The Case of Monopolization (Hoarding) Goods in Public Demand

نَفِدَ الطَّعَامُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَأَتَاهُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَدْ نَفِدَ الطَّعَامُ وَ لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْهُ شَيْ‌ءٌ إِلَّا عِنْدَ فُلَانٍ فَمُرْهُ يَبِيعُهُ النَّاسَ قَالَ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَ أَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا فُلَانُ إِنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ذَكَرُوا أَنَّ الطَّعَامَ قَدْ نَفِدَ إِلَّا شَيْئاً عِنْدَكَ فَأَخْرِجْهُ وَ بِعْهُ كَيْفَ شِئْتَ وَ لَا تَحْبِسْهُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Once during the times of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, a severe shortage of food took place and the Muslims came to the Messenger of Allah saying, “O Messenger of Allah, food supplies are exhauste

الْحُكْرَةُ أَنْ يَشْتَرِيَ طَعَاماً لَيْسَ فِي الْمِصْرِ غَيْرُهُ فَيَحْتَكِرَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَ فِي الْمِصْرِ طَعَامٌ أَوْ يُبَاعُ غَيْرُهُ فَلَا بَأْسَ بِأَنْ يَلْتَمِسَ بِسِلْعَتِهِ الْفَضْلَ قَالَ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الزَّيْتِ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ عِنْدَ غَيْرِكَ‌[1] فَلَا بَأْسَ بِإِمْسَاكِهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Hoarding means buying such food supplies of a city beside which no other food supplies are available. If other food supplies are available in a city or someone else sells food, then it is permissible to buy food supplies and keep them hoarded to sell later with higher prices.’ He (the

قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مَا عَمَلُكَ قُلْتُ حَنَّاطٌ وَ رُبَّمَا قَدِمْتُ عَلَى نَفَاقٍ‌[2] وَ رُبَّمَا قَدِمْتُ عَلَى كَسَادٍ فَحَبَسْتُ فَقَالَ فَمَا يَقُولُ مَنْ قِبَلَكَ فِيهِ قُلْتُ يَقُولُونَ مُحْتَكِرٌ فَقَالَ يَبِيعُهُ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُكَ قُلْتُ مَا أَبِيعُ أَنَا مِنْ أَلْفِ جُزْءٍ جُزْءاً قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ إِنَّمَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ حَكِيمُ بْنُ حِزَامٍ وَ كَانَ إِذَا دَخَلَ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once asked me, ‘What is your business?’ I replied, ‘It is selling wheat. At times business is good and sometimes it is not good so I hold selling.’ He (the Imam) then asked, ‘What do people who visit you say about it?’ I replied, ‘They say, “He is a hoarder.’” He (the Imam) asked, ‘Does anyone e

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَحْتَكِرُ الطَّعَامَ وَ يَتَرَبَّصُ بِهِ هَلْ يَجُوزُ ذَلِكَ‌[3] فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ الطَّعَامُ كَثِيراً يَسَعُ النَّاسَ فَلَا بَأْسَ بِهِ وَ إِنْ كَانَ الطَّعَامُ قَلِيلًا لَا يَسَعُ النَّاسَ فَإِنَّهُ يُكْرَهُ أَنْ يَحْتَكِرَ الطَّعَامَ وَ يَتْرُكَ النَّاسَ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ طَعَامٌ.

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who hoarded food supplies and waited for higher prices. Is it permissible?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘If there is plenty of food available to people to buy, then there is no offense in it; but if there are food shortages and people are not able to

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ الْجَالِبُ مَرْزُوقٌ وَ الْمُحْتَكِرُ مَلْعُونٌ.

the Messenger of Allah has said, ’One who supplies the market receives his sustenance and a hoarder is condemned.’”

الْحُكْرَةُ فِي الْخِصْبِ أَرْبَعُونَ يَوْماً وَ فِي الشِّدَّةِ وَ الْبَلَاءِ ثَلَاثَةُ أَيَّامٍ فَمَا زَادَ عَلَى الْأَرْبَعِينَ يَوْماً فِي الْخِصْبِ فَصَاحِبُهُ مَلْعُونٌ وَ مَا زَادَ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي الْعُسْرَةِ فَصَاحِبُهُ مَلْعُونٌ‌[5].

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ’At a time when food is abundantly available, keeping food for forty days is considered hoarding, but at the time of shortages of food holding back food supplies for three days is considered hoarding. After forty days at a time when food is abundant a hoarder is condemned and at the t