Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 1486
sahih

Narrated Ibn `Umar:

The Prophet (ﷺ) had forbidden the sale of dates till they were good (ripe), and when it was asked what it meant, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Till there is no danger of blight."

حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجٌ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ دِينَارٍ، سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ نَهَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ بَيْعِ الثَّمَرَةِ حَتَّى يَبْدُوَ صَلاَحُهَا‏.‏ وَكَانَ إِذَا سُئِلَ عَنْ صَلاَحِهَا قَالَ حَتَّى تَذْهَبَ عَاهَتُهُ‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 24, Hadith 86
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 2, Book 24, Hadith 563 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Islam introduces legislations that govern the transactions and dealings between people to protect their rights and end any possibility of dispute. In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbids people from selling fruits that are not picked yet from the tree before they appear are ripe and good to eat i.e., the taste, texture, and color appear good. This is because when fruits and dates are soft and taste good, and their color changes to yellowish or reddish can be signs of their ripeness. When the Prophet ﷺ was asked about the signs that can indicate the fruit is ripe, his answer was that it is when the defect is no longer present i.e., the signs of ripeness are evident as that indicates its suitability for consumption. The legal reasoning for prohibiting the selling of fruits before their condition is known i.e., they appear ripe is that such transaction would entail vagueness and harm. This is because when the condition of the fruit is unknown, there would be a possibility that it may become defective or damaged; thus, the buyer will lose his money and entail taking his money without any lawful right. This hadeeth forbids us from selling fruits before they are ripe and good to consume..
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