Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Muhammad Sirin used to say, "Do not sell grain on the ears until it is white." Malik said, "If someone buys food for a known price to be delivered at a stated date, and when the date comes, the one who owes the food says, 'I do not have any food, sell me the food which I owe you with delayed terms.' The owner of the food says, 'This is not good, because the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade selling food until the deal was completed.' The one who owes the food says to his creditor, 'Sell me any kind of food on delayed terms until I discharge the debt to you.' This is not good because he gives him food and then he returns it to him. The gold which he gave him becomes the price of that which is his right against him and the food which he gave him becomes what clears what is between them. If they do that, it becomes the sale of food before the deal is complete." Malik spoke about a man who was owed food which he had purchased from a man and this man was owed the like of that food by another man. The one who owed the food said to his creditor, "I will refer you to my debtor who owes me the same amount of food as I owe you, so that you may obtain the food which I owe you ." Malik said, "If the man who had to deliver the food, had gone out, and bought the food to pay off his creditor, that is not good. That is selling food before taking possession of it. If the food is an advance which falls due at that particular time, there is no harm in paying off his creditor with it because that is nota sale. It is not halal to sell food before receiving it in full since the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade that. However, the people of knowledge agree that there is no harm in partnership, transfer of responsibility and revocation in sales of food and other goods." Malik said, "That is because the people of knowledge consider it as a favour rendered. They do not consider it as a sale. It is like a man lending light dirhams. He is then paid back in dirhams of full weight, and so gets back more than he lent. That is halal for him and permitted. Had a man bought defective dirhams from him as being the full weight, that would not be halal. Had it been stipulated to him that he lend full weight in dirhams, and then he gave faulty ones, that would not be halal for him."  

أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ سِيرِينَ كَانَ يَقُولُ لاَ تَبِيعُوا الْحَبَّ فِي سُنْبُلِهِ حَتَّى يَبْيَضَّ قَالَ مَالِكٌ مَنِ اشْتَرَى طَعَامًا بِسِعْرٍ مَعْلُومٍ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى فَلَمَّا حَلَّ الأَجَلُ قَالَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ الطَّعَامُ لِصَاحِبِهِ لَيْسَ عِنْدِي طَعَامٌ فَبِعْنِي الطَّعَامَ الَّذِي لَكَ عَلَىَّ إِلَى أَجَلٍ فَيَقُولُ صَاحِبُ الطَّعَامِ هَذَا لاَ يَصْلُحُ لأَنَّهُ قَدْ نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ بَيْعِ الطَّعَامِ حَتَّى يُسْتَوْفَى فَيَقُولُ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ الطَّعَامُ لِغَرِيمِهِ فَبِعْنِي طَعَامًا إِلَى أَجَلٍ حَتَّى أَقْضِيَكَهُ فَهَذَا لاَ يَصْلُحُ لأَنَّهُ إِنَّمَا يُعْطِيهِ طَعَامًا ثُمَّ يَرُدُّهُ إِلَيْهِ فَيَصِيرُ الذَّهَبُ الَّذِي أَعْطَاهُ ثَمَنَ الَّذِي كَانَ لَهُ عَلَيْهِ وَيَصِيرُ الطَّعَامُ الَّذِي أَعْطَاهُ مُحَلَّلاً فِيمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَيَكُونُ ذَلِكَ إِذَا فَعَلاَهُ بَيْعَ الطَّعَامِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسْتَوْفَى قَالَ مَالِكٌ فِي رَجُلٍ لَهُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ طَعَامٌ ابْتَاعَهُ مِنْهُ وَلِغَرِيمِهِ عَلَى رَجُلٍ طَعَامٌ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ الطَّعَامِ فَقَالَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ الطَّعَامُ لِغَرِيمِهِ أُحِيلُكَ عَلَى غَرِيمٍ لِي عَلَيْهِ مِثْلُ الطَّعَامِ الَّذِي لَكَ عَلَىَّ بِطَعَامِكَ الَّذِي لَكَ عَلَىَّ قَالَ مَالِكٌ إِنْ كَانَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ الطَّعَامُ إِنَّمَا هُوَ طَعَامٌ ابْتَاعَهُ فَأَرَادَ أَنْ يُحِيلَ غَرِيمَهُ بِطَعَامٍ ابْتَاعَهُ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ لاَ يَصْلُحُ وَذَلِكَ بَيْعُ الطَّعَامِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسْتَوْفَى فَإِنْ كَانَ الطَّعَامُ سَلَفًا حَالاًّ فَلاَ بَأْسَ أَنْ يُحِيلَ بِهِ غَرِيمَهُ لأَنَّ ذَلِكَ لَيْسَ بِبَيْعٍ وَلاَ يَحِلُّ بَيْعُ الطَّعَامِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسْتَوْفَى لِنَهْىِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ ذَلِكَ غَيْرَ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْعِلْمِ قَدِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى أَنَّهُ لاَ بَأْسَ بِالشِّرْكِ وَالتَّوْلِيَةِ وَالإِقَالَةِ فِي الطَّعَامِ وَغَيْرِهِ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْعِلْمِ أَنْزَلُوهُ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْمَعْرُوفِ وَلَمْ يُنْزِلُوهُ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْبَيْعِ وَذَلِكَ مِثْلُ الرَّجُلِ يُسَلِّفُ الدَّرَاهِمَ النُّقَّصَ فَيُقْضَى دَرَاهِمَ وَازِنَةً فِيهَا فَضْلٌ فَيَحِلُّ لَهُ ذَلِكَ وَيَجُوزُ وَلَوِ اشْتَرَى مِنْهُ دَرَاهِمَ نُقَّصًا بِوَازِنَةٍ لَمْ يَحِلَّ ذَلِكَ وَلَوِ اشْتَرَطَ عَلَيْهِ حِينَ أَسْلَفَهُ وَازِنَةً وَإِنَّمَا أَعْطَاهُ نُقَّصًا لَمْ يَحِلَّ لَهُ ذَلِكَ  

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that al-Qasim ibn Muhammad said, ''I heard Abdullah ibn Abbas say, when a man asked him about a man making an advance on some garments and then wanting to sell them back before taking possession of them, 'That is silver for silver,' and he disapproved of it." Malik said, "Our opinion is - and Allah knows best that was because he wanted to sell them to the person from whom he had bought them for more than the price for which he bought them. Had he sold them to some one other than the person from whom he had purchased them, there would not have been any harm in it." Malik said, "The generally agreed on way of doing things among us concerning making an advance for slaves, cattle or goods is that when all of what is to be sold is described and an advance is made for them for a date, and the date falls due, the buyer does not sell any of that to the person from whom he has purchased it for more than the price which he advanced for it before he has taken full possession of what he has advanced for. It is usury if he does. If the buyer gives the seller dinars or dirhams and he profits with them, then, when the goods come to the buyer and he does not take them into his possession but sells them back to their owner for more than what he advanced for them, the outcome is that what he has advanced has returned to him and has been increased for him." Malik said, "If someone advances gold or silver for described animals or goods which are to be delivered before a named date, and the date arrives, or it is before or after the date, there is no harm in the buyer selling those goods to the seller, for other goods, to be taken immediately and not delayed, no matter how extensive the amount of those goods is, except in the case of food because it is not halal to sell it before he has full possession of it. The buyer can sell those goods to some one other than the person from whom he purchased them for gold or silver or any goods. He takes possession of it and does not defer it because if he defers it, that is ugly and there enters into the transaction what is disapproved of: delay for delay. Delay for delay is to sell a debt against one man for a debt against another man." Malik said, "If someone advances for goods to be delivered after a time, and those goods are neither something to be eaten nor drunk, he can sell them to whomever he likes for cash or goods, before he takes delivery of them, to some one other than the person from whom he purchased them. He must not sell them to the person from whom he bought them except in exchange for goods which he takes possession of immediately and does not defer." Malik said, "If the delivery date for the goods has not arrived, there is no harm in selling them to the original owner for goods which are clearly different and which he takes immediate possession of and does not defer." Malik spoke about the case of a man who advanced dinars or dirhams for four specified pieces of cloth to be delivered before a specified time and when the term fell due, he demanded delivery from the seller and the seller did not have them. He found that the seller had cloth but inferior quality, and the seller said that he would give him eight of those cloths. Malik said, "There is no harm in that if he takes the cloths which he offers him before they separate. It is not good if delayed terms enter into the transaction. It is also not good if that is before the end of the term, unless he sells him cloth which is not the type of cloth for which he made an advance.  

سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ وَرَجُلٌ يَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ سَلَّفَ فِي سَبَائِبَ فَأَرَادَ بَيْعَهَا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقْبِضَهَا فَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ تِلْكَ الْوَرِقُ بِالْوَرِقِ وَكَرِهَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَذَلِكَ فِيمَا نُرَى وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَبِيعَهَا مِنْ صَاحِبِهَا الَّذِي اشْتَرَاهَا مِنْهُ بِأَكْثَرَ مِنَ الثَّمَنِ الَّذِي ابْتَاعَهَا بِهِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُ بَاعَهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ الَّذِي اشْتَرَاهَا مِنْهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِذَلِكَ بَأْسٌ قَالَ مَالِكٌ الأَمْرُ الْمُجْتَمَعُ عَلَيْهِ عِنْدَنَا فِيمَنْ سَلَّفَ فِي رَقِيقٍ أَوْ مَاشِيَةٍ أَوْ عُرُوضٍ فَإِذَا كَانَ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ مَوْصُوفًا فَسَلَّفَ فِيهِ إِلَى أَجَلٍ فَحَلَّ الأَجَلُ فَإِنَّ الْمُشْتَرِيَ لاَ يَبِيعُ شَيْئًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الَّذِي اشْتَرَاهُ مِنْهُ بِأَكْثَرَ مِنَ الثَّمَنِ الَّذِي سَلَّفَهُ فِيهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقْبِضَ مَا سَلَّفَهُ فِيهِ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ إِذَا فَعَلَهُ فَهُوَ الرِّبَا صَارَ الْمُشْتَرِي إِنْ أَعْطَى الَّذِي بَاعَهُ دَنَانِيرَ أَوْ دَرَاهِمَ فَانْتَفَعَ بِهَا فَلَمَّا حَلَّتْ عَلَيْهِ السِّلْعَةُ وَلَمْ يَقْبِضْهَا الْمُشْتَرِي بَاعَهَا مِنْ صَاحِبِهَا بِأَكْثَرَ مِمَّا سَلَّفَهُ فِيهَا فَصَارَ أَنْ رَدَّ إِلَيْهِ مَا سَلَّفَهُ وَزَادَهُ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ قَالَ مَالِكٌ مَنْ سَلَّفَ ذَهَبًا أَوْ وَرِقًا فِي حَيَوَانٍ أَوْ عُرُوضٍ إِذَا كَانَ مَوْصُوفًا إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى ثُمَّ حَلَّ الأَجَلُ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ بَأْسَ أَنْ يَبِيعَ الْمُشْتَرِي تِلْكَ السِّلْعَةَ مِنَ الْبَائِعِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَحِلَّ الأَجَلُ أَوْ بَعْدَ مَا يَحِلُّ بِعَرْضٍ مِنَ الْعُرُوضِ يُعَجِّلُهُ وَلاَ يُؤَخِّرُهُ بَالِغًا مَا بَلَغَ ذَلِكَ الْعَرْضُ إِلاَّ الطَّعَامَ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَحِلُّ أَنْ يَبِيعَهُ حَتَّى يَقْبِضَهُ وَلِلْمُشْتَرِي أَنْ يَبِيعَ تِلْكَ السِّلْعَةَ مِنْ غَيْرِ صَاحِبِهِ الَّذِي ابْتَاعَهَا مِنْهُ بِذَهَبٍ أَوْ وَرِقٍ أَوْ عَرْضٍ مِنَ الْعُرُوضِ يَقْبِضُ ذَلِكَ وَلاَ يُؤَخِّرُهُ لأَنَّهُ إِذَا أَخَّرَ ذَلِكَ قَبُحَ وَدَخَلَهُ مَا يُكْرَهُ مِنَ الْكَالِئِ بِالْكَالِئِ وَالْكَالِئُ بِالْكَالِئِ أَنْ يَبِيعَ الرَّجُلُ دَيْنًا لَهُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ بِدَيْنٍ عَلَى رَجُلٍ آخَرَ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَمَنْ سَلَّفَ فِي سِلْعَةٍ إِلَى أَجَلٍ وَتِلْكَ السِّلْعَةُ مِمَّا لاَ يُؤْكَلُ وَلاَ يُشْرَبُ فَإِنَّ الْمُشْتَرِيَ يَبِيعُهَا مِمَّنْ شَاءَ بِنَقْدٍ أَوْ عَرْضٍ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَسْتَوْفِيَهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ صَاحِبِهَا الَّذِي اشْتَرَاهَا مِنْهُ وَلاَ يَنْبَغِي لَهُ أَنْ يَبِيعَهَا مِنَ الَّذِي ابْتَاعَهَا مِنْهُ إِلاَّ بِعَرْضٍ يَقْبِضُهُ وَلاَ يُؤَخِّرُهُ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَإِنْ كَانَتِ السِّلْعَةُ لَمْ تَحِلَّ فَلاَ بَأْسَ بِأَنْ يَبِيعَهَا مِنْ صَاحِبِهَا بِعَرْضٍ مُخَالِفٍ لَهَا بَيِّنٍ خِلاَفُهُ يَقْبِضُهُ وَلاَ يُؤَخِّرُهُ قَالَ مَالِكٌ فِيمَنْ سَلَّفَ دَنَانِيرَ أَوْ دَرَاهِمَ فِي أَرْبَعَةِ أَثْوَابٍ مَوْصُوفَةٍ إِلَى أَجَلٍ فَلَمَّا حَلَّ الأَجَلُ تَقَاضَى صَاحِبَهَا فَلَمْ يَجِدْهَا عِنْدَهُ وَوَجَدَ عِنْدَهُ ثِيَابًا دُونَهَا مِنْ صِنْفِهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ الأَثْوَابُ أُعْطِيكَ بِهَا ثَمَانِيَةَ أَثْوَابٍ مِنْ ثِيَابِي هَذِهِ إِنَّهُ لاَ بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ تِلْكَ الأَثْوَابَ الَّتِي يُعْطِيهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا فَإِنْ دَخَلَ ذَلِكَ الأَجَلُ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَصْلُحُ وَإِنْ كَانَ ذَلِكَ قَبْلَ مَحِلِّ الأَجَلِ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَصْلُحُ أَيْضًا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَبِيعَهُ ثِيَابًا لَيْسَتْ مِنْ صِنْفِ الثِّيَابِ الَّتِي سَلَّفَهُ فِيهَا  

86 Malik related to me from Musa ibn Maysara that he heard a man ask Said ibn al-Musayyab, "I am a man who sells for a debt." Said said, "Do not sell except for what you take to your camel." Malik spoke about a person who bought goods from a man provided that he provide him with those goods by a specific date, either in time for a market in which he hoped for their saleability, or to fulfil a need at the time he stipulated. Then the seller failed him about the date, and the buyer wanted to return those goods to the seller. Malik said, "The buyer cannot do that, and the sale is binding on him. If the seller does bring the goods before the completion of the term, the buyer cannot be forced to take them." Malik spoke about a person who bought food and measured it. Then some one came to him to buy it and he told him that he had measured it for himself and taken it in full. The new buyer wanted to trust him and accept his measure. Malik said, "Whatever is sold in this way for cash has no harm in it but whatever is sold in this way on delayed terms is disapproved of until the new buyer measures it out for himself. The sale with delayed terms is disapproved of because it leads to usury and it is feared that it will be circulated in this way without weight or measure. If the terms are delayed it is disapproved of and there is no disagreement about that with us." Malik said, "One should not buy a debt owed by a man whether present or absent, without the confirmation of the one who owes the debt, nor should one buy a debt owed to a man by a dead person even if one knows what the deceased man has