Sunan Ibn Majah
Sunan Ibn Majah 2145
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ شَقِيقٍ، عَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ أَبِي غَرَزَةَ، قَالَ كُنَّا نُسَمَّى فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ السَّمَاسِرَةَ فَمَرَّ بِنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَسَمَّانَا بِاسْمٍ هُوَ أَحْسَنُ مِنْهُ فَقَالَ " يَا مَعْشَرَ التُّجَّارِ إِنَّ الْبَيْعَ يَحْضُرُهُ الْحَلِفُ وَاللَّغْوُ فَشُوبُوهُ بِالصَّدَقَةِ " .
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn ʿAbdullah ibn Numayr narrated to us; Abu Muʿawiyah narrated to us, from al-Aʿmash, from Shaqiq, from Qays ibn Abi Gharazah, who said: ‘In the time of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace), we were called brokers. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) passed by us and gave us a better name. He said, “O company of merchants, a sale is attended by oaths and idle talk, so temper it with charity.”’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
قَالَ كُنَّا نُسَمَّى فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ السَّمَاسِرَةَ فَمَرَّ بِنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَسَمَّانَا بِاسْمٍ هُوَ أَحْسَنُ مِنْهُ فَقَالَ " يَا مَعْشَرَ التُّجَّارِ إِنَّ الْبَيْعَ يَحْضُرُهُ الْحَلِفُ وَاللَّغْوُ فَشُوبُوهُ بِالصَّدَقَةِ " .
السماسرة refers to brokers/dealers, and the Prophet is said to have given them a better designation (traders). The sale is attended by oaths and لغو (idle/unconsidered speech); شوبوه بالصدقة means mix/temper it with charity.
Does ‘brokers’ and ‘temper it with charity’ preserve the naming contrast and the metaphor without over-specifying the kinds of oath or speech?