Conditions of a valid sale

Trade and finance (Mu'amalat) From the Quran · 2 From the Sunnah · 4

The ruling in short

Allah says: do not consume one another's wealth unjustly, but only through trade by mutual consent (4:29). A sale needs the agreement of both parties, a lawful thing that is owned by the seller, a known price and a known item. The Prophet ﷺ said that the two parties of a sale have the option as long as they have not separated.

1

The conditions

  • Mutual consent of both parties, free of force and cheating.
  • The seller owns the item and is able to deliver it. The Prophet ﷺ said: do not sell what is not with you.
  • The item and the price are known, and the item is lawful and useful.
  • The terms are clear, so that there is no gharar (excessive uncertainty).

2

Options and defects

  • The option of the session (khiyar al-majlis): both parties can cancel as long as they are together, in the hadith. The Hanafi and Maliki schools do not take this literally and say the contract is binding on the agreement.
  • The option of defect: a buyer who finds a hidden defect may return the item or keep it with compensation.
  • Honest description: the seller must state faults he knows of. Hiding them is cheating.

3

Conditions in contracts

  • Muslims are bound by their conditions, except a condition that makes the lawful unlawful or the unlawful lawful (Abu Dawud, graded hasan sahih by many).
  • There is to be neither harm nor reciprocating harm (Ibn Majah). This is a general rule of fiqh.

Where the schools differ

The four Sunni schools agree on the main ruling above and differ in these points. No school is preferred here.

  • The option of the session. the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools apply the hadith literally, and the Hanafi and Maliki schools hold that the contract is binding as soon as the offer and acceptance are made.

The evidence

From the Quran

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَأْكُلُوٓا۟ أَمْوَٰلَكُم بَيْنَكُم بِٱلْبَٰطِلِ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَ تِجَٰرَةً عَن تَرَاضٍۢ مِّنكُمْ ۚ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًۭا ﴿٢٩﴾

O ye who believe! Squander not your wealth among yourselves in vanity, except it be a trade by mutual consent, and kill not one another. Lo! Allah is ever Merciful unto you.

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا تَدَايَنتُم بِدَيْنٍ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ مُّسَمًّۭى فَٱكْتُبُوهُ ۚ وَلْيَكْتُب بَّيْنَكُمْ كَاتِبٌۢ بِٱلْعَدْلِ ۚ وَلَا يَأْبَ كَاتِبٌ أَن يَكْتُبَ كَمَا عَلَّمَهُ ٱللَّهُ ۚ فَلْيَكْتُبْ وَلْيُمْلِلِ ٱلَّذِى عَلَيْهِ ٱلْحَقُّ وَلْيَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّهُۥ وَلَا يَبْخَسْ مِنْهُ شَيْـًۭٔا ۚ فَإِن كَانَ ٱلَّذِى عَلَيْهِ ٱلْحَقُّ سَفِيهًا أَوْ ضَعِيفًا أَوْ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَن يُمِلَّ هُوَ فَلْيُمْلِلْ وَلِيُّهُۥ بِٱلْعَدْلِ ۚ وَٱسْتَشْهِدُوا۟ شَهِيدَيْنِ مِن رِّجَالِكُمْ ۖ فَإِن لَّمْ يَكُونَا رَجُلَيْنِ فَرَجُلٌۭ وَٱمْرَأَتَانِ مِمَّن تَرْضَوْنَ مِنَ ٱلشُّهَدَآءِ أَن تَضِلَّ إِحْدَىٰهُمَا فَتُذَكِّرَ إِحْدَىٰهُمَا ٱلْأُخْرَىٰ ۚ وَلَا يَأْبَ ٱلشُّهَدَآءُ إِذَا مَا دُعُوا۟ ۚ وَلَا تَسْـَٔمُوٓا۟ أَن تَكْتُبُوهُ صَغِيرًا أَوْ كَبِيرًا إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَقْسَطُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَأَقْوَمُ لِلشَّهَٰدَةِ وَأَدْنَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَرْتَابُوٓا۟ ۖ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَ تِجَٰرَةً حَاضِرَةًۭ تُدِيرُونَهَا بَيْنَكُمْ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَلَّا تَكْتُبُوهَا ۗ وَأَشْهِدُوٓا۟ إِذَا تَبَايَعْتُمْ ۚ وَلَا يُضَآرَّ كَاتِبٌۭ وَلَا شَهِيدٌۭ ۚ وَإِن تَفْعَلُوا۟ فَإِنَّهُۥ فُسُوقٌۢ بِكُمْ ۗ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۖ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌۭ ﴿٢٨٢﴾