left. That is because to buy that is an uncertain transaction and one does not know whether the transaction will be completed or not completed." He said, "The explanation of what is disapproved of in buying a debt owed by someone absent or dead, is that it is not known what unknown debtor may be connected to the dead person. If the dead person is liable for another debt, the price which the buyer gave on strength of the debt may become worthless." Malik said, "There is another fault in that as well. He is buying something which is not guaranteed for him, and so if the deal is not completed, what he paid becomes worthless. This is an uncertain transaction and it is not good." Malik said, "One distinguishes between a man who is only selling what he actually has and a man who is being paid in advance for something which is not yet in his possession. The man advancing the money brings his gold which he intends to buy with. The seller says, 'This is 10 dinars. What do you want me to buy for you with it?' It is as if he sold 10 dinars cash for 15 dinars to be paid later. Because of this, it is disapproved of. It is something leading to usury and fraud."  

قَالَ مَالِكٌ فِي الَّذِي يَشْتَرِي السِّلْعَةَ مِنَ الرَّجُلِ عَلَى أَنْ يُوَفِّيَهُ تِلْكَ السِّلْعَةَ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى إِمَّا لِسُوقٍ يَرْجُو نَفَاقَهَا فِيهِ وَإِمَّا لِحَاجَةٍ فِي ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ الَّذِي اشْتَرَطَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ يُخْلِفُهُ الْبَائِعُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ الأَجَلِ فَيُرِيدُ الْمُشْتَرِي رَدَّ تِلْكَ السِّلْعَةِ عَلَى الْبَائِعِ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ لَيْسَ لِلْمُشْتَرِي وَإِنَّ الْبَيْعَ لاَزِمٌ لَهُ وَإِنَّ الْبَائِعَ لَوْ جَاءَ بِتِلْكَ السِّلْعَةِ قَبْلَ مَحِلِّ الأَجَلِ لَمْ يُكْرَهِ الْمُشْتَرِي عَلَى أَخْذِهَا قَالَ مَالِكٌ فِي الَّذِي يَشْتَرِي الطَّعَامَ فَيَكْتَالُهُ ثُمَّ يَأْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشْتَرِيهِ مِنْهُ فَيُخْبِرُ الَّذِي يَأْتِيهِ أَنَّهُ قَدِ اكْتَالَهُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَاسْتَوْفَاهُ فَيُرِيدُ الْمُبْتَاعُ أَنْ يُصَدِّقَهُ وَيَأْخُذَهُ بِكَيْلِهِ إِنَّ مَا بِيعَ عَلَى هَذِهِ الصِّفَةِ بِنَقْدٍ فَلاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ وَمَا بِيعَ عَلَى هَذِهِ الصِّفَةِ إِلَى أَجَلٍ فَإِنَّهُ مَكْرُوهٌ حَتَّى يَكْتَالَهُ الْمُشْتَرِي الآخَرُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَإِنَّمَا كُرِهَ الَّذِي إِلَى أَجَلٍ لأَنَّهُ ذَرِيعَةٌ إِلَى الرِّبَا وَتَخَوُّفٌ أَنْ يُدَارَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى هَذَا الْوَجْهِ بِغَيْرِ كَيْلٍ وَلاَ وَزْنٍ فَإِنْ كَانَ إِلَى أَجَلٍ فَهُوَ مَكْرُوهٌ وَلاَ اخْتِلاَفَ فِيهِ عِنْدَنَا قَالَ مَالِكٌ لاَ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُشْتَرَى دَيْنٌ عَلَى رَجُلٍ غَائِبٍ وَلاَ حَاضِرٍ إِلاَّ بِإِقْرَارٍ مِنَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ الدَّيْنُ وَلاَ عَلَى مَيِّتٍ وَإِنْ عَلِمَ الَّذِي تَرَكَ الْمَيِّتُ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ اشْتِرَاءَ ذَلِكَ غَرَرٌ لاَ يُدْرَى أَيَتِمُّ أَمْ لاَ يَتِمُّ قَالَ وَتَفْسِيرُ مَا كُرِهَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ إِذَا اشْتَرَى دَيْنًا عَلَى غَائِبٍ أَوْ مَيِّتٍ أَنَّهُ لاَ يُدْرَى مَا يَلْحَقُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الدَّيْنِ الَّذِي لَمْ يُعْلَمْ بِهِ فَإِنْ لَحِقَ الْمَيِّتَ دَيْنٌ ذَهَبَ الثَّمَنُ الَّذِي أَعْطَى الْمُبْتَاعُ بَاطِلاً قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَفِي ذَلِكَ أَيْضًا عَيْبٌ آخَرُ أَنَّهُ اشْتَرَى شَيْئًا لَيْسَ بِمَضْمُونٍ لَهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَتِمَّ ذَهَبَ ثَمَنُهُ بَاطِلاً فَهَذَا غَرَرٌ لاَ يَصْلُحُ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَإِنَّمَا فُرِقَ بَيْنَ أَنْ لاَ يَبِيعَ الرَّجُلُ إِلاَّ مَا عِنْدَهُ وَأَنْ يُسَلِّفَ الرَّجُلُ فِي شَىْءٍ لَيْسَ عِنْدَهُ أَصْلُهُ أَنَّ صَاحِبَ الْعِينَةِ إِنَّمَا يَحْمِلُ ذَهَبَهُ الَّتِي يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَبْتَاعَ بِهَا فَيَقُولُ هَذِهِ عَشَرَةُ دَنَانِيرَ فَمَا تُرِيدُ أَنْ أَشْتَرِيَ لَكَ بِهَا فَكَأَنَّهُ يَبِيعُ عَشَرَةَ دَنَانِيرَ نَقْدًا بِخَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ دِينَارًا إِلَى أَجَلٍ فَلِهَذَا كُرِهَ هَذَا وَإِنَّمَا تِلْكَ الدُّخْلَةُ وَالدُّلْسَةُ  

Yahya related to me from Malik from a reliable source from Amr ibn Shuayb from his father from his father's father that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade transactions in which nonrefundable deposits were paid. Malik said, "That is, in our opinion, but Allah knows best, that for instance, a man buys a slave or slave-girl or rents an animal and then says to the person from whom he bought the slave or leased the animal, 'I will give you a dinar or a dirham or whatever on the condition that if I actually take the goods or ride what I have rented from you, then what I have given you already goes towards payment of the goods or hire of the animal. If I do not purchase the goods or hire the animal, then what I have given you is yours without liability on your part.' " Malik said, "According to the way of doing things with us there is nothing wrong in bartering an arabic speaking merchant slave for abyssinian slaves or any other type that are not his equal in eloquence, trading, shrewdness, and know-how. There is nothing wrong in bartering one slave like this for two or more other slaves with a stated delay in the terms if he is clearly different. If there is no appreciable difference between the slaves, two should not be bartered for one with a stated delay in the terms even if their racial type is different." Malik said, "There is nothing wrong in selling what has been bought in such a transaction before taking possession of all of it as long as you receive