Buying and Selling Fruits

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنِ الرَّطْبَةِ تُبَاعُ قِطْعَةً أَوْ قِطْعَتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلَاثَ قِطَعَاتٍ فَقَالَ لَا بَأْسَ قَالَ وَ أَكْثَرْتُ السُّؤَالَ عَنْ أَشْبَاهِ هَذِهِ فَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ اسْتِحْيَاءً مِنْ كَثْرَةِ مَا سَأَلْتُهُ وَ قَوْلِهِ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ إِنَّ مَنْ يَلِينَا يُفْسِدُونَ عَلَيْنَا هَذَا كُلَّهُ فَقَالَ أَظُنُّهُمْ سَمِعُوا حَدِيثَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص

“I once asked abu Ja’far. ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about al-Ratbah (a grass, cattle feed) which is sold in the form of one, two or three crops. He (the Imam) said, ‘There is no offense in it.’ I asked many such questions and every time he (the Imam) said, ‘There is no offense in it. 5 I then said, ‘May Allah keep you well’ -

سُئِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ شِرَاءِ النَّخْلِ وَ الْكَرْمِ وَ الثِّمَارِ ثَلَاثَ سِنِينَ أَوْ أَرْبَعَ سِنِينَ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ يَقُولُ إِنْ لَمْ يُخْرِجْ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ أَخْرَجَ فِي قَابِلٍ وَ إِنِ اشْتَرَيْتَهُ فِي سَنَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ فَلَا تَشْتَرِهِ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ فَإِنِ اشْتَرَيْتَهُ ثَلَاثَ سِنِينَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَبْلُغَ فَلَا بَأْسَ وَ سُئِلَ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَشْتَرِي الثَّمَرَةَ الْمُسَمَّاةَ مِن

“Someone once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about buying dates, grapes and fruits of three or four years. He (the Imam) said, ‘There is no offense in it. He (the buyer) can say, “If fruits will not grow this year they will do so next year.” If you buy the fruits of one year only then you must not do so until they are ri

سَأَلْتُ الرِّضَا ع هَلْ يَجُوزُ بَيْعُ النَّخْلِ إِذَا حَمَلَ فَقَالَ يَجُوزُ بَيْعُهُ حَتَّى يَزْهُوَ فَقُلْتُ وَ مَا الزَّهْوُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَالَ يَحْمَرُّ وَ يَصْفَرُّ وَ شِبْهُ ذَلِكَ.

‘It is permissible when they Yazhu.’ I then asked, ‘What is Yazhu?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘It is when they turn red, yellow and so on.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّ لِي نَخْلًا بِالْبَصْرَةِ فَأَبِيعُهُ وَ أُسَمِّي الثَّمَنَ وَ أَسْتَثْنِي الْكُرَّ مِنَ التَّمْرِ أَوْ أَكْثَرَ أَوِ الْعِذْقَ مِنَ النَّخْلِ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ بَيْعُ السَّنَتَيْنِ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنَّ ذَا عِنْدَنَا عَظِيمٌ قَالَ أَمَّا إِنَّكَ إِنْ قُلْتَ ذَاكَ لَقَدْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَحَلَّ ذَلِكَ فَتَظَالَمُوا فَقَالَ ع

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I have palm tree fruits in Basrah. I sell them for a certain price excluding one Kur (a certain measurement) of the dates or more or the cluster of dates.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘There is no offense in it.’ I then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, wh

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ إِذَا كَانَ الْحَائِطُ فِيهِ ثِمَارٌ مُخْتَلِفَةٌ فَأَدْرَكَ بَعْضُهَا فَلَا بَأْسَ بِبَيْعِهَا جَمِيعاً.

‘If inside the walls there are different fruits and certain kinds are ripe, then there is no offense in buying all of it.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع- عَنْ بَيْعِ الثَّمَرَةِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُدْرِكَ فَقَالَ إِذَا كَانَ فِي تِلْكَ الْأَرْضِ بَيْعٌ لَهُ غَلَّةٌ[1] قَدْ أَدْرَكَتْ فَبَيْعُ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ حَلَالٌ.

