Finding Defect in Merchandise after the Sale

كُنْتُ أَنَا وَ عُمَرُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَبَاعَ عُمَرُ جِرَاباً هَرَوِيّاً كُلَّ ثَوْبٍ بِكَذَا وَ كَذَا فَأَخَذُوهُ فَاقْتَسَمُوهُ فَوَجَدُوا ثَوْباً فِيهِ عَيْبٌ فَرَدُّوهُ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ عُمَرُ أُعْطِيكُمْ ثَمَنَهُ الَّذِي بِعْتُكُمْ‌ بِهِ قَالَ لَا وَ لَكِنْ نَأْخُذُ مِنْكَ قِيمَةَ الثَّوْبِ فَذَكَرَ عُمَرُ ذَلِكَ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقَالَ يَلْزَمُهُ ذَلِكَ‌[1].

‘Umar and I were in al-Madinah and ‘Umar sold sacks made in Hirat, every cloth for so and so amount. They took them and divided among themselves but they found one defective piece and returned it. ‘Umar said to them, ‘I can pay you the price for which I sold to you.’ He said, ‘No, we take from you the price of the clot

إِنْ كَانَ الشَّيْ‌ءُ قَائِماً بِعَيْنِهِ رَدَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ أَخَذَ الثَّمَنَ وَ إِنْ كَانَ الثَّوْبُ قَدْ قُطِعَ أَوْ خِيطَ أَوْ صُبِغَ يَرْجِعُ بِنُقْصَانِ الْعَيْبِ.

“I once asked one of the two Imam, (abu Ja’far or abu ‘Abd Allah), ‘Alayhim al-Salam, about the case of a man who buys cloths or goods and finds defects in it. He (the Imam) said, ‘If the item is exactly as it was, he can return and get back what he has paid and if the cloth is cut or stitched or dyed he must pay for t

أَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ اشْتَرَى شَيْئاً وَ بِهِ عَيْبٌ أَوْ عَوَارٌ وَ لَمْ يَتَبَرَّأْ[2] إِلَيْهِ وَ لَمْ يَتَبَيَّنْ لَهُ فَأَحْدَثَ فِيهِ بَعْدَ مَا قَبَضَهُ شَيْئاً ثُمَّ عَلِمَ بِذَلِكَ الْعَوَارِ أَوْ بِذَلِكَ الدَّاءِ إِنَّهُ يُمْضَى عَلَيْهِ الْبَيْعُ وَ يُرَدُّ عَلَيْهِ بِقَدْرِ مَا يَنْقُصُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الدَّاءِ وَ الْعَيْبِ مِنْ ثَمَنِ ذَلِكَ لَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِهِ.

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘Whoever buys something and finds defect in it or injuries that does not get well which was not apparent to him (when buying) and he then does some changes in it after taking delivery then finds out about the defect or injury, he must approve the sale and ask for the refund of the cost of