Advance Payment for Buying Slaves and Animals

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of advance payment in buying animals. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful.’ I then asked him (the Imam) if I can make an advance payment for known years or something known like slaves and I pay more or less than his stipulation with consent and happiness. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin, about the case of a man who gave a note to another man for a servant for an appointed time and his party said, ‘I could not find a servant for you, you take from me the cost of your servant today in the form of the value.’ He (’Amir al- Mu’minin) has said, ‘He can refuse to take anything other than his servant or the note that he had given him at first without any thing added.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Advance payment to buy an animal is not unlawful if the age of animals is clearly described.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Advance payment to buy an animals is not unlawful if it (the animal) is clearly made known.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that his father would not consider advance payment to buy an animal unlawful for a clearly known merchandise and time.”

“About the case of a man who makes advance payment for sheep of a certain age for an appointed time and the party gives him four years old in place of three years old, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), asked, ‘Is it not true that he has made advance payment for (animals of) known age and on an appointed time? I replied, ‘Yes, that is true.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful.’”

“Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about the case of a man who made an advance payment for things of clearly described age and color; then the party gave him more or less than the set condition. He (the Imam) said, ‘If it is with fine consent it is not unlawful.’”

“Once abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) was asked about the case of a man who made an advanced payment to buy sheep of three and less than three years old, and others for an appointed time. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful if the one who must provide sheep cannot have all that he is responsible for; the buyer can have half, one-third, two-thirds with the capital of the rest of the sheep in the form of dirhams. They can take below their condition and not above the condition, and this applies to sacks of wheat, barley and saffron and sheep also.’”

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who made an advance payment for things of clearly described age and appointed time and not clearly described ages; then he was given below the condition. He (the Imam) said, ‘If it is with fine consent from him and from you it is not unlawful.’ I then asked about a man who made an advance payment to buy sheep of three years and less than three years and others for an appointed time. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’ ‘In case he cannot provide all of them, can he ask the party to accept half or one-third and take back the capital for the remaining sheep in the form of dirhams?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful but they must not take up his condition without fine consent of the owner.’”

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who bought skins from the butcher to give him every day something clearly known. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful.’”

“Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about advance payment to buy animals. He (the Imam) said, ‘The age must be clearly known and the numbers must be made known for the known time, then it is not unlawful.’”

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the case of advance payment for meat. He (the Imam) said, ‘You must not go close to it because one time he gives you fatty, one time what is about to become spoilled and one time he gives you boney. Buy with examination and in hand in hand manner.’ I then asked about advance payment for containers of water. He (the Imam) said, ‘You must not go close to it because one time he gives you less and one time complete. Buy it with examination; it is safe for you and for him.’”

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man saying, ‘He has sheep that milks and the milk is abundant every day, if one can buy from him five hundred Ritl (a certain unit of measurement) or more and every one hundred Ritl for so and so much dirham then every day take certain Ritl until the deal is complete.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful (for this) and similar things.’”

“Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked, when I was present, by a man who said, ‘My brother comes from and goes to the mountains, milks sheep of known age for an appointed time; then he is given four years old in place of three years old.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘Is it with fine consent of his party?’ he replied, ‘Yes, it is so.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful.’”