Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (8/148)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

if someone were to bring him a piece of iron whose nature he did not know, and he assumed that it had great benefit and so bought it. The jurists say that the sale is valid, and that he himself was negligent. Some scholars, however, say that the buyer must know the use for which the item is intended and its value. This is undoubtedly more cautious and more freeing from liability.

Those who permit it say that the sale is valid, but that the uncertainty and error can be remedied through the option to rescind due to unfair price discrepancy.

His statement, “and that it be known through inspection or description,” means that the means of acquiring knowledge are either inspection or description. However, this is incomplete, for the means of acquiring knowledge are numerous: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and description.

Sight applies to that whose purpose relates to its appearance; hearing, to that whose purpose relates to its sound; smell, to that whose purpose relates to its scent; taste, to that whose purpose relates to its flavor; and touch, to that whose purpose relates to its texture—whether it is soft or rough, or the like. Description will be discussed, Allah willing.

“And that it be known through inspection or description. Thus, if he purchases something he has not seen, or has seen it but remains ignorant of it, or it is described to him in a manner insufficient for a salam sale, the sale is invalid.”

His statement, “and that it be known through inspection,” does not stipulate that the entire item must be inspected. Accordingly, if inspection of part of it indicates the condition of the whole, that is sufficient—and this is necessary. For example, in a heap of foodstuff, such as dates or wheat, we do not inspect every individual grain, but we inspect some of it that indicates the condition of the remainder. Thus, the author stated the matter without restriction and did not say, “through inspection of the whole”; therefore, it includes inspection of the whole as well as inspection of a part that indicates the whole.

His statement, “through inspection”: when must this inspection take place?

The answer is: it must take place when the contract is concluded; that is, he must see it at the time

لو أتاه بحديدة وهو لا يدري ما هي، وظن أن فيها فائدة عظيمة فاشتراها، فالفقهاء يقولون: البيع صحيح، وهو الذي فرط، وقال بعض العلماء: لا بد أن يكون لدى المشتري علم بما يكون له هذا الشيء، وبقيمة هذا الشيء، وهذا لا شك أنه أحوط وأبرأ. والقائلون بالجواز يقولون: إن البيع صحيح، ولكن الغرر والخطأ يمكن دفعه بخيار الغبن. وقوله: «وأن يكون معلوماً برؤية أو صفة» أي: أن طرق العلم إما الرؤية وإما الصفة، ولكن هذا فيه قصور، فطرق العلم متعددة: الرؤية، والسمع، والشم، والذوق، واللمس، والوصف. فالرؤية فيما يكون الغرض منه رؤيته، والسمع فيما يكون الغرض منه سماعه، والشم فيما يكون الغرض منه ريحه، والذوق فيما يكون الغرض منه طعمه، واللمس فيما يكون الغرض منه ملمسه، هل هو لين أو خشن؟ أو ما أشبه ذلك، والوصف سيأتي إن شاء الله. وَأنْ يَكُونَ مَعْلُوماً بِرُؤيَةٍ أو صِفَةٍ فَإِن اشْتَرَى مَا لَمْ يَرَهُ، أَوْ رَآهُ وَجَهِلَهُ، أَوْ وُصِفَ لَهُ بِمَا لَا يَكْفِي سَلَماً لَمْ يَصِح .. وقوله: «وأن يكون معلوماً برؤية» لم يشترط أن تكون الرؤية للجميع، وعلى هذا فإذا كانت رؤية بعضه دالة على الجميع اكتفي بها ولا بد من هذا؛ لأن كومة الطعام كالتمر أو البر ـ مثلاً ـ لا نرى كل حبة منها لكن نرى بعضها الدال على بقيتها، إذاً المؤلف أطلق ولم يقل برؤية الجميع، فيشمل رؤية الجميع ورؤية البعض الدال على الكل. وقوله: «برؤية» هذه الرؤية متى تكون؟ الجواب: تكون حين العقد، أي: لا بد أن يراه حين