Aahfil.

Possession, measure and weight

Ibn Abbas reports the rule and then explains it: whoever buys food must not sell it until he takes possession. Hakim ibn Hizam describes doing exactly that — profiting on food he had not yet received — and being told to stop. Alongside it, the reports that fix measure and weight to a known standard.

12 narrations

What this asks in practice

The rule targets selling a claim rather than a thing: profit taken on goods you do not yet control and could not deliver. The standardised measure serves the same end — a unit both sides can check.

This framing is ours. It is not part of the narration.

This is a reference compilation, not a religious ruling. Narrations are reproduced from published translations with their references and their gradings, each attributed to the scholar who gave it — graders disagree, and we show the disagreement rather than resolve it. For how any of this applies to a specific transaction, ask a qualified scholar.

The narrations

Sahih Muslim 3848

Book 21, 47

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَابْنُ، نُمَيْرٍ وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا زَيْدُ بْنُ حُبَابٍ، عَنِ الضَّحَّاكِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ، عَنْ بُكَيْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الأَشَجِّ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي، هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ مَنِ اشْتَرَى طَعَامًا فَلاَ يَبِعْهُ حَتَّى يَكْتَالَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ‏"‏ مَنِ ابْتَاعَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Translation

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:He who bought foodgrain should not sell it until he had measured it. In the narration of Abu Bakr there the word is Ibta' instead of Ishtara

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sunan Abi Dawud 3497

Book 24, 82

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، وَسُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، - وَهَذَا لَفْظُ مُسَدَّدٍ - عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ طَاوُسٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ إِذَا اشْتَرَى أَحَدُكُمْ طَعَامًا فَلاَ يَبِعْهُ حَتَّى يَقْبِضَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ ‏"‏ حَتَّى يَسْتَوْفِيَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ زَادَ مُسَدَّدٌ قَالَ وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ وَأَحْسِبُ أَنَّ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ مِثْلُ الطَّعَامِ ‏.‏

Translation

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: If anyone buys a grain, he should not sell it until he takes possession of it. Sulaiman b. Harb said: Until he receives it in full. Musaddad added: Ibn 'Abbas said: And I think that everything is like grain

Grading

  • Al-Albani·Sahih
  • Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid·Sahih
  • Zubair Ali Zai·Sahih Bukhari (2135) Sahih Muslim (1525)

Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1291

Book 14, 93

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ طَاوُسٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنِ ابْتَاعَ طَعَامًا فَلاَ يَبِعْهُ حَتَّى يَسْتَوْفِيَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ وَأَحْسِبُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ مِثْلَهُ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ وَابْنِ عُمَرَ وَأَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏ وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا عِنْدَ أَكْثَرِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ كَرِهُوا بَيْعَ الطَّعَامِ حَتَّى يَقْبِضَهُ الْمُشْتَرِي ‏.‏ وَقَدْ رَخَّصَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ فِيمَنِ ابْتَاعَ شَيْئًا مِمَّا لاَ يُكَالُ وَلاَ يُوزَنُ مِمَّا لاَ يُؤْكَلُ وَلاَ يُشْرَبُ أَنْ يَبِيعَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَسْتَوْفِيَهُ ‏.‏ وَإِنَّمَا التَّشْدِيدُ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ فِي الطَّعَامِ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ أَحْمَدَ وَإِسْحَاقَ ‏.‏

Translation

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: That the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Whoever buys food, then he is not to sell it until he takes possession of it." Ibn 'Abbas said: "All things are considered the same (in this regard)." [He said:] There are narrations on this topic from Jabir, Ibn 'Umar, and Abu Hurairah. [Abu 'Eisa said:] The Hadith of Ibn 'Abbas is a Hasan Sahih Hadith

Grading

  • Ahmad Muhammad Shakir·Sahih
  • Al-Albani·Sahih
  • Bashar Awad Maarouf·Hasan Sahih
  • Zubair Ali Zai·Sahih - Agreed Upon
Imam at-TirmidhiCheck on sunnah.com

Sunan an-Nasa'i 4598

Book 44, 150

أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ طَاوُسٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمِثْلِهِ وَالَّذِي قَبْلَهُ حَتَّى يَقْبِضَهُ ‏.‏

Translation

It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbas said: "I heard the Prophet say" something similar to the preceding two reports "until he takes possession of it

Grading

  • Abu Ghuddah·Sahih
  • Al-Albani·Sahih
  • Zubair Ali Zai·Sahih - Agreed Upon

Sunan an-Nasa'i 4599

Book 44, 151

أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ ابْنِ طَاوُسٍ، عَنْ طَاوُسٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، يَقُولُ أَمَّا الَّذِي نَهَى عَنْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ يُبَاعَ حَتَّى يُسْتَوْفَى الطَّعَامُ ‏.‏

Translation

It was narrated that Tawus said: "I heard Ibn 'Abbas say: 'As for that which the Messenger of Allah forbade, (it is) selling before taking possession of food

Grading

  • Abu Ghuddah·Sahih
  • Al-Albani·Sahih
  • Zubair Ali Zai·Hasan

Sunan an-Nasa'i 4600

Book 44, 152

أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ طَاوُسٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنِ ابْتَاعَ طَعَامًا فَلاَ يَبِيعُهُ حَتَّى يَقْبِضَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَأَحْسَبُ أَنَّ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الط��َعَامِ ‏.‏

Translation

It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbas said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Whoever buys food let him not sell it until he takes possession of it. Ibn 'Abbas said: "I think the same applies to everything else as to food

