, which is one of the disputed cases, like broad beans with both their coverings intact. Anyone who disapproves of selling such produce considers it to involve the uncertainty prohibited by the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. But this is not so, for two reasons:

First, buyers know what they are buying just as they know many goods whose sale is unanimously permitted. Indeed, their knowledge of this produce is greater than their knowledge of many such goods.

Second, even supposing that some lack of knowledge is involved, the Sharia has established the permissibility of selling things that people need to sell despite the uncertainty involved. Thus, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, permitted fruit to be sold once it shows signs of ripening, while leaving it on the trees until fully ripe. He then ordered that losses caused by calamities be deducted from the price if they struck the fruit. He also permitted the sale of real estate, saying, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“Whoever owns a share in land, a dwelling, or an orchard may not sell it until he informs his co-owner. If the co-owner wishes, he may buy it; if he wishes, he may decline.”

The Muslims have unanimously agreed that selling real estate is permissible, even though the foundations and inner structure of its walls are hidden.

Likewise, he permitted fruit to be sold before it shows signs of ripening when included in the sale of the trees themselves. He said, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the hadith recorded by both al-Bukhārī and Muslim:

“Whoever sells palm trees that have been pollinated, their fruit belongs to the seller unless the buyer stipulates otherwise.”

Sales involving uncertainty were prohibited because they involve games of chance and gambling, which entail consuming wealth wrongfully. Thus, if