“I once asked him (the Imam) about selling fruits. ‘Is it permissible to buy fruits before they are formed?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘If in that area such deals are made and they are profitable which is achieved then there is no offense in such transaction.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ بَيْعِ الثَّمَرَةِ هَلْ يَصْلُحُ شِرَاؤُهَا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ طَلْعُهَا فَقَالَ لَا إِلَّا أَنْ يَشْتَرِيَ مَعَهَا شَيْئاً غَيْرَهَا رَطْبَةً أَوْ بَقْلًا فَيَقُولَ أَشْتَرِي مِنْكَ هَذِهِ الرُّطْبَةَ وَ هَذَا النَّخْلَ وَ هَذَا الشَّجَرَ بِكَذَا وَ كَذَا فَإِنْ لَمْ تَخْرُجِ الثَّمَرَةُ كَانَ رَأْسُ مَالِ الْمُشْتَرِي فِي الرُّطْبَةِ وَ الْبَقْلِ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ وَرَقِ الشَّجَرِ هَلْ يَصْلُحُ ش

“I once asked him (the Imam) about selling fruits. ‘Is it permissible to buy fruits before they are formed?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘No, it is not permissible unless something else alongside is also purchased, like animal feed or vegetables when the buyer says, ‘I buy this much animal feed and dates from you and this t

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع- عَنْ رَجُلٍ اشْتَرَى بُسْتَاناً فِيهِ نَخْلٌ وَ شَجَرٌ مِنْهُ مَا قَدْ أَطْعَمَ وَ مِنْهُ مَا لَمْ يُطْعِمْ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ إِذَا كَانَ فِيهِ مَا قَدْ أَطْعَمَ قَالَ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ اشْتَرَى بُسْتَاناً فِيهِ نَخْلٌ لَيْسَ فِيهِ غَيْرُ بُسْرٍ أَخْضَرَ[3] فَقَالَ لَا حَتَّى يَزْهُوَ قُلْتُ وَ مَا الزَّهْوُ قَالَ حَتَّى يَتَلَوَّنَ.

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who buys a garden with palm trees and trees in it of which certain ones have become edible and others are not edible yet. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful when there are edible ones.’ I then asked him (the Imam) about the case o

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ قُلْتُ لَهُ أُعْطِي الرَّجُلَ لَهُ الثَّمَرَةُ عِشْرِينَ دِينَاراً عَلَى أَنِّي أَقُولُ لَهُ إِذَا قَامَتْ ثَمَرَتُكَ بِشَيْ‌ءٍ فَهِيَ لِي بِذَلِكَ الثَّمَنِ إِنْ رَضِيتَ أَخَذْتُ وَ إِنْ كَرِهْتَ تَرَكْتُ فَقَالَ مَا تَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ تُعْطِيَهُ وَ لَا تَشْتَرِطَ شَيْئاً قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ لَا يُسَمِّي شَيْئاً وَ اللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مِنْ نِيَّتِهِ ذَلِكَ قَالَ لَا يَصْلُحُ إِذَا ك

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man whom I gave twenty dinar for his fruits saying that when your fruits become fruits these dinars are payments, if then I will like I will take the fruits, and if I will not like I will not take them. He (the Imam) said, ‘You cannot giv

قَالَ فِي رَجُلٍ قَالَ لآِخَرَ بِعْنِي ثَمَرَةَ نَخْلِكَ هَذَا الَّذِي فِيهَا بِقَفِيزَيْنِ‌ مِنْ تَمْرٍ أَوْ أَقَلَّ أَوْ أَكْثَرَ يُسَمِّي مَا شَاءَ فَبَاعَهُ فَقَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ وَ قَالَ التَّمْرُ وَ الْبُسْرُ مِنْ نَخْلَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ فَأَمَّا أَنْ يَخْلِطَ التَّمْرَ الْعَتِيقَ أَوِ الْبُسْرَ فَلَا يَصْلُحُ وَ الزَّبِيبُ وَ الْعِنَبُ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ.