Grading

  • Abu Ghuddah·Sahih
  • Al-Albani·Sahih
  • Zubair Ali Zai·Hasan

Sunan an-Nasa'i 4603

Book 44, 155

أَخْبَرَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ رُفَيْعٍ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ، عَنْ حِزَامِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ، قَالَ قَالَ حَكِيمُ بْنُ حِزَامٍ ابْتَعْتُ طَعَامًا مِنْ طَعَامِ الصَّدَقَةِ فَرَبِحْتُ فِيهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَقْبِضَهُ فَأَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ لاَ تَبِعْهُ حَتَّى تَقْبِضَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Translation

Hakim bin Hizam said: "I bought some food and made food and made a profit on it (by selling it) before I took possession of it. I came to the Messenger of Allah and told him about that and he said: 'Do not sell it until you take possession of it

Grading

  • Abu Ghuddah·Sahih
  • Al-Albani·Sahih
  • Zubair Ali Zai·Sahih

Muwatta Malik 1330

Book 31, 41

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنِ ابْتَاعَ طَعَامًا فَلاَ يَبِعْهُ حَتَّى يَقْبِضَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Translation

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abdullah ibn Dinar from Abdullah ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Someone who buys food, must not sell it until he takes possession of it

Grading

  • Salim al-Hilali·Sahih

Sahih al-Bukhari 2124

Book 34, 76

حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو ضَمْرَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عُمَرَ، أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَشْتَرُونَ الطَّعَامَ مِنَ الرُّكْبَانِ عَلَى عَهْدِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيَبْعَثُ عَلَيْهِمْ مَنْ يَمْنَعُهُمْ أَنْ يَبِيعُوهُ حَيْثُ اشْتَرَوْهُ، حَتَّى يَنْقُلُوهُ حَيْثُ يُبَاعُ الطَّعَامُ‏.‏ قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ نَهَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ يُبَاعَ الطَّعَامُ إِذَا اشْتَرَاهُ حَتَّى يَسْتَوْفِيَهُ‏.‏

Translation

Narrated Nafi`: Ibn `Umar told us that the people used to buy food from the caravans in the lifetime of the Prophet. The Prophet (ﷺ) used to forbid them to sell it at the very place where they had purchased it (but they were to wait) till they carried it to the market where foodstuff was sold. Ibn `Umar said, 'The Prophet (ﷺ) also forbade the reselling of foodstuff by somebody who had bought it unless he had received it with exact full measure

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sahih al-Bukhari 2130

Book 34, 82

حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَهُمْ فِي مِكْيَالِهِمْ، وَبَارِكْ لَهُمْ فِي صَاعِهِمْ وَمُدِّهِمْ ‏"‏‏.‏ يَعْنِي أَهْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ‏.‏

Translation

Narrated Anas bin Malik: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "O Allah bestow your blessings on their measures, bless their Mudd and Sa." The Prophet (ﷺ) meant the people of Medina

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sunan Abi Dawud 3340

Book 23, 15

حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ دُكَيْنٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ حَنْظَلَةَ، عَنْ طَاوُسٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ الْوَزْنُ وَزْنُ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ وَالْمِكْيَالُ مِكْيَالُ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَكَذَا رَوَاهُ الْفِرْيَابِيُّ وَأَبُو أَحْمَدَ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ وَافَقَهُمَا فِي الْمَتْنِ وَقَالَ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ مَكَانَ ابْنِ عُمَرَ وَرَوَاهُ الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ حَنْظَلَةَ قَالَ ‏"‏ وَزْنُ الْمَدِينَةِ وَمِكْيَالُ مَكَّةَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَاخْتُلِفَ فِي الْمَتْنِ فِي حَدِيثِ مَالِكِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنْ عَطَاءٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي هَذَا ‏.‏

Translation

Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: (The standard) weight is the weight of the people of Mecca, and the (standard) measure is the measure of the people of Medina. Abu Dawud said: Al-Firyabi and Abu Ahmad have also transmitted from Sufyan in a similar way, and he (Ibn Dukain) agreed with them on the text. The version of Abu Ahmad has: "from Ibn 'Abbas" instead of Ibn 'Umar. It has also been transmitted by al-Walid b. Muslim from Hanzalah. This version has: "the weight of Medina and the measure of Mecca." Abu Dawud said: There is a variation in the text of the version of this tradition narrated by Malik b. Dinar from 'Ata' from the Prophet (ﷺ)

Grading

  • Al-Albani·Sahih
  • Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid·Sahih
  • Shuaib Al Arnaut·Sahih
  • Zubair Ali Zai·Daif

Muwatta Malik 1383

Book 31, 45

وَحَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ سَعِيدَ بْنَ الْمُسَيَّبِ، يَقُولُ إِذَا جِئْتَ أَرْضًا يُوفُونَ الْمِكْيَالَ وَالْمِيزَانَ فَأَطِلِ الْمُقَامَ بِهَا وَإِذَا جِئْتَ أَرْضًا يُنَقِّصُونَ الْمِكْيَالَ وَالْمِيزَانَ فَأَقْلِلِ الْمُقَامَ بِهَا ‏.‏

Translation

Malik related to me that Yahya ibn Said heard Said ibn al- Musayyab say, "When you come to a land where they give full measure and full weight, stay there. When you come to a land where they shorten the measure and weight, then do not stay there very long

Grading

  • Salim al-Hilali·Maqtu Sahih

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