In the previous episode, we have touched upon the Hadeeth narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “Do not go forward to meet the caravan (to buy from it on the way before it reaches the town). And do not urge buyers to cancel their purchases to sell them (your own goods) yourselves, and do not practice Najsh. A town dweller should not sell the goods for the desert dweller. Do not leave sheep unmilked for a long time, when they are on sale, and whoever buys such an animal has the option of returning it, after milking it, along with a Saa‘ of dates or keeping it.” [Reported by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

In another variant wording: “…and he has the option for three days.”

We come to know the rulings and benefits of this noble Hadeeth that are related to the issue of selling and buying.

In this episode, we will discuss the Hadeeth narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar, may Allaah be pleased with them, who said: “The Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, forbade the sale called 'Habal-al-Habalah which was a kind of sale practiced in the Pre- Islamic Period of ignorance. One would pay the price of a she-camel which was not born yet would be born by the immediate offspring of an extant she-camel.” [Reported by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

This type is related to only one type of trade transaction and we will tackle in details the rulings and benefits in the following points:

Firstly, It was narrated in the Hadeeth that the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, forbade the sale called 'Habal-al-Habalah which was a kind of sale practiced in the Pre-Islamic Period of ignorance. 

Secondly, Muslim scholars hold many different interpretations regarding the meaning of 'Habal-al-Habalah; however, the most well-known of them are two:

1- It means keeping something pending i.e. selling something for a deferred payment in a period ends when the she-camel give birth and then giving birth to what is in its womb.

2- It means the selling of the non-existent and unknown i.e. selling the production of the pregnancy which is in the womb of the aged she-camel.

According to both interpretations, one is prohibited to do such sale. That is because, according to the first interpretation, the period of the price is unknown for the period, whether it is long or short, has a great effect on the price.

According to the second interpretation, such kind of sale is prohibited for it causes great harm and ignorance, no one knows whether it will be a male or female, one or two, dead or alive? Adding to this, the period of its occurrence is unknown.      

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