they are no longer deemed defects unless he lapses into them again after puberty. Bad breath (bukhr) and an offensive body odor (dafr) are considered defects in a female slave, but not in a male slave—unless they stem from an illness. Likewise, fornication and being born of fornication are defects in a female slave but not in a male.

3. If, while the article is with the buyer, a new defect arises and he then discovers a defect that had existed while it was with the seller, he may claim the amount by which the price is diminished on account of that earlier defect, but he may not return the merchandise—unless the seller agrees to accept it with the new defect.

4. If the buyer cuts a length of cloth and afterwards finds a defect, he may claim compensation for the defect. The same applies if he sews it, dyes it, or kneads meal with clarified butter and then discovers a defect: he may recover the reduction in value, and the seller has no right to reclaim the item.

5. Whoever buys a slave and sets him free, or the slave later dies, and only then discovers a pre-existing defect, may recover the loss in value. If, however, the buyer kills the slave, or the object of sale was food which he consumes, Abu Ḥanīfa says he has no recourse, whereas Abū Yūsuf and Muḥammad say he may still claim compensation.

6. If a person sells a slave and the buyer resells him, and the second buyer returns the slave because of a defect, then: should the first buyer accept the return under a judge’s ruling, he may in turn return the slave to his own seller; but if he accepts it voluntarily without judicial compulsion, he may not return it.

7. Whoever purchases a slave and stipulates that the seller is absolved of all defects has no right to return the slave on account of any defect, even though those defects were neither specified nor enumerated.