The Book of Masaaqah

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) deputed a person to collect revenue from Khaibar. He brought fine quality of dates, whereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Are all the dates of Khaibar like this)? He said: No. We got one sa' (of fine dates) for two sa's (of inferior dates), and (similarly) two sa's for three sa's. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Don't do that rather sell the inferior quality of dates for dirhams (money), and then buy the superior quality with the help of dirhams.

Abd Sa'id reported: Bilal (Allah be pleased with him) came with fine quality of dates. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to him: From where (you have brought them)? Bilal said: We had inferior quality of dates and I exchanged two sa's (of inferior quality) with one sa (of fine quality) as food for Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him), whereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Woe! it is in fact usury; therefore, don't do that. But when you intend to buy dates (of superior quality), sell (the inferior quality) in a separate bargain and then buy (the superior quality). And in the hadith transmitted by Ibn Sahl there is no mention of" whereupon".

Abu Sa'id (Allah be pleased with him) reported: Dates were brought to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), and he said: These dates are not like our dates, whereupon a man said: We sold two sa's of our dates (in order to get) one sa', of these (fine dates), whereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: That is interest; so return (these dates of fine quality), and get your (inferior dates) ; then sell our dates (for money) and buy for us (with the help of money) such (fine dates).

Abu Sa'id (Allah be pleased with him) reported: We were given to eat, during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), dates of different qualities mixed together, and we used to sell two sa's of these for one sa, (of fine quality of dates). This reached Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), whereupon he said: There should be no exchange of two sa's of (inferior) dates for one sa (of fine dates) and two sa's of (inferior) wheat for one sa' of (fine) wheat. and one dirham for two dirharms.

Abu Nadra reported: I asked Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) about the conversion (of gold and silver for silver and gold). We said: Is it hand to hand exchange? I said: Yes. whereupon he said: There is no harm in it. I informed Abu Sa'id about it, telling him that I had asked Ibn 'Abbas about it and he said: Is it hand to hand exchange? I said: Yes, whereupon he said: There is no harm in it. He (the narrator) said, or he said like it: We will soon write to him, and he will not give you this fatwa (religious verdict). He said: By Allah, someone of the boy-servants of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) brought dates, but he refused to accept them (on the plea) that those did not seem to be of the dates of our land. He said: Something had happened to the dates of our land, or our dates. So I got these dates (in exchange by giving) excess (of the dates of our land), whereupon he said: You made an addition for getting the fine dates (in exchange) which tantamounts, to interest; don't do that (in future). Whenever you find some doubt (as regards the deteriorating quality of) your dates, sell them, and then buy the dates that you like.

Abu Nadra reported: I asked Ibn Umar and Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) about the conversion of gold with gold but they did not find any harm in that. I was sitting in the company of Abd Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) and asked him about this exchange, and he said: Whatever is addition is an' interest. I refused to accept it on account of their statement (statement of Ibn 'Abbas and Ibn 'Umar). He said: I am not narrating to you except what I heard from Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). There came to him the owner of a date-palm with one sa' of fine dates, and the dates of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) were of that colour. Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said to him: Where did you get these dates? I went with two sa's of (inferior dates) and bought one sa' of (these fine dates), for that is the prevailing price (of inferior dates) in the market and that is the price (of the fine quality of dates in the market), whereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Woe be upon you! You have dealt in interest, when you decide to do it (i. e. exchange superior quality of dates for inferior quality) ; so you should sell your dates for another commodity (or currency) and then with the help of that commodity buy the dates you like. Abu Sa'ad said: When dates are exchanged for dates (with different qualities) there is the possibility (of the element of) interest (creeping into that) or when gold is exchanged for gold having different qualities. I subsequently came to Ibn 'Umar and he forbade me (to do it), but I did not come to Ibn 'Abbas; (Allah be pleased with them). He (the narrator) said: Abu as-Sahba' narrated to me: He asked Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) in Mecca, and he too disapproved of it.

