Selling an Item of Merchandise Which the Seller Does Not Yet Have in His Possession

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَجِيئُنِي الرَّجُلُ يَطْلُبُ مِنِّي الْمَتَاعَ بِعَشَرَةِ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ أَوْ أَقَلَّ أَوْ أَكْثَرَ وَ لَيْسَ عِنْدِي إِلَّا بِأَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ فَأَسْتَعِيرُ مِنْ جَارِي وَ آخُذُ مِنْ ذَا وَ ذَا فَأَبِيعُهُ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ أَشْتَرِيهِ مِنْهُ أَوْ آمُرُ مَنْ يَشْتَرِيهِ فَأَرُدُّهُ عَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ‌[1].

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who comes to me and asks me for certain goods at the price of ten thousand dirham or less or more but I have only what is worth one thousand dirham. I then borrow from my neighbor and take from this and that person to complete the am

سُئِلَ عَنْ رَجُلٍ بَاعَ بَيْعاً لَيْسَ عِنْدَهُ إِلَى أَجَلٍ وَ ضَمِنَ لَهُ الْبَيْعَ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ.

It is not unlawful.’”.

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ اشْتَرَى مَتَاعاً لَيْسَ فِيهِ كَيْلٌ وَ لَا وَزْنٌ أَ يَبِيعُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقْبِضَهُ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ.

I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the case of a man who has bought certain goods which are not exchanged by measurement or weighing; if he can sell them before receiving delivery. He (the Imam) said, It is lawful.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الرَّجُلُ يَجِيئُنِي يَطْلُبُ الْمَتَاعَ فَأُقَاوِلُهُ عَلَى الرِّبْحِ ثُمَّ أَشْتَرِيهِ فَأَبِيعُهُ مِنْهُ فَقَالَ أَ لَيْسَ إِنْ شَاءَ أَخَذَ وَ إِنْ شَاءَ تَرَكَ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ قُلْتُ فَإِنَّ مَنْ عِنْدَنَا يُفْسِدُهُ قَالَ وَ لِمَ قُلْتُ بَاعَ مَا لَيْسَ عِنْدَهُ قَالَ فَمَا يَقُولُ فِي السَّلَمِ قَدْ بَاعَ صَاحِبُهُ مَا لَيْسَ عِنْدَهُ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ فَإِنّ

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘A man comes to me and asks for certain goods. I contract with him for a certain profit, then buy it to sell to him. He (the Imam) asked, ‘Does he have the choice to take or leave it?’ I replied, ‘Yes, he does.’ He (the Imam) said, Tt is lawful.’ I then said, ‘There are those amon

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الرَّجُلُ يَجِيئُنِي يَطْلُبُ الْمَتَاعَ الْحَرِيرَ وَ لَيْسَ عِنْدِي مِنْهُ شَيْ‌ءٌ فَيُقَاوِلُنِي وَ أُقَاوِلُهُ فِي الرِّبْحِ وَ الْأَجَلِ حَتَّى يَجْتَمِعَ عَلَيَّ شَيْ‌ءٌ ثُمَّ أَذْهَبُ فَأَشْتَرِي لَهُ الْحَرِيرَ وَ أَدْعُوهُ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ أَ رَأَيْتَ إِنْ وَجَدَ بَيْعاً هُوَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مِمَّا عِنْدَكَ أَ يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يَنْصَرِفَ إِلَيْهِ‌[3] وَ يَدَعَكَ أَوْ وَجَدْتَ

5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the case of a man who comes to me and asks for certain goods of silk but I

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الرَّجُلُ يَجِي‌ءُ فَيَقُولُ اشْتَرِ هَذَا الثَّوْبَ وَ أُرْبِحَكَ كَذَا وَ كَذَا فَقَالَ أَ لَيْسَ إِنْ شَاءَ أَخَذَ وَ إِنْ شَاءَ تَرَكَ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ إِنَّمَا يُحَلِّلُ الْكَلَامُ وَ يُحَرِّمُ الْكَلَامُ‌[2].

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘A man comes to me and says, “Buy this cloth and I give you so and so much profit.’” He (the Imam) asked, ‘Can he take or leave it if he so wants?’ I replied, ‘Yes, he can do so.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is lawful. It is statements that make it lawful as well as unlawful.’”

لَا بَأْسَ بِأَنْ تَبِيعَ الرَّجُلَ الْمَتَاعَ لَيْسَ عِنْدَكَ تُسَاوِمُهُ ثُمَّ تَشْتَرِي لَهُ نَحْوَ الَّذِي طَلَبَ ثُمَّ تُوجِبُهُ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ ثُمَّ تَبِيعُهُ مِنْهُ بَعْدُ.

‘It is lawful for a man to sell goods which are not with him in the form of Musawamah (fixed price regardless of capital), then buy for him the goods he demands and make it necessary for yourself thereafter to ask him to sell it to you.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ رَجُلٍ بَاعَ بَيْعاً لَيْسَ عِنْدَهُ إِلَى أَجَلٍ وَ ضَمِنَ الْبَيْعَ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ.

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who makes a sale and the merchandise is not with him for an appointed time but he guarantees the sale. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful.’”

كُنَّا عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ مُعَتِّبٌ فَقَالَ بِالْبَابِ رَجُلَانِ فَقَالَ أَدْخِلْهُمَا فَدَخَلَا فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا إِنِّي رَجُلٌ قَصَّابٌ وَ إِنِّي أَبِيعُ الْمُسُوكَ‌[3] قَبْلَ أَنْ أَذْبَحَ الْغَنَمَ قَالَ لَيْسَ بِهِ بَأْسٌ وَ لَكِنِ انْسُبْهَا غَنَمَ أَرْضِ كَذَا وَ كَذَا[4].

‘It is not unlawful. However, say from the sheep is from so and so land.’”