the price for it from some one other than the original owner." Malik said, "An addition to the price must not be made for a foetus in the womb of its mother when she is sold because that is gharar (an uncertain transaction). It is not known whether the child will be male or female, good-looking or ugly, normal or handicapped, alive or dead. All these things will affect the price." Malik said that in a transaction where a slave or slave-girl was bought for one hundred dinars with a stated credit period that if the seller regretted the sale there was nothing wrong in him asking the buyer to revoke it for ten dinars which he would pay him immediately or after a period and he would forgo his right to the hundred dinars which he was owed. Malik said, "However, if the buyer regrets and asks the seller to revoke the sale of a slave or slave-girl in consideration of which he will pay an extra ten dinars immediately or on credit terms, extended beyond the original term, that should not be done. It is disapproved of because it is as if, for instance, the seller is buying the one hundred dinars which is not yet due on a year's credit term before the year expires for a slave-girl and ten dinars to be paid immediately or on credit term longer than the year. This falls into the category of selling gold for gold when delayed terms enter into it." Malik said that it was not proper for a man to sell a slave-girl to another man for one hundred dinars on credit and then to buy her back for more than the original price or on a credit term longer than the original term for which he sold her. To understand why that was disapproved of in that case, the example of a man who sold a slave-girl on credit and then bought her back on a credit term longer than the original term was looked at. He might have sold her for thirty dinars with a month to pay and then buy her back for sixty dinars with a year or half a year to pay. The outcome would only be that his goods would have returned to him just like they were and the other party would have given him thirty dinars on a month's credit against sixty dinars on a year or half a year's credit. That was not to be done.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ نَهَى عَنْ بَيْعِ الْعُرْبَانِ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَذلِكَ فِيمَا نُرَى وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ أَنْ يَشْتَرِيَ الرَّجُلُ الْعَبْدَ أَوِ الْوَلِيدَةَ أَوْ يَتَكَارَى الدَّابَّةَ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ لِلَّذِي اشْتَرَى مِنْهُ أَوْ تَكَارَى مِنْهُ أُعْطِيكَ دِينَاراً أَوْ دِرْهَماً أَوْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذلِكَ أَوْ أَقَلَّ عَلَى أَنِّي إِنْ أَخَذْتُ السِّلْعَةَ أَوْ رَكِبْتُ مَا تَكَارَيْتُ مِنْكَ فَالَّذِي أَعْطَيْتُكَ هُوَ مِنْ ثَمَنِ السِّلْعَةِ أَوْ مِنْ كِرَاءِ الدَّابَّةِ وَإِنْ تَرَكْتُ ابْتِيَاعَ السِّلْعَةِ أَوْ كِرَاءَ الدَّابَّةِ فَمَا أَعْطَيْتُكَ لَكَ بَاطِلٌ بِغَيْرِ شَيْءٍ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَالْأَمْرُ عِنْدَنَا أَنَّهُ لاَ بَأْسَ بِأَنْ يَبْتَاعَ الْعَبْدَ التَّاجِرَ الْفَصِيحَ بِالْأَعْبُدِ مِنَ الْحَبَشَةِ أَوْ مِنْ جِنْسٍ مِنَ الْأَجْنَاسِ لَيْسُوا مِثْلَهُ فِي الْفَصَاحَةِ وَلاَ فِي التِّجَارَةِ وَالنَّفَاذِ وَالْمَعْرِفَةِ لاَ بَأْسَ بِهذَا أَنْ يَشْتَرِيَ مِنْهُ الْعَبْدَ بِالْعَبْدَيْنِ أَوْ بِالْأَعْبُدِ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مَعْلُومٍ إِذَا اخْتَلَفَ فَبَانَ اخْتِلاَفُهُ فَإِنْ أَشْبَهَ بَعْضُ ذلِكَ بَعْضاً حَتَّى يَتَقَارَبَ فَلاَ تَأْخُذَنْ مِنْهُ اثْنَيْنِ بِوَاحِدٍ إِلَى أَجَلٍ وَإِنِ اخْتَلَفَتْ أَجْنَاسُهُمْ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَلاَ بَأْسَ بِأَنْ تَبِيعَ مَا اشْتَرَيْتَ مِنْ ذلِكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَسْتَوْفِيَهُ إِذَا انْتَقَدْتَ ثَمَنَهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ صَاحِبِهِ الَّذِي اشْتَرَيْتَهُ مِنْهُ قَالَ مَالِكٌ لاَ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُسْتَثْنَى جَنِينٌ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ إِذَا بِيعَتْ لِأَنَّ ذلِكَ غَرَرٌ لاَ يُدْرَى أَذَكَرٌ هُوَ أَمْ 1 أُنْثَى أو حَسَنٌ 2 أَوْ قَبِيحٌ أَوْ نَاقِصٌ أَوْ تَامٌّ أَوْ حَيٌّ أَوْ مَيِّتٌ وَذلِكَ يَضَعُ مِنْ ثَمَنِهَا قَالَ مَالِكٌ فِي الرَّجُلِ يَبْتَاعُ الْعَبْدَ أَوِ الْوَلِيدَةَ بِمِائَةِ دِينَارٍ إِلَى أَجَلٍ ثُمَّ يَنْدَمُ الْبَائِعُ فَيَسْأَلُ الْمُبْتَاعَ أَنْ يُقِيلَهُ بِعَشَرَةِ دَنَانِيرَ يَدْفَعُهَا إِلَيْهِ نَقْداً أَوْ إِلَى أَجَلٍ وَيَمْحُو عَنْهُ الْمِائَةَ دِينَارٍ الَّتِي لَهُ قَالَ مَالِكٌ لاَ بَأْسَ بِذلِكَ وَإِنْ نَدِمَ الْمُبْتَاعُ فَسَأَلَ الْبَائِعَ أَنْ يُقِيلَهُ فِي الْجَارِيَةِ أَوِ الْعَبْدِ وَيَزِيدَهُ عَشَرَةَ دَنَانِيرَ نَقْداً أَوْ إِلَى أَجَلٍ أَبْعَدَ مِنَ الْأَجَلِ الَّذِي اشْتَرَى إِلَيْهِ الْعَبْدَ أَوِ الْوَلِيدَةَ فَإِنَّ ذلِكَ لاَ يَنْبَغِي وَإِنَّمَا كَرِهَ ذلِكَ لِأَنَّ الْبَائِعَ كَأَنَّهُ بَاعَ مِنْهُ مِائَةَ دِينَارٍ لَهُ إِلَى سَنَةٍ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَحِلَّ بِجَارِيَةٍ وَبِعَشَرَةِ دَنَانِيرَ نَقْداً أَوْ إِلَى أَجَلٍ أَبْعَدَ مِنَ السَّنَةِ فَدَخَلَ فِي ذلِكَ بَيْعُ الذَّهَبِ بِالذَّهَبِ إِلَى أَجَلٍ قَالَ مَالِكٌ فِي الرَّجُلِ يَبِيعُ مِنَ الرَّجُلِ الْجَارِيَةَ بِمِائَةِ دِينَارٍ إِلَى أَجَلٍ ثُمَّ يَشْتَرِيهَا بِأَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذلِكَ الثَّمَنِ الَّذِي بَاعَهَا بِهِ إِلَى أَبْعَدَ مِنْ ذلِكَ الْأَجَلِ الَّذِي بَاعَهَا إِلَيْهِ إِنَّ ذلِكَ لاَ يَصْلُحُ وَتَفْسِيرُ مَا كَرِهَ مِنْ ذلِكَ أَنْ يَبِيعَ الرَّجُلُ الْجَارِيَةَ إِلَى أَجَلٍ ثُمَّ يَبْتَاعُهَا إِلَى أَجَلٍ أَبْعَدَ مِنْهُ يَبِيعُهَا بِثَلاَثِينَ دِينَاراً إِلَى شَهْرٍ ثُمَّ يَبْتَاعُهَا بِسِتِّينَ دِينَاراً إِلَى سَنَةٍ أَوْ إِلَى نِصْفِ سَنَةٍ فَصَارَ إِنْ رَجَعَتْ إِلَيْهِ سِلْعَتُهُ بِعَيْنِهَا وَأَعْطَاهُ صَاحِبُهُ ثَلاَثِينَ دِينَاراً إِلَى شَهْرٍ بِسِتِّينَ دِينَاراً إِلَى سَنَةٍ أَوْ إِلَى نِصْفِ سَنَةٍ فَهذَا لاَ يَنْبَغِي