Hadith Text & Reference

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) passed a man who was selling grain. He asked him: How are you selling? He informed him. Revelation then came down to him saying: "Put your hand into it." So he put his hand into it, and felt that it was damp. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then said: "He who deceives has nothing to do with us."

Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 3452 | Book: Wages (Kitab Al-Ijarah)

Context & Occasion of Revelation

This incident occurred when the Prophet (ﷺ) encountered a grain merchant in the marketplace. The merchant appeared to be selling dry grain, but divine revelation alerted the Prophet to hidden moisture, exposing deceptive trade practices common in pre-Islamic markets.

Legal Ruling (Hukm)

This hadith establishes the prohibition of ghubn (deception/fraud) in commercial transactions. The damp grain constituted hidden defects (gharar) that nullified proper consent in the sale. Such transactions are invalid (fasid) and must be rescinded.

Spiritual Implications

"Has nothing to do with us" indicates complete dissociation from the Muslim community's spiritual and ethical values. Deception violates trust (amanah), corrupts society, and distances one from the Prophet's guidance. True faith requires transparency in all dealings.

Practical Applications

Merchants must disclose all material defects. Buyers have the right to examine goods thoroughly. Modern equivalents include: hiding product flaws, false advertising, or withholding relevant information. The principle extends beyond sales to all contractual agreements.

Scholarly Commentary

Imam Nawawi states this demonstrates Islam's comprehensive commercial ethics. Ibn Qudamah emphasizes that deception invalidates sales regardless of scale. Contemporary scholars apply this to digital commerce, requiring full disclosure of product conditions in online transactions.