Abu Salih reported: I heard Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) said: Dinar (gold) for gold and dirham for dirham can be (exchanged) with equal for equal; but he who gives more or demands more in fact deals in interest. I sald to him: Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) says otherwise, whereupon he said: I met Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) and said: Do you see what you say; have you heard it from Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), or found it in the Book of Allah, the Glorious and Majestic? He said: I did not hear it from Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). and I did not find it in the Book of Allah (Glorious and Majestic), but Usama b. Zaid narrated it to me that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: There can be an element of interest in credit.

Ubaidullah b. Abu Yazid heard Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) as saying: Usama b. Zaid reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: There can be an element of interest in credit (when the payment is not equal).

Ibn 'Abbas; (Allah be pleased with them) reported on the authority of Usama b. Zaid Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as having said this: There is no element of interest when the money or commodity is exchanged hand to hand.

Ata' b. Abu Rabah reported: Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with them) met Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) and said to him: What do you say in regard to the conversion (of commodities or money) did you hear it from Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), or is it something which you found In Allah's Book, Majestic and Glorious? Thereupon Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleated with them) said: I don't say that. So far at Allah's Massenger (may peace be upon him) is concerned, you know him better, and to far as the Book of Allah to concerned, I do not know it (more than you do), but 'Usama b. Zaid (Allah be pleased with him) narrated to me Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as having said this: Beware, there can be an element of interest in credit.

'Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) (Allah be pleased with him) said that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) cursed the one who accepted interest and the one who paid it I asked about the one who recorded it, and two witnesses to it. He (the narrator) said: We narrate what we have heard.

Jabir said that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) cursed the accepter of interest and its payer, and one who records it, and the two witnesses, and he said: They are all equal.

Nu'man b. Bashir (Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon himn) as having said this (and Nu'man) pointed towards his ears with his fingers): What is lawful is evident and what is unlawful is evident, and in between them are the things doubtful which many people do not know. So he who guards against doubtful things keeps his religion and honour blameless, and he who indulges in doubtful things indulges in fact in unlawful things, just as a shepherd who pastures his animals round a preserve will soon pasture them in it. Beware, every king has a preserve, and the things God his declaced unlawful are His preserves. Beware, in the body there is a piece of flesh; if it is sound, the whole body is sound and if it is corrupt the whole body is corrupt, and hearken it is the heart.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zakariya with the same chain of transmitters.

AI-Nu'man b. Bashir reported it from Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him). The hadith narrated by Zakariya is, however, more complete and lengthy than the other ones.

Nu'man b. Bashir b. Sa'd, a Companion of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) was heard delivering a sermon at Hims and was saying: I heard Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) as saying: The lawful is evident and the unlawful is evident, the rest of the hadith is the same as related by Zakariya.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) reported that he was travelling on his camel which had grown jaded, and he decided to let it off. When Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) met him and prayed for him and struck it, so it trotted as it had never trotted before. He said: Sell it to me for an 'uqaya. I said: No. He again said: Sell it to me. So I sold it to him for an 'uqaya, but made the stipulation that I should be allowed to ride back to my family. Then when I came to (my place) I took the camel to him and he paid me its price in ready money. I then went back and he sent: (someone) behind me (and as I came) he said: Do you see that I asked you to reduce price for buying your camel. Take your camel and your coins; these are yours.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Jabir through another chain of transmitters.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) reported: I went on an expedition with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). He overtook me and I was on a water-carrying camel who had grown tired and did not walk (trot). He (the Holy Prophet) said to me: What is the matter with your camel? I said: It is sick. He (the Holy Prophet) stepped behind and drove it and prayed for it, and then it always moved ahead of other camels. He (then) said: How do you find your camel? I said: It is, by the grace of your prayer, all right. He said: Would you sell this (camel) to me? I felt shy (to say him," No" ) as we had no other camel for carrying water, but (later on) I said: Yes, and to I sold it to him on the condition that (I would be permitted) to ride it until I reached Madina. I said to him: Allah's Messenger, I am newly married, so I asked his permission (to go ahead of the caravan). He permitted me, and I reached Medina well in advance of other people, until I reached my destination. There my maternal uncle met me and asked me about the camel, and I told him what I had done with regard to it. He reproved me in this connection. He (Jabir) said: When I asked his permission (to go ahead of the caravan) Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) inquired of me whether I had married a virgin or a non-virgin. I said to him: I have married a non-virgin. He said: Why did you not marry a virgin who would have played with you and you would have played with her? I said to him: Allah's Messenger, my father died (or he fell as a martyr), and I have small sisters to (look after), so I did not like the idea that I should marry a woman who is like them and thus be not able to teach them manners and look after them properly. So I have married a non-virgin so that she should be able to look after them and teach them manners, When Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) came to Medina, I went to him in the morning with the camel. He paid me its price and returned that (the camel) to me.

