and the male slave is later awarded to a rightful claimant, or is discovered to have been free all along, or to have been a mudabbar (one promised manumission upon his owner’s death), the purchaser is liable only for the value of the female slave. The same applies if he sets her free: the former owner is entitled to her value and the manumission stands.

Whoever buys a female slave and she is subsequently taken by a rightful claimant bears no liability for the intercourse he had with her, whether she was a virgin or previously deflowered.

If someone buys an item and part of it is later claimed, then—should the claimed portion constitute the greater part of the commodity or the very object for which the deal was struck—he must return the whole and recover the full price, unless he prefers to keep what remains in proportion to its share of the price; he may choose either course, whether this occurs before or after he has taken possession.

Where only part of a quantity of wheat is claimed, the buyer may either retain the remainder for its share of the price or return the entire lot. If, however, he discovers a defect in part of it, he has no right to return some and keep some.

We have dedicated a separate, detailed chapter to the issue of third-party claims in the section on judicial rulings. All praise belongs to Allah alone.