What the Prophet gave a man who kept being cheated
He had a head injury that had damaged his speech, and he would not stop trading.
إِذَا أَنْتَ بَايَعْتَ فَقُلْ لاَ خِلاَبَةَ
Idhā anta bāyaʿta fa-qul: lā khilābah
When you make a purchase, say: no cheating.
Where this comes from
Munqidh ibn ʿAmr took a wound to the head that broke his speech, and he kept trading anyway, and he kept being taken advantage of. The Prophet did not tell him to stop. He gave him a phrase to say at the point of sale, and three nights to change his mind on anything he bought.
The full narration
It was narrated that Muhammad bin Yahya bin Habban said:“My grandfather was Munqidh bin 'Amr. He was a man who had suffered a head wound and lost the power of speech, but that did not stop him from engaging in trade. He was always being cheated, so he went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and told him about that. He said to him: 'When you buy something, say: “There should be no intention of cheating,” and for every product you buy, you have the choice for three nights. If you are pleased with it, keep it, and if you are displeased then return it.'”
Source
Sunan Ibn Mājah · 2355
- Al-Albani: Hasan
- Muhammad Fouad Abd al-Baqi: Hasan
- Shuaib Al Arnaut: Hasan
- Zubair Ali Zai: Hasan