Chapter: The Prohibition of an Urban Resident Selling on Behalf of a Bedouin, the Interception of In-Coming Caravans, Selling in Competition with One’s Brother, and Proposing Marriage over His Proposal—unless he grants permission or withdraws.
1775 – Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade an urban resident from selling on behalf of a Bedouin, even if the two were full brothers. Agreed upon.
1776 – Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Do not intercept goods on their way (to the town) until they have reached the market.” Agreed upon.
1777 – Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with them both) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Do not intercept caravans, and an urban resident must not sell on behalf of a Bedouin.” Tāwūs then asked, “What does ‘an urban resident must not sell on behalf of a Bedouin’ mean?” Ibn ʿAbbās replied, “He is not to act as his broker.” Agreed upon.
[Explanation]
These are three issues for which the author—may Allah have mercy on him—has set aside a chapter in Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn: first, an urban resident selling on behalf of a Bedouin; second, intercepting caravans; and third, selling in competition with one’s brother.
- Selling on behalf of a Bedouin: A man arrives from the desert with his sheep, camels, clarified butter (samin), milk, or dried yogurt (aqt) intending to sell them in the marketplace. A townsman then approaches him—being a resident of the city