“This is about the case of a man who says to another man, ‘Sell to me fruits of your palm tree for two Qafiz (a certain measurement) of dates or less or more...’ specifying the amount as he likes and he sells it. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful. 5 He (the Imam) said, ‘Dates and half ripe dates of a palm tree are

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع- عَنْ بَيْعِ النَّخْلِ سَنَتَيْنِ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ قُلْتُ فَالرُّطْبَةُ يَبِيعُهَا هَذِهِ الْجِزَّةَ وَ كَذَا وَ كَذَا جِزَّةً بَعْدَهَا قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ قَدْ كَانَ أَبِي يَبِيعُ الْحِنَّاءَ كَذَا وَ كَذَا خَرْطَةً[1].

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about selling palm trees for two years. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’ I then asked if fresh dates can be sold in the form of one or several pickings fresh from the trees each time they ripen. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’ He (the Imam)

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ مَنْ بَاعَ نَخْلًا قَدْ لَقِحَ فَالثَّمَرَةُ لِلْبَائِعِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشْتَرِطَ الْمُبْتَاعُ قَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص بِذَلِكَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If one sells palm trees which are pollinated, the fruit then belongs to the seller unless the buyer has stipulated otherwise. This is how the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, judged a case.’”

إِذَا سَاوَتْ شَيْئاً فَلَا بَأْسَ بِشِرَائِهَا[2].

‘When it becomes something buying it is not harmful.’”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص‌ مَنْ بَاعَ نَخْلًا قَدْ أَبَّرَهُ فَثَمَرَتُهُ‌[3] لِلْبَائِعِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشْتَرِطَ الْمُبْتَاعُ ثُمَّ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع قَضَى بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ‘If one sells palm trees which he has pollinated, its dates belong to the seller unless the buyer stipulates otherwise. Ali (a.s.), then said that this is how the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their

تَفْسِيرُ قَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ ص لَا يَبِيعَنَّ حَاضِرٌ لِبَادٍ أَنَّ الْفَوَاكِهَ وَ جَمِيعَ أَصْنَافِ الْغَلَّاتِ إِذَا حُمِلَتْ مِنَ الْقُرَى إِلَى السُّوقِ فَلَا يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَبِيعَ أَهْلُ السُّوقِ لَهُمْ مِنَ النَّاسِ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَبِيعَهُ حَامِلُوهُ مِنَ الْقُرَى وَ السَّوَادِ فَأَمَّا مَنْ يَحْمِلُ مِنْ مَدِينَةٍ إِلَى مَدِينَةٍ فَإِنَّهُ يَجُوزُ وَ يَجْرِي مَجْرَى التِّجَارَةِ.

“The explanation of the words of the Holy Prophet, ‘People of the city must not sell to the people of countryside’ is that fruits and all kinds of grains which are transported from countryside to the market place, it (their sale) then is not permissible for the people of the market place to buy such items from them to

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قُلْتُ لَهُ إِنِّي كُنْتُ بِعْتُ رَجُلًا نَخْلًا كَذَا وَ كَذَا نَخْلَةً بِكَذَا وَ كَذَا دِرْهَماً وَ النَّخْلُ فِيهِ ثَمَرٌ فَانْطَلَقَ الَّذِي اشْتَرَاهُ مِنِّي فَبَاعَهُ مِنْ رَجُلٍ آخَرَ بِرِبْحٍ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ نَقَدَنِي وَ لَا قَبَضَهُ مِنِّي قَالَ فَقَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ أَ لَيْسَ قَدْ كَانَ ضَمِنَ لَكَ الثَّمَنَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَالرِّبْحُ لَهُ.

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), that I had sold palm trees each for such and such number of dirham. The palm trees had fruits on them. The buyer then sold them to another man for a certain amount of profit but he had not paid me anything and had not received any delivery from me. He (the I

قَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَنَّ ثَمَرَ النَّخْلِ لِلَّذِي أَبَّرَهَا إِلَّا أَنْ يَشْتَرِطَ الْمُبْتَاعُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (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, had judged that the fruits of the palm trees pollinated belong to the seller unless the buyer stipulates otherwise.”’

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْكَرْمِ مَتَى يَحِلُّ بَيْعُهُ قَالَ إِذَا عَقَدَ وَ صَارَ عُرُوقاً[1].

Tt is permissible when they form into vines.’”