Jabir reported: We went from Mecca to Medina with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) when my camel fell ill, and the rest of the hadith is the same. (But it in also narrated in it: ) He (the Holy Prophet) said to me: Sell your camel to me. I said: No, but it is yours. He said: No. (it can't be), but sell it to me. I said: No, but, Allah's Messenger, it is yours. He said: No, it can't be, but sell it to me. I said: Then give me an 'uqaya of gold for I owe that to a person and then it would be yours. He (the Holy Prophet) said: I take it (for an 'uqiya of gold) and you reach Medina on it. As I reached Medina, Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to Bilal: Give him an 'uqiya of gold and make some extra payment too. He (Jabir) said: He gave me an 'uqiya of gold and made an addition of a qirat. He (Jabir) said: The addition made by Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) was with me (as a sacred trust for belssing) and lay with me in a pocket until the people of Syria took it on the Day of Harra.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) reported: We were with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) in a journey and my camel meant for carrying water lagged behind. The rest of the hadith is the same and it is mentioned also: Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) pricked it and then said to me: Ride in the name of Allah. He constantly made addition (in prayers for me) and went on saying. May Allah forgive you!

Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) reported: My camel had grown tired as Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) came to me. He goaded it and it began to jump. After that I tried to restrain its rein so that I could listen to his (Prophet's) words, but I could not do that. Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) met me and said: Sell it to me, and I sold it for five 'uqiyas. I said: On the condition that I may use it as a ride (for going back) to Medina. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Well, you may use it as a ride up till Medina. When I came to Medina I handed over that to him and he made an addition of an uqiya (to that amount which had been agreed upon) and then presented that (camel) to me.

Abd Mutawakkil al-Najl reported from Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) who said: I accompanied Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) in one of his journeys (the narrator says, he said in Jihad), and he narrated the rest of the hadith, and made this addition: He (the Holy Prophet) said: Jabir, have you received the price? I said: Yes, whereupon he said: Yours is the price as well as the camel; yours is the price as well as the camel.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) reported: Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) bought a camel from me for two 'uqiyas and a dirham or two dirhams. As he reached Sirar (a village near Medina), he commanded a cow to be slaughtered and it was slaughtered, and they ate of that, and as he (the Holy Prophet) reached Medina he ordered me to go to the mosque and offer two rak'ahs of prayer, and he measured for me the price of the camel and even made an excess payment to me.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) reported this narration from Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) but with this variation that he said: He (the Holy Prophet) bought the camel from me on a stipulated price. And he did not mention two 'uqiyas and a dirham or two dirhams, and he comanded a cow (to be slaughtered) and it was slaughtered, and he then distributed its flesh.

Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said to him: I have taken your camelfor four dinars, and you may ride upon it to Medina.

Abu Rafi' reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) took from a man as a loan a young camel (below six years). Then the camels of Sadaqa were brought to him. He ordered Abu Rafi' to return to that person the young camel (as a return of the loan). Abu Rafi' returned to him and said: I did not find among them but better camels above the age of six. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Give that to him for the best men are those who are best in paying off the debt.

Abu Rafi', the freed slave of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), said: Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) took as a loan (the rest of the hadith is the same), but with this variation that he (the Holy Prophet) said: Good amongst the servants of Allah is he who is best in paying off the debt.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported: Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) owed (something) to a person. He behaved in an uncivil manner with him. This vexed the Companions of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him), whereupon Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: He who has a right is entitled to speak, and said to them (his Companions): Buy a camel for him and give that to him. They said: We do not find a camel (of that age) but one with better age than that. He said: Buy that and give that to him, for best of you or best amongst you are those who are best in paying off debt.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported: Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) took a camel on loan, and then returned him (the lender) the camel of a more mature age and said: Good among you are those who are good in clearing off the debt.