Business Transactions

The Chapter on the division of tributes from territories the Muslims have conquered, and spoils of war, will follow the Book of Jihad, if Allah the Most High wills.

The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked, 'What type of earning is best?' He replied, "A man's work with his hand and every transaction which is free from cheating or deception."[Reported by al-Bazzar; al-Hakim graded it Sahih (authentic)].

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying in the year of the Conquest, while he was in Makkah, "Allah and His Messenger have forbidden the sale of intoxicants, dead animals, swine and idols." He was asked, "O Allah's Messenger, what about the fat of a dead animal, for it is used for greasing ships, greasing the hides (of animals), and making oils for lamps?" He replied, "No, it is unlawful." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) then added: "May Allah curse the Jews, when Allah the Most High declared the fat of such animals unlawful they melted it, then sold it and devoured its price (profit)."[Agreed upon].

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "When two people who are arranging a business transaction disagree and there is no proof to arbitrate between them, the seller's word is final, or they may break the deal."[Reported by al-Khamsa and authenticated by al-Hakim].

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) prohibited the money paid for a dog, the payment of a prostitute, and the payment given to a soothsayer."[Agreed upon].

I was traveling on a camel of mine which had become exhausted, so I intended to let it go free. The Prophet (ﷺ) followed me and made supplication for me and struck it. Then, it went as it had never done before. He then said, "Sell it to me for on Uqiya." I replied, "No." He again said, "Sell it to me." So I sold it to him for one Uqiya. However I stipulated that I should be allowed to ride it home. Then when I reached (home), I took the camel to him and he paid me its price in cash. I then went back and he sent someone after me. (When I came), he said, "Do you think that I asked you to reduce the value of your camel's price to take it? Take your camel and your money, for it is yours."[Agreed upon; and this is Muslim's wording].

A man among us declared that a slave belonging to him would be free after his death. However, he had no other property. So, the Prophet (ﷺ) sent for him (the slave) and sold him.[Agreed upon].

A mouse fell into some ghee and died. The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked about it and he replied, "Throw it - and what is surrounding (touching) it - away and eat it (that which remained untouched)."[Reported by al-Bukhari].

"into a solid ghee."

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: "If a mouse falls into ghee which is solid, throw the mouse and what is surrounding it away; but if it is in a liquid state do not go near it."[Ahmad and Abu Dawud reported it; al-Bukhari and Abu Hatim ruled it to be Wahm (an error) (in reporting it from Abu Hurairah)].

I asked Jabir (RA) about the payment for cats and dogs and he replied, "The Prophet (ﷺ) warned sternly against that."[Reported by Muslim].

"except a hunting dog."

Barirah came to her and said, "I had arranged to buy my freedom for nine Uqiya; one Uqiyah to be paid annually, so help me." 'Aishah (RA) replied, "If your people are pleased that I should pay (the amount) to them, and I shall have the right to inherit from you, I shall do so." Barira went to her people and told them about it, but they refused the offer. When she came back Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was sitting (in the house). She said, "I offered that to them, but they insisted that the right to inherit from me should be theirs." The Prophet (ﷺ) heard that and 'Aishah (RA) told him about it. So, he said to 'Aishah (RA), "Take her and stipulate that the right to inherit from her will be yours, for the right of inheritance from her will be yours, for the right of inheritance belongs only to the one who has set a slave free." 'Aishah (RA) did so. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) then stood up among the people to address them. So, after praising and extolling Allah, he said, "To proceed; what is the matter with some men who make conditions which are not in the Book of Allah, the Might, the Majestic? Any condition which is not in Allah's Book is invalid. Even if there are a hundred conditions, Allah's Decision is more valid and Allah's Condition is more binding. The right of inheritance belongs only to the one who has set a slave free."[Agreed upon and the wording is al-Bukhari's]. Muslim has: "Buy her, set her free and make the stipulation that the right to inherit from her will be yours."

'Umar (RA) forbade the sale of the slave-women who have given birth to children (of their owners). He said, "She is not to be sold, bestowed as a gift or inherited. He (the owner) enjoys her as long as he lives and when he dies, she becomes free."[Reported by Malik an al-Baihaqi. He said: Some of the narrators have attributed it to the Prophet (ﷺ) mistakenly].

We used to sell our slave-women who had borne (our) children while the Prophet (ﷺ) was still living, and he saw no harm in that.[Reported by an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah and ad-Daraqutni. Ibn Hibban graded it Sahih (authentic)].

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) prohibited the sale of excess water.[Reported by Muslim].

"And hiring a camel to impregnate a she-camel."

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade the sale of a stallion's semen (to use for impregnation).[Reported by al-Bukhari].

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade the transaction called 'Habalal-Habalah" which was one entered into in the Jahiliya era, whereby a man bought a she-camel which was to be the offspring of a she-camel which was still in its mother's womb.[Agreed upon, and the wording is al-Bukhari's].