Chapter on Hoarding and Pricing

لَيْسَ الْحُكْرَةُ إِلَّا فِي الْحِنْطَةِ وَ الشَّعِيرِ وَ التَّمْرِ وَ الزَّبِيبِ وَ السَّمْنِ وَ الزَّيْتِ[5].

وَ مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌[6] بِالْمُحْتَكِرِينَ فَأَمَرَ بِحُكْرَتِهِمْ أَنْ تُخْرَجَ إِلَى بُطُونِ الْأَسْوَاقِ وَ حَيْثُ يَنْظُرُ النَّاسُ إِلَيْهَا[7] فَقِيلَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص لَوْ قَوَّمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَغَضِبَ ع حَتَّى عُرِفَ الْغَضَبُ فِي وَجْهِهِ وَ قَالَ أَنَا أُقَوِّمُ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّمَا السِّعْرُ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَرْفَعُهُ إِذَا شَاءَ وَ يَخْفِضُهُ إِذَا شَاءَ.

Hadith.3955 - The Messenger of Allah (swt), peace and blessings be upon him and his family, once passed by some hoarders and commanded that their hoarded goods be brought out into the marketplaces where people could see them. Someone then suggested to the Messenger of Allah (swt), peace and blessings be upon him and hi

إِنَّمَا الْحُكْرَةُ أَنْ تَشْتَرِيَ طَعَاماً وَ لَيْسَ فِي الْمِصْرِ غَيْرُهُ فَتَحْتَكِرَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَ فِي الْمِصْرِ طَعَامٌ أَوْ مَتَاعٌ غَيْرُهُ فَلَا بَأْسَ أَنْ تَلْتَمِسَ بِسِلْعَتِكَ الْفَضْلَ.

Hadith.3956 - Hammad narrated from Al-Halabi, who reported from Abu Abdullah (as), that Imam (as) was asked about hoarding (ḥukrah). Imam (as) said: "Hoarding is when you purchase food, and there is no other food available in the town, and then you hoard it. However, if there is other food or goods available in the tow

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

Hadith.3957 - Safwan ibn Yahya narrated from Salamah al-Hannat, who said that Abu Abdullah (as), asked: "What is your occupation?" I replied: "I am a wheat seller, and sometimes I arrive during a time of demand, and sometimes I arrive during a time of stagnation, so I hold onto it." Imam (as) asked: "What do the people

لَا بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ.

Hadith.3958 - Al-Nadr narrated from Abdullah ibn Sinan that Abu Abdullah (as), said regarding merchants who arrived at a land and agreed among themselves not to sell their goods except at a price they desired: "There is no harm in that."

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌[5] لَا يَحْتَكِرُ الطَّعَامَ إِلَّا خَاطِئٌ.

Hadith.3959 - The Messenger of Allah (swt), peace be upon him and his family, said: "No one hoards food except a sinner."

سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ اَلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ حَبْسِ اَلطَّعَامِ سَنَةً قَالَ "أَنَا أَفْعَلُهُ".

Hadith.3960 - It is narrated from Mu'ammar ibn Khallad that a man asked Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha (as), about storing food for a year. Imam (as) replied: "I do it."

الْجَالِبُ مَرْزُوقٌ وَ الْمُحْتَكِرُ مَلْعُونٌ[6]

وَ نَهَى أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع عَنِ الْحُكْرَةِ فِي الْأَمْصَارِ[1].

Hadith.3962 - Commander of the Faithful (as), peace be upon him, forbade hoarding in the cities.

قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع‌ الْحُكْرَةُ فِي الْخِصْبِ أَرْبَعُونَ يَوْماً[2] وَ فِي الشِّدَّةِ وَ الْبَلَاءِ ثَلَاثَةُ أَيَّامٍ فَمَا زَادَ عَلَى أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْماً فِي الْخِصْبِ فَصَاحِبُهُ مَلْعُونٌ وَ مَا زَادَ فِي الْعُسْرَةِ فَوْقَ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فَصَاحِبُهُ مَلْعُونٌ‌[3].

Hadith.3963 - Al-Sakooni narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as), peace be upon him, who said that Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, stated: "Hoarding during times of abundance is permitted for forty days, and during hardship and distress, for three days. Anything

مَنْ بَاعَ الطَّعَامَ نُزِعَتْ مِنْهُ الرَّحْمَةُ[4].

