The Book on Business

Sakhr ibn Wadā‘ah al-Ghāmidi (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Allah, bless the early morning hours for my Ummah." Whenever the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent a detachment or an army, he would send them at the early morning time. Sakhr was a merchant, and he used to send his merchandise at the early morning time, so he became rich and his wealth grew.

‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās(may Allah be pleased with him) reported: 'The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade riders (carrying merchandise) being met on their way, and a townsman selling for a man from the desert.'' The narrator asked Ibn ‘Abbās: ''What does it mean that a townsman should not sell for a man from the desert?" He said: ''That he should not work as a broker on his behalf.''

Mālik ibn Aws ibn al-Hadathān reported: I came saying: Who will exchange the dirhams? Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullāh, who was in the company of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with both of them), said: Show us your gold, then come to us when our servant comes to give you your silver. Thereupon, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb said: No, by Allah, you must either give him his silver or give him back his gold, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Silver for gold is Riba (usury) unless exchanged on the spot; wheat for wheat is Riba unless exchanged on the spot; barley for barley is Riba unless exchanged on the spot; and dates for dates is Riba unless exchanged on the spot."

‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If anyone undertakes to take a false oath to appropriate the wealth of a Muslim, he will meet Allah while He is angry with him.'' It was revealed: {Indeed, those who exchange the covenant of Allah and their [own] oaths for a small price.} [Āl-‘Imrān: 77]

Rāfi‘ ibn Khadīj (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The price of a dog is evil, the earning of a prostitute is evil and the earning of a cupper is evil."

Abu Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited the price of a dog, the earning of a prostitute, and the money paid to a soothsayer.

‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about fruit on the tree. He said: "Whatever a needy person eats without putting any in his pocket (and taking it away), there is no penalty on him. But whoever takes something away, he must pay a fine of twice its value and receive punishment. Whoever steals something after it has been stored properly, and its value amounts to the price of a shield, his hand must be cut off."

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), in the year of the Conquest, when he was in Makkah, say: "Indeed, Allah and His Messenger have forbidden selling alcohol, dead animals, swine, and idols." It was said: "O Messenger of Allah, what about the fat of dead animals that is used for coating boats and daubing hides, and people use it for lighting purposes?" He said: "No, it is forbidden." Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "May Allah destroy the Jews. Indeed, Allah had forbidden fat to them, but they melted it and then sold it and consumed its price."

Abu Safwān Suwayd ibn Qays (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Makhramah al-‘Abdi and I brought some linen garments from Hajar. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to us and bargained with us for some pants. There was a man present who would weigh merchandise (in scales) for a wage. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Weigh, and add some more."

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever gives respite to an insolvent person or remits part of his debt, Allah will shade him on the Day of Judgment in the shade of His Throne, on a day when there will be no shade but His shade."

Abu Mas‘ūd al-Badri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A man from among those who were before you was called to account (by Allah on the Day of Judgment). No good deeds were found in his record except that he, being a rich man, used to enter into transactions with people and used to command his servants to show leniency towards those who were insolvent. Allah, the Exalted, said: 'We are more entitled to this (leniency) than him. Pardon him.'"

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Procrastination in payment of a debt by a rich man is injustice, but when one of you is referred for payment to a wealthy man, let him be referred."

‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to Madīnah, they used to pay one, two or three years in advance for fruits, so he said: "Whoever pays in advance for anything, let him pay for a specified measure and a specified weight, to be delivered on a specified period of time."