he collected his saliva and then spat it out, (he felt relief) as if he were set free from a bond. They gave him something (as wages). He then came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and mentioned it to him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Accept it, for by my life, some accept it for a worthless charm, but you have done so far a genuine one.

Chapter 3: Regarding The Earnings Of A Cupper

Narrated Rafi' ibn Khadij

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The earnings of a cupper are impure, the price paid for a dog is impure, and the hire paid to a prostitute is impure.

Chapter 7: Regarding Goldsmiths

A similar tradition has also been transmitted by Abu Majidah al-Sahmi from 'Umar b. al-Khattab through a different chain of narrators.

Chapter 8: Regarding A Slave That Is Sold While He Has Wealth

Narrated Ibn 'Umar

The Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: If anyone buys a slave who possesses property. his property belongs to the seller unless buyer makes a provision and if anyone buys palm-trees after they have been fecundated, the fruit belongs to the seller unless the buyer make a provision.

Chapter 11: Regarding The Prohibition Of A Town-Dweller Selling On Behalf Of A Bedouin

Narrated Salim al-Makki

That a bedouin told him that he brought a milch she-camel in the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He alighted with Talhah ibn Ubaydullah (and wanted to sell his milch animal to him). He said: The Prophet (ﷺ) forbade a townsman to sell for a man from the desert. But go to the market and see who buys from you. consult me thereafter, and then I shall ask you (to sell) or forbid you.

Chapter 12: One Who Buys An Animal Whose Udders Have Been Tied Up

Narrated Abu Hurairah

The Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: If anyone buys sheep whose udders have been tied up, he has option for three days: he may return it if he desires with a sa' of any grain, not (necessarily) wheat.

Chapter 17: Regarding The Option Of Both Parties (To Annul A Deal)

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Both parties in a business transaction have a right to annul it so long as they have not separated unless it is a bargain with the option to annul is attached to it; and it is not permissible for one of them to separate from the other for fear that one may demand that the bargain be rescinded.

Narrated Yahya b. Ayyub

When Abu Zur'ah made a business transaction with a man, he gave him the right of option. He then would tell him: Give me the right of option (to annul the bargain). He said: I heard AbuHurayrah say: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Two people must separate only by mutual consent.

Narrated Hakim b. Hizam

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: Both parties in a business transaction have a right of option (to annul it) so long as they are not separated ; and if they tell the truth and make everything clear, they will be blessed in their transaction, but it they conceal anything and lie, the blessing on their transaction will be blotted out.

Abu Dawud said: A similar tradition has also been transmitted by Sa'id b. Abi 'Arubah and Hammad. As regards with Hammam, he said in his version: Until they separate or exercise the right of option (to annul the transaction), saying the words of option three times.

Chapter 21: Regarding Payment In Advance

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to Medina, they were paying one, two and three years in advance for fruits, so he said: Those who pay in advance for anything, must do for a specified measure and weight with a specified time fixed.

Chapter 25: Regarding The Explanation Of Blight

'Ata said

Blight means anything which obviously damages (the crop), by rain, hail, locust, blast of wind, or fire.

Chapter 26: Regarding Withholding Water

The tradition mentioned above has also been related by al-'Amash to the same effect through a different chain of narrators. This version adds

He said about (selling) the goods: I swear by Allah, I was given (the price) so and so for it. The other man considered it to be correct and bought it.

Chapter 28: Regarding The Price Of Cats

Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah

The Prophet (ﷺ) forbade payment for dog and cat.

Chapter 29: Regarding The Price Of Dogs

Narrated Abu Juhaifah

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)forbade the price paid for a dog.

Chapter 30: Regarding The Price Of Khamr And Deat Meat

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas

I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sitting neat the Black stone (or at a corner of the Ka'bah). He said: He (the Prophet) raised his eyes towards the heaven, and laughed, and he said: May Allah curse the Jews! He said this three times. Allah declared unlawful for them the fats (of the animals which died a natural death); they sold them and they enjoyed the price they received for them. When Allah declared eating of thing forbidden for the people, He declares it price also forbidden for them. The version of Khalid b. 'Abd Allah al-Tahhan does not have the words "I saw". It has: "May Allah destroy the Jews!"

The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by al-A'mash to the same effect through a different chain of narrators. This version adds

"The last verses about usury."

Chapter 31: Regarding Selling Food Before Taking Possession Of It

Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade to sell grain which one buys by measurement until one receives it in full.

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: If anyone buys grain, he should not sell it until he measures it. Abu Bakr added in his version: I asked Ibn 'Abbas: Why ? He replied: Do you not see that they sell (grain) for gold, but the grain is still with the seller.