The Case of Prices of Goods

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ عَلَامَةُ رِضَا اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فِي خَلْقِهِ عَدْلُ سُلْطَانِهِمْ وَ رُخْصُ أَسْعَارِهِمْ وَ عَلَامَةُ غَضَبِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى عَلَى خَلْقِهِ- جَوْرُ سُلْطَانِهِمْ وَ غَلَاءُ أَسْعَارِهِمْ.

“He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Of the signs of happiness of Allah, most High, with His creatures is the existence of a just ruler and low prices. Of the signs of unhappiness of Allah,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ وَكَّلَ بِالسِّعْرِ مَلَكاً فَلَنْ يَغْلُوَ مِنْ قِلَّةٍ وَ لَا يَرْخُصَ مِنْ كَثْرَةٍ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has assigned an angel on prices. Prices do not go high because of shortages and do not lower because of bounteousness.’”

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَكَّلَ بِالسِّعْرِ مَلَكاً يُدَبِّرُهُ بِأَمْرِهِ.

“Ali ibn Al-Husayn (a.s.), has said, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has assigned an angel who regulates prices by His command.’”

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَكَّلَ بِالْأَسْعَارِ مَلَكاً يُدَبِّرُهَا.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has assigned an angel on prices who regulates them (as needed).”’

لَمَّا صَارَتِ الْأَشْيَاءُ لِيُوسُفَ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ ع جَعَلَ الطَّعَامَ فِي بُيُوتٍ وَ أَمَرَ بَعْضَ وُكَلَائِهِ فَكَانَ يَقُولُ بِعْ بِكَذَا وَ كَذَا وَ السِّعْرُ قَائِمٌ فَلَمَّا عَلِمَ أَنَّهُ يَزِيدُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ كَرِهَ أَنْ يَجْرِيَ الْغَلَاءُ عَلَى لِسَانِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ اذْهَبْ فَبِعْ وَ لَمْ يُسَمِّ لَهُ سِعْراً فَذَهَبَ الْوَكِيلُ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ اذْهَبْ فَبِعْ وَ ك

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When things were given in the control of Joseph ibn Ya’qub (a.s.), he placed the grain in houses (storage) and issued an order to his servants to sell for a price of such and such amount. Prices were fixed. When he learned that prices are high he disliked to speak of high prices and t

غَلَاءُ السِّعْرِ يُسِي‌ءُ الْخُلُقَ وَ يُذْهِبُ الْأَمَانَةَ وَ يُضْجِرُ الْمَرْءَ الْمُسْلِمَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘High prices worsens moral discipline, destroy trust and cause suffering to the Muslims.’”

فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- إِنِّي أَراكُمْ بِخَيْرٍ[1] قَالَ كَانَ سِعْرُهُمْ رَخِيصاً.

“About the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘I see you in goodness . . . (11:84) He (the Imam) said, ‘It is a reference to their prices.”

لَيْسَ الْحُكْرَةُ[2] إِلَّا فِي الْحِنْطَةِ وَ الشَّعِيرِ وَ التَّمْرِ وَ الزَّبِيبِ وَ السَّمْنِ.

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Monopolization (Hoarding) of goods in public demand applies to wheat, barley, dates, raisins and cooking butter only.’”