Book of Defects

The Prohibition of Concealing Defects

The rulings in this book are founded on the Book of Allah Most High and the Sunnah of His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Allah, exalted is He, has forbidden the wrongful consumption of wealth in His Book and through His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him. Allah Most High says:

“O you who believe, do not consume one another’s wealth unjustly.” [al-Nisā’: 29]

He also says:

“And do not consume one another’s wealth unjustly.” [al-Baqarah: 188]

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said in his well-known sermon:

“Indeed, your blood, your property and your honour are inviolable among you, as sacred as this day of yours, in this month of yours, in this city of yours. Have I conveyed the message? Have I conveyed the message? Have I conveyed the message?”

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, also said:

“No Muslim’s property may lawfully be taken without his willing consent.”

Concealing defects is a form of the wrongful consumption of wealth that Allah has forbidden in His Book and through His Messenger, peace be upon him. It is also a form of cheating and deception, both of which the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, prohibited. He said to Hayyān ibn Munqidh:

“When you enter into a sale, say, ‘There must be no deception.’”

He also said:

“Whoever cheats us is not one of us”—that is, he is not