Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Sahih. Sahih hadiths are considered the most authentic grade in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sahih Muslim, which contains 7,459 hadiths across 57 books. It is hadith number 3954 in the Book of The Book of Musaqah.

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#3953

#3954

Sahih Muslim

#3955

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Sahih Muslim #3954

Q: What is Sahih Muslim 3954 about?

This hadith from Sahih Muslim (Book of The Book of Musaqah), narrated by Abd Sa'id reported:, states: "Bilal (Allah be pleased with him) came with fine quality of dates. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to him: From where (you have brought them)? Bilal said: We had inferior quality of dates and I exchanged t…"

The Book of Musaqah

Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ صَالِحٍ الْوُحَاظِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ التَّمِيمِيُّ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الدَّارِمِيُّ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُمَا - جَمِيعًا عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ حَسَّانَ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ سَلاَّمٍ - أَخْبَرَنِي يَحْيَى، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ - قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عُقْبَةَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْغَافِرِ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ، يَقُولُ جَاءَ بِلاَلٌ بِتَمْرٍ بَرْنِيٍّ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ مِنْ أَيْنَ هَذَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ بِلاَلٌ تَمْرٌ كَانَ عِنْدَنَا رَدِيءٌ فَبِعْتُ مِنْهُ صَاعَيْنِ بِصَاعٍ لِمَطْعَمِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ ‏"‏ أَوَّهْ عَيْنُ الرِّبَا لاَ تَفْعَلْ وَلَكِنْ إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَشْتَرِيَ التَّمْرَ فَبِعْهُ بِبَيْعٍ آخَرَ ثُمَّ اشْتَرِ بِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ لَمْ يَذْكُرِ ابْنُ سَهْلٍ فِي حَدِيثِهِ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ ‏.‏

Bilal (Allah be pleased with him) came with fine quality of dates. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to him: From where (you have brought them)? Bilal said: We had inferior quality of dates and I exchanged two sa's (of inferior quality) with one sa (of fine quality) as food for Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Woe! it is in fact usury; therefore, don't do that. But when you intend to buy dates (of superior quality), sell (the inferior quality) in a separate bargain and then buy (the superior quality). And in the hadith transmitted by Ibn Sahl there is no mention of" whereupon".

Narrated by Abd Sa'id reported:

Context

In this hadith, Bilal (Allah be pleased with him) brought fine dates to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). When asked about their source, Bilal explained that he had exchanged inferior dates for the better quality. The Prophet (ﷺ) cautioned him against this practice, labeling it as usury (riba) and advised him to conduct separate transactions for buying and selling. This illustrates the importance of fairness in trade and the prohibition of exploitative practices.

Modern Application

In today's context, this hadith emphasizes the importance of ethical trading practices. When engaging in commerce, individuals should ensure that their transactions are fair and transparent, avoiding any form of exploitation or unfair advantage. This principle can guide modern business practices and personal transactions alike.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Buying and Selling and Riba because it addresses the ethical implications of trading practices and the prohibition of usury.

Buying and Selling Riba