Preferable Matters In Buying And Selling

CR (44) It is preferable to know the rules of buying and selling to be able to discern valid and invalid transaction and remain safe from unlawful interest. In case of having doubt about the validity and invalidity of a transaction it is not lawful to relate to it the effects of a valid one, in fact, in such case, one has to observe precaution. It is preferable to maintain equality among buyers, thus, one should not sell for less to a prompt payer and for more to one who is not a prompt payer etc., however, segregating because of religious priorities such as buyer's knowledge and piety etc., apparently, has no harm. It is preferable to refund the party who is not happy with the deal, say the two phrases of testament of faith and the phrase Allahu Akbar during pronouncing the legal contract terms and receive lesser and give little more.

CR (45) It is detestable for the seller to praise his merchandise, and for the buyer to downgrade it. It is detestable for the seller to hide the defect of the merchandise that is not to the extent of cheating, otherwise, as mentioned before, it is unlawful. To swear and selling in darkness which may hide the defect of the merchandise or with the presence of any such factors, to charge a believing person and one whom the seller has promised a favor more than needed profits, to enter the market before every one else, to make deals with low and handicapped people, to ask to lower the price after concluding the legal terms of the deal, to delay to increase demand by calling and attracting more buyers. However, there is no offense to increase the price after calling is stopped, interference with counting and measuring, when it does not suit one, in order to be safe from mistakes; to interfere in an ongoing deal with a believer by offering a higher price or a different merchandise if there existed a chance that the first parties may conclude the deal were they been left alone. However, there is no harm if one of the first two parties quite or one knows that their deal cannot go through or their deal would be in the form of auction, to travel up to 16 miles to meet the suppliers before anyone else does. However, there is no harm in traveling distances more than 16 miles or if it takes place accidentally. The latter rule, apparently, applies also to the deals other than selling and buying such as negotiation or renting etc.

CR (46) Withholding a commodity for higher price is not lawful, when Muslims need it and other suppliers are not available, apparently, this rule applies only to wheat, barley, raisin and oil used for food, not other commodities although according to a preferable precaution it is true of salt also, in fact, all commodities that Muslims need such as clothing and means of transportation etc. The person withholding commodities in an unlawful way must be forced to make it available without fixing a price for it. However, if the price which he may choose is unreasonably high, he must be forced to reduce it.