Chapter on Trade, Its Etiquettes, Virtues, and Jurisprudence

Hadith.3717 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "Trade increases intellect."

Hadith.3718 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "Abandoning trade diminishes intellect."

"Go early to your source of honor."

"They were businessmen, but when the time for prayer arrived, they left their trade and went to perform the prayer. They are greater in reward than those who did not engage in trade."

Abu Abdillah (as) asked: "What has Umar ibn Muslim done?" I said: "May I be your ransom! He has devoted himself to worship and abandoned trade." Imam (as) said: "Woe to him! Does he not know that the one who abandons seeking sustenance will not have his supplication answered? Indeed, some of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace be upon him and his family), when the verse was revealed; 'And whoever fears Allah (swt), He will make a way out for him, and provide for him from where he does not expect' (Surah At-Talaq 65:2-3), they locked their doors and devoted themselves to worship, saying, 'We have been guaranteed provision.' When the Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace be upon him and his family) heard about this, he sent for them and said: 'What led you to do what you have done?' They said: 'O Messenger of Allah (swt), Allah (swt), the Mighty and Exalted, has guaranteed our provision, so we have devoted ourselves to worship.' He (sw) said: 'Whoever does this, Allah (swt) will not answer his supplication. You must continue seeking sustenance.' Then Imam (as) said: 'I hate a man who sits idle, opening his mouth to his Lord (azj), saying, "Provide for me," while he abandons seeking sustenance.'"

Hadith.3722 - The Commander of the Faithful (as) said: "Engage in trade - may Allah (swt) bless you - for I heard the Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace be upon him and his family) say, 'Provision is divided into ten parts, nine of which are in trade, and one in other means.'"

Hadith.3723 - The Commander of the Faithful (as) said: "Engage in trade, for in it lies independence from what is in the hands of others."

Hadith.3724 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "Do not abandon trade, lest you become insignificant. Engage in trade-may Allah (swt) bless you."

Hadith.3725 - The Commander of the Faithful (as) said: "Whoever engages in trade without knowledge will fall into usury, and then fall into it again. Therefore, no one should sit in the marketplace except one who understands buying and selling."

Hadith.3726 - Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) used to go out every morning in Kufa and walk through its markets, visiting them one by one. Imam (as) carried a whip with two ends, which was called "Al-Sabeebah." Imam (as) would stand in each market and call out to the merchants, saying: "O group of traders! Begin with seeking goodness (from Allah (swt)), bless your trade with ease, draw near to the buyers, adorn yourselves with patience, avoid oppression, give justice to the oppressed, and do not approach usury. 'And give full measure and weight' and 'Do not diminish people's goods, nor act corruptly in the land, making mischief.'" Then Imam (as) would continue walking through all the markets of Kufa before returning to sit and attend to the people's needs.

Hadith.3727 - The Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Whoever buys and sells should observe five qualities; otherwise, let him not buy or sell: usury, swearing, concealing defects, praising when selling, and criticizing when buying."

Hadith.3728 - The Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace be upon him and his family) said: "O group of traders, raise your heads, for the path has been made clear for you. You will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment as transgressors, except those who speak the truth."

Hadith.3729 - The Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace be upon him and his family) said: "The trader is sinful, and the sinful one is in the Fire-except for the one who takes what is right and gives what is right."

Hadith.3730 - Imam (as) said: "O group of traders, protect your wealth through charity, your sins will be forgiven, and the oaths you make will be purified for you-thus your trade will be blessed."

I heard Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) saying from the pulpit: "O group of traders! Learn jurisprudence, then engage in trade. Learn jurisprudence, then engage in trade. By Allah (swt), usury in this nation is more hidden than the crawling of an ant on a smooth stone. Protect your wealth through charity. The trader is sinful, and the sinful one is in the Fire-except the one who takes what is right and gives what is right."

I said to Abu Abdillah (as), "My wife gave me money to use as I wish. Can I buy a bondwoman with her money and have relations with her?" Imam (as) said: "No. She gave it to you to bring comfort to her eyes, and you intend to cause her distress."

I said to Him (as): "A man comes to me and asks me to buy something for him, but what I have is better than what is available in the market. What should I do?" Imam (as) said: "If you are confident that he will not suspect you, then give him from what you have. But if you fear that he might suspect you, then buy for him from the market."

Allah (swt), the Exalted, revealed to one of His prophets (peace be upon them): "Deal generously with the generous, be lenient with the lenient, be tight-fisted with the stingy, and be evasive with the harsh."

Hadith.3735 - Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace be upon him and his family) say, "Leniency is a means of profit." Imam (as) then said: "This applies to a man who is advised while he has goods to sell."

Hadith.3736 - Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) passed by a bondwoman who had bought meat from a butcher and was asking him to add more. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) said to the butcher: "Give her more, for it brings greater blessings."

Hadith.3737 - The Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Indeed, Allah (swt), the Blessed and Exalted, loves a servant who is easygoing in selling, easygoing in buying, easygoing in settling debts, and easygoing in demanding repayment."

Hadith.3738 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "Any Muslim who cancels a sale for another Muslim who regrets it, Allah (swt) will cancel his slip on the Day of Judgment."

Hadith.3739 - Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) said: The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) passed by a man who had goods he wanted to sell and said to him, "Go to the beginning of the market."

Hadith.3740 - Imam (as) said: "The owner of the goods has more right to set the price."

Hadith.3741 - The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) forbade trading between the rise of dawn and the rise of the sun.

Hadith.3742 - Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) said: "Bargain with the buyer, for it is more satisfying to the soul. Even if he gives generously, the one who is cheated in buying or selling is neither praiseworthy nor rewarded."

Hadith.3743 - Imam (as) said: "Do not bargain in four things; the sacrificial animal, the shroud, the price of freeing a slave, and the fare to Makkah."

Hadith.3744 - Imam Ali ibn Al-Hussain Zayn Al-Abidin (as) used to say to his steward: "If you intend to buy something for me from the needs of Hajj, then buy it and do not bargain."

I said to him, "A man intends to be honest, but when he measures, he does not measure accurately." He (as) asked: "What do those around him say?" I said: "They say he does not give full measure." He (as) said: "He is among those who should not be measuring."

"Whoever takes the scales in his hand with the intention of taking a full measure for himself will only take more than his due. And whoever gives with the intention of giving an equal measure will only give less."

"Fulfillment (of measure) is not achieved until the scale tips."

Hadith.3748 - And in another narration: "Fulfillment (of measure) is not achieved until it exceeds (the exact amount)."

I said to Abu Abdillah (as), "I receive dirhams from a man, weigh them, then distribute them, and a surplus remains in my hand. What should I do?" Imam (as) said: "Did you not strive to be accurate in your measure?" I said: "Yes." Imam (as) said: "Then there is no harm."

"Earnest money (down payment) is not permissible unless it is part of the price."