678 – Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Messenger of Allah — peace and blessings be upon him — forbade two sales in a single sale.” It was transmitted by Ahmad and al-Nasa’i, while al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Hibban declared it authentic.

Abu Dawud records the wording: “Whoever conducts two sales in one transaction shall receive only the lower of the two prices, or else it is usury.” (1)

— Hadith grading:
This narration is ḥasan (fair). It was also collected by Ibn Abi Shaybah, Abu Dawud, al-Hakim, and al-Tirmidhi. Ibn Hibban authenticated it, saying that it meets Muslim’s criteria, a judgment endorsed by al-Dhahabi. Ibn Hazm ruled it sound in al-Muḥallā, as did ‘Abd al-Haqq in his Aḥkām, and its chain is considered reliable.

Regarding Abu Dawud’s version, al-Mundhiri remarked that its chain contains Muḥammad ibn ‘Amr ibn ‘Alqamah, about whom some criticism exists, yet al-Nasa’i rated him trustworthy.

Al-Hafiz said in al-Talkhīṣ: corroborating reports exist from Ibn ‘Umar, Ibn ‘Amr, and Ibn Mas‘ud.

— Key terms:
• “Two sales in one sale (bay‘atayn fī bay‘ah)” – the soundest explanation is that it refers to the ‘inah transaction: a seller offers a commodity on deferred payment, then buys it back from the purchaser for cash at a lower price than the deferred one.
• “Awkasuhumā (the lesser of the two prices)” – the verb wakasa means “to diminish.” Waks denotes deficiency, and awkasuhumā is the comparative form, meaning “the smaller and more reduced of the two.” The sense is that if someone carries out such a deal, he is entitled only to the lower price,