Selling an Item of Merchandise Which the Seller Does Not Yet Have in His Possession

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Yahya ibn al-Hajjaj from Khalid ibn Najih who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, ‘A man comes to me and says, “Buy this cloth and I give you so and so much profit.’” He (the Imam) asked, ‘Can he take or leave it if he so wants?’ I replied, ‘Yes, he can do so.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is lawful. It is statements that make it lawful as well as unlawful.’”