كِيلُوا طَعَامَكُمْ فَإِنَّ الْبَرَكَةَ فِي الطَّعَامِ الْمَكِيلِ[5]

وَ مَا عَلَيَّ مِنْ غَلَائِهِ إِنْ غَلَا فَهُوَ عَلَيْهِ وَ إِنْ رَخُصَ فَهُوَ عَلَيْهِ‌[6].

Hadith.3966 - It is narrated from Abu Hamzah al-Thumali that he said: Imam Ali ibn Al-Hussain (as) was informed about the rise in prices. Imam (as) said: "What concern is it to me if prices rise? It is upon Him (swt), and if they fall, it is upon Him (swt)."

اشْتَرُوا وَ إِنْ كَانَ غَالِياً فَإِنَّ الرِّزْقَ يَنْزِلُ مَعَ الشِّرَاءِ[1]

قَالَ ع‌ فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- إِنِّي أَراكُمْ بِخَيْرٍ[2] فَقَالَ كَانَ سِعْرُهُمْ رَخِيصاً.

Hadith.3968 - It is narrated that Imam (as), peace be upon him, said regarding the saying of Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic: "Indeed, I see you in prosperity" (Surah Hud 11:84) Imam (as) said: "Their prices were low."

وَ قِيلَ لِلنَّبِيِّ ص لَوْ سَعَّرْتَ لَنَا سِعْراً فَإِنَّ الْأَسْعَارَ تَزِيدُ وَ تَنْقُصُ فَقَالَ ع مَا كُنْتُ لِأَلْقَى اللَّهَ تَعَالَى بِبِدْعَةٍ لَمْ يُحَدِّثْ إِلَيَّ فِيهَا شَيْئاً فَدَعُوا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ يَأْكُلُ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَ إِذَا اسْتُنْصِحْتُمْ فَانْصَحُوا[3].

Hadith.3969 - It was said to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family: "Would you set a fixed price for us, for prices rise and fall?" The Prophet (sw) replied: "I would not meet Allah (swt), the Exalted, with an innovation about which He (swt) has revealed nothing to me. So leave the servants of All

إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى وَكَّلَ بِالسِّعْرِ مَلَكاً يُدَبِّرُهُ بِأَمْرِهِ.

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ يَا أَبَا الصَّبَّاحِ شِرَاءُ الدَّقِيقِ ذُلٌّ وَ شِرَاءُ الْحِنْطَةِ عِزٌّ وَ شِرَاءُ الْخُبْزِ فَقْرٌ فَتَعَوَّذُوا بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الْفَقْرِ[1].

Hadith.3971 - It is narrated from Abu Al-Sabbah Al-Kinani that Abu Abdullah (as), said: "O Abu Al-Sabbah! Buying flour is humiliation, buying wheat is honor, and buying bread is poverty. So seek refuge with Allah (swt) from poverty."

قَالَ ع‌ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص عَلَى عَائِشَةَ وَ هِيَ تُحْصِي الْخُبْزَ فَقَالَ يَا حُمَيْرَاءُ لَا تُحْصِينَ فَيُحْصَى عَلَيْكِ‌[2].

Hadith.3972 - It is reported that the Messenger of Allah (swt), peace and blessings be upon him and his family, entered upon Aisha while she was counting pieces of bread. Prophet (sw) said: "O Humaira, do not count, lest it be counted against you."

لَا تُمَانِعُوا قَرْضَ الْخَمِيرِ وَ الْخُبْزِ فَإِنَّ مَنْعَهُمَا يُورِثُ الْفَقْرَ[3].

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌[4] عَلَامَةُ رِضَا اللَّهِ فِي خَلْقِهِ عَدْلُ سُلْطَانِهِمْ وَ رُخْصُ أَسْعَارِهِمْ وَ عَلَامَةُ غَضَبِ اللَّهِ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ جَوْرُ سُلْطَانِهِمْ وَ غَلَاءُ أَسْعَارِهِمْ.

Hadith.3974 - The Messenger of Allah (swt), peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "The sign of Allah's (swt) pleasure with His (swt) creation is the justice of their ruler and the affordability of their prices, and the sign of Allah's (swt) anger upon His (swt) creation is the oppression of their ruler