O ye who believe! When ye contract a debt for a fixed term, record it in writing. Let a scribe record it in writing between you in (terms of) equity. No scribe should refuse to write as Allah hath taught him, so let him write, and let him who incurreth the debt dictate, and let him observe his duty to Allah his Lord, and diminish naught thereof. But if he who oweth the debt is of low understanding, or weak, or unable himself to dictate, then let the guardian of his interests dictate in (terms of) equity. And call to witness, from among your men, two witnesses. And if two men be not (at hand) then a man and two women, of such as ye approve as witnesses, so that if the one erreth (through forgetfulness) the other will remember. And the witnesses must not refuse when they are summoned. Be not averse to writing down (the contract) whether it be small or great, with (record of) the term thereof. That is more equitable in the sight of Allah and more sure for testimony, and the best way of avoiding doubt between you; save only in the case when it is actual merchandise which ye transfer among yourselves from hand to hand. In that case it is no sin for you if ye write it not. And have witnesses when ye sell one to another, and let no harm be done to scribe or witness. If ye do (harm to them) lo! it is a sin in you. Observe your duty to Allah. Allah is teaching you. And Allah is knower of all things.

From the Sunnah

1 Sahih al-Bukhari 2107 Authentic collection

The point of the hadith: The buyer and the seller have the option to cancel or to confirm as long as they have not separated.

Read the Arabic text

حَدَّثَنَا صَدَقَةُ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ نَافِعًا، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، رضى الله عنهما عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّ الْمُتَبَايِعَيْنِ بِالْخِيَارِ فِي بَيْعِهِمَا، مَا لَمْ يَتَفَرَّقَا، أَوْ يَكُونُ الْبَيْعُ خِيَارًا ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ نَافِعٌ وَكَانَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ إِذَا اشْتَرَى شَيْئًا يُعْجِبُهُ فَارَقَ صَاحِبَهُ‏.‏

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2 Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1232

The point of the hadith: Do not sell what is not with you.

Graded by

  • Ahmad Muhammad Shakir: Sahih
  • Al-Albani: Sahih
  • Zubair Ali Zai: Isnaad Hasan
Read the Arabic text

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، عَنْ يُوسُفَ بْنِ مَاهَكَ، عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ، قَالَ أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ يَأْتِينِي الرَّجُلُ يَسْأَلُنِي مِنَ الْبَيْعِ مَا لَيْسَ عِنْدِي أَبْتَاعُ لَهُ مِنَ السُّوقِ ثُمَّ أَبِيعُهُ قَالَ ‏ "‏ لاَ تَبِعْ مَا لَيْسَ عِنْدَكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ‏.‏

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3 Sunan Abi Dawud 3594

The point of the hadith: Muslims are bound by their conditions, except a condition that makes the lawful unlawful or the unlawful lawful.

Graded by

  • Al-Albani: Hasan Sahih
  • Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid: Hasan Sahih
  • Shuaib Al Arnaut: Hasan Sahih
  • Zubair Ali Zai: Isnaad Hasan
Read the Arabic text

حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ الْمَهْرِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْوَاحِدِ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ - حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ، أَوْ عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ - شَكَّ الشَّيْخُ - عَنْ كَثِيرِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ رَبَاحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ الصُّلْحُ جَائِزٌ بَيْنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ زَادَ أَحْمَدُ ‏"‏ إِلاَّ صُلْحًا أَحَلَّ حَرَامًا أَوْ حَرَّمَ حَلاَلاً ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَزَادَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ الْمُسْلِمُونَ عَلَى شُرُوطِهِمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

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4 Sunan Ibn Majah 2340

The point of the hadith: There is to be neither harm nor reciprocating harm.

Graded by

  • Al-Albani: Sahih
  • Muhammad Fouad Abd al-Baqi: Sahih
  • Shuaib Al Arnaut: Sahih Lighairihi
  • Zubair Ali Zai: Daif
Read the Arabic text

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ رَبِّهِ بْنُ خَالِدٍ النُّمَيْرِيُّ أَبُو الْمُغَلِّسِ، حَدَّثَنَا فُضَيْلُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ عُقْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ، عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَضَى أَنْ ‏ "‏ لاَ ضَرَرَ وَلاَ ضِرَارَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

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This is general information, not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar.

Fiqh questions

Conditions of a valid sale

Allah says: do not consume one another's wealth unjustly, but only through trade by mutual consent (4:29). A sale needs the agreement of both parties, a lawful thing that is owned by the seller, a known price and a known item. The Prophet ﷺ said that the two parties of a sale have the option as long as they have not separated.

Is this a fatwa?

No. It is a summary of well-known rulings with their evidence. For your own case, ask a qualified scholar.

What if my school differs from this answer?

Follow the view of the school you follow and the scholar who teaches you. The page lists the differences of the four schools.