Why is selling what one does not own forbidden? I want to understand the reason.
The reason for the prohibition of selling what one does not own is that it falls under the category of bay' al- (uncertain or hazardous sales). This includes selling a commodity before taking possession of it, selling someone else's property contingent on the owner's approval, and selling something that is not guaranteed. It may also include selling something that is absent from the seller at the time of sale, or selling something on the condition that it will be purchased for the buyer from its owner. This is gharar because its acquisition is not assured, such as selling a runaway slave (abiq), a stray animal (sharid), or a bird in the air.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 191893
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy