Chapter on Hoarding and Pricing

The Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, once passed by some hoarders and commanded that their hoarded goods be brought out into the marketplaces where people could see them. Someone then suggested to the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace and blessings be upon him and his family: "Would you set a price for them?" At this, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, became angry, and his anger was apparent on his face. Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: "Am I to set prices for them? Indeed, pricing is in the hands of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Almighty and Majestic. He raises it when He wills and lowers it when He wills."

Hammad narrated from Al-Halabi, who reported from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام, that Imam عليه السلام was asked about hoarding (ḥukrah). Imam عليه السلام said: "Hoarding is when you purchase food, and there is no other food available in the town, and then you hoard it. However, if there is other food or goods available in the town, then there is no harm in seeking profit through your merchandise."

Safwan ibn Yahya narrated from Salamah al-Hannat, who said that Abu Abdullah عليه السلام, asked: "What is your occupation?" I replied: "I am a wheat seller, and sometimes I arrive during a time of demand, and sometimes I arrive during a time of stagnation, so I hold onto it." Imam عليه السلام asked: "What do the people around you say about this?" I said: "They say I am a hoarder." Imam عليه السلام then asked: "Do others besides you sell it?" I said: "I sell only a small portion compared to the whole market." Imam عليه السلام replied: "There is no harm in that. This issue arose with a man from Quraysh named Hakim ibn Hizam. Whenever food entered Medina, he would buy all of it. The Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, passed by him and said: 'O Hakim ibn Hizam, beware of hoarding.'"

Al-Nadr narrated from Abdullah ibn Sinan that Abu Abdullah عليه السلام, said regarding merchants who arrived at a land and agreed among themselves not to sell their goods except at a price they desired: "There is no harm in that."

The Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace be upon him and his family, said: "No one hoards food except a sinner."

It is narrated from Mu'ammar ibn Khallad that a man asked Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha عليه السلام, about storing food for a year. Imam عليه السلام replied: "I do it."

The Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace be upon him and his family, said: "The one who brings goods to the market is blessed with sustenance, and the hoarder is cursed."

Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام, peace be upon him, forbade hoarding in the cities.

Al-Sakooni narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said that Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, stated: "Hoarding during times of abundance is permitted for forty days, and during hardship and distress, for three days. Anything beyond forty days in times of abundance makes its owner accursed, and anything beyond three days in times of difficulty makes its owner accursed."

Abu Ishaq narrated from Al-Harith, from Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, who said: "Whoever hoards food, mercy is removed from him."

The Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace be upon him and his family, said: "Measure your food, for indeed, the blessing is in the measured food."

It is narrated from Abu Hamzah al-Thumali that he said: Imam Ali ibn Al-Hussain عليه السلام was informed about the rise in prices. Imam عليه السلام said: "What concern is it to me if prices rise? It is upon Him سبحانه وتعالى, and if they fall, it is upon Him سبحانه وتعالى."

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "Buy, even if it is expensive, for indeed sustenance descends with purchasing."

It is narrated that Imam عليه السلام, peace be upon him, said regarding the saying of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic: "Indeed, I see you in prosperity" (Surah Hud 11:84) Imam عليه السلام said: "Their prices were low."

It was said to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family: "Would you set a fixed price for us, for prices rise and fall?" The Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم replied: "I would not meet Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, with an innovation about which He سبحانه وتعالى has revealed nothing to me. So leave the servants of Allah سبحانه وتعالى to benefit from one another. And if you are consulted for advice, then give sincere advice."

It is narrated by Abu Hamzah Al-Thumali, that Imam Ali ibn Al-Hussain عليه السلام, who said: "Indeed, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Blessed and Exalted, has appointed an angel to regulate prices by His command."

It is narrated from Abu Al-Sabbah Al-Kinani that Abu Abdullah عليه السلام, said: "O Abu Al-Sabbah! Buying flour is humiliation, buying wheat is honor, and buying bread is poverty. So seek refuge with Allah سبحانه وتعالى from poverty."

It is reported that the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, entered upon Aisha while she was counting pieces of bread. Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: "O Humaira, do not count, lest it be counted against you."

Al-Sakooni reported from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said: "Do not withhold lending leavened dough and bread, for withholding them causes poverty."

The Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "The sign of Allah's سبحانه وتعالى pleasure with His سبحانه وتعالى creation is the justice of their ruler and the affordability of their prices, and the sign of Allah's سبحانه وتعالى anger upon His سبحانه وتعالى creation is the oppression of their ruler and the high cost of their prices."