In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate
"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"
Praise be to Allaah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with
Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah
guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one
can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness
that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah
As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu
Major Sins # 32
Concealing a products Faults at the time of Sale
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) once passed by a pile
of food that was for sale. He put his hand in it and felt dampness, so he
asked, "What is this, O seller of the food?" He said, "It was rained on, O
Messenger of Allaah." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Why don't you put it on top, so that people can see it? Whoever deceives
(the people) is not one of us."
(Reported by Muslim, 1/99).
There are many traders nowadays who do not fear Allaah, and try to conceal
faults by wrapping it in plastic , putting faulty produce in the bottom of the
box, using chemicals and the like to make a product look good, or concealing
noises in engines that may indicate a fault - so that when the purchaser brings
a product home, it soon starts to wear out. Some traders change expiry dates,
or prevent the buyer from examining or trying out a product. Many of those who
sell cars or other types of equipment do not point out the products faults.
All of this is haraam, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "The Muslim is the brother of his fellow Muslim. The Muslim is not
permitted to sell to his brother anything which is faulty without pointing out
the faults to him."
(Reported by Ibn Maajah, 2/754; see also Saheeh al-Jaami', 6705).
Some traders even think that their responsibility ends when they tell buyers at
an auction, "I am selling a heap of metal, a heap of metal..." This is a sale
in which there is no blessing, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "The two parties involved in a sale have the choice (to end it
- i.e. the sale is not final) until they part. If both have been truthful and
honest about any faults, the sale will be blessed, but if they have lied and
concealed any faults, the blessing of the sale will be lost."
(Reported by al-Bukhaari; see al-Fath, 4/328).
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