71 - Prohibition of cheating

1. As the Prophet (peace be upon him) went about into the market, inspecting people’s conditions and looking at how they conducted their business, he noticed one shopkeeper selling some articles of food. He made a heap which looked attractive and beautiful. The Prophet placed his hand into the heap and noted that underneath the surface, the food was wet, which meant that the quality of the food was suspect. The seller had covered it up so that buyers would not notice.

2. The Prophet asked the shopkeeper with clear disapproval why he had placed the wet portions underneath those that were dry, leading people to think that the whole quantity was dry. The man told the Prophet that it was rain that had made it wet. 

3. The Prophet told the man that he should place the wet portion clearly visible, so that people could see it. Honesty in business is an essential requirement. The Prophet says: ‘On the Day of Judgement, business people are resurrected as clear sinners, except those who are God-fearing, righteous and truthful’ [1].

4. The Prophet then states a general rule, saying that a cheating person abandons the Prophet’s Sunnah. Scheming, deception and cheating are characteristics of liars and hypocrites. The Prophet and his followers do not adopt such characteristics. 

The Prophet’s statement does not mean that a cheating person is not a Muslim. The hadith means that his behaviour is contrary to Islam and that his sin incurs God’s wrath and punishment, because he takes the money of his brother by deception, giving him an ill-feeling of dismay. This leads to the weakening of bonds within the community. 

This general rule is not limited to trade but applies to all transactions. It includes a ruler’s cheating of his people, caring little for their interests and using his position to serve his own personal ambitions. The Prophet (peace be upon him) says: ‘If God places a servant of His in charge of some people and he cheats his subjects to the day of his death, God shall forbid him entry to Heaven’ [2] . It also includes cheating in religion, which is the worst and most serious type of cheating. This refers to scholars suppressing what God commands them to make known and explain, or to their twisting meanings in order to gain posts or wealth. This is referred to in the Qur’an,

1. Advocates of Islam and young scholars should visit the marketplaces and look for unlawful practices, giving advice to people and reminding them of the need to always be God-fearing. 

2. In the early generations of Islam, it was the tradition of the Prophet, his companions and the tābi‘īn that a market controller was appointed. He would go on a round of inspection so as to ensure that everything was done properly. It is useful that governments should revive this tradition in order to organize trade and protect people’s rights. 

3. The Prophet (peace be upon him) first asked the shopkeeper about the wetness of his goods, without accusing him of any wrongdoing. He considered that the shopkeeper might not have been aware of it. It is important to ascertain what is going on, rather than judge things by appearances. 

4. Vendors must inspect their goods periodically so as to make sure that they remain of good quality.

5. A Muslim must be truthful in buying, selling and all other transactions. He must ensure that his earnings are legitimate. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Whatever flesh grows through wrongful earnings is only suited for the Fire’ [3]

6. Every Muslim must beware of cheating in business, because it leads to loss. Whatever earning are made through it will be devoid of blessing. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘The two parties to a sale deal have the option to cancel until they have parted. If they are truthful and explain things, their deal is blessed, but if they lie and suppress information, the blessing of their deal is obliterated’.

7. Jarīr ibn ‘Abdullāh used to sell goods. He would tell the buyer of any defect in the article he was buying and give him the choice to buy or not. Some people said to him that if he continued to do so, he would sell nothing. He said: We have pledged to the Prophet (peace be upon him) that we will give sincere advice to every Muslim [4]

8. Every Muslim should make sure that whatever he eats or drinks is lawful. Good deeds are unacceptable if they are coupled with devouring what is unlawful. Wahb ibn al-Ward said: ‘Were you to stand in the mosque as long as this pillar, nothing will benefit you unless you check whether what goes into your belly is lawful or unlawful’ [5]

9. Whoever cheats and devours what is forbidden should realize that the fate of every person shall not be determined on the Day of Judgement until he has been asked about four things. One of these is how he earned his money. 

10. How will a cheating person who takes people’s money unlawfully hope that his supplication be answered? The Prophet (peace be upon him) ‘mentioned the case of a man who goes on a long travel, uncouth with dust on his body. He raises his hands to the sky and says, ‘My Lord! My Lord!’ Yet, his food is unlawfully earned; his drink is unlawfully earned; his clothes are unlawfully earned; and he was fed, when young, with what was unlawfully earned. How can such supplication be answered?’ [6]

11. It may be better to state the hadiths that mention ‘does not belong to me’, or ‘does not belong to us’ without adding any explanation. They are more effective as a deterrent for people. 

12. Ibn ‘Abbās said: ‘A person will continue to have the right view as long as he is sincere in his advice to others. Once he starts to cheat in his advice, God will deprive him of sound judgement’ [7]

1.  Related by al-Tirmidhī, 1210; Ibn Mājah, 2146.

2. Related by al-Bukhari, 7150; Muslim, 227.

3.  Related by al-Tirmidhī, 612.

4. Related by al-Ṭabarānī in al-Mu‘jam al-Kabīr, 2510. Quoted by Ibn Sa‘d in al-Ṭabaqāt al-Kubrā, Mutammim al-Ṣaḥābah, p. 803.

5. Ibn Rajab, Jāmiر al-‘Ulūm wal-Ḥikam, Vol. 1, p. 263.

6. Related by Muslim, 1015.

7. Al-Rāghib al-Aṣfahānī, al-Dharī‘ah ilā Makārim al-Sharī‘ah, p. 211.