Do Not Sell Unripe Fruit Too Early

Shaykh Bali says — selling tomatoes in the field, or mangoes, apples and pomegranates on the tree, is permissible, but on one condition only. If the condition is not met, the sale itself is void.

How the Question Comes

A familiar scene in the village — tomatoes in the field, watermelons, or a whole orchard of mango trees full of fruit is sold all at once. The trader pays the price and takes it away.

Sometimes it goes one step further — the fruit of five years sold all at once, before the fruit has even come to the tree.

Then one year pests strike, a storm comes, and the fruit is ruined. A dispute begins — the seller says, "I have already taken the price, the loss is not mine"; the buyer says, "I got nothing at all."

The Shaykh says that the Prophet ﷺ made this prohibition for the good of both parties.

The Shaykh's Answer

Selling fruit is permissible — the condition is that the fruit's "salah" appears, that is, it begins to become fit for eating.

Tomatoes are not to be sold while they are green; they must begin to turn red. Mangoes, apples and pomegranates may be sold while on the tree, but only after some of the fruit has become fit for eating. If salah appears in some part of a large orchard, the scholars have permitted selling the whole of it.

If one sells before the salah appears, the scholars say it is a "bay' batil" (void sale) — it is haram for the buyer to use that product, and haram for the seller to use the price.

Evidence — the Prophet's ﷺ prohibition

لَا تَبِيعُوا الثَّمَرَ حَتَّى يَبْدُوَ صَلَاحُهُ

Do not sell fruit before its salah appears. (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)Copy

In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ forbade both the buyer and the seller from this. Selling the fruit of several years at once is also forbidden — the fruit has not even come to the tree yet.

What to Do

1. Do not sell until the fruit has begun to become fit for eating.
2. Selling the fruit of several years at once — this is even more serious; avoid it completely.
3. If you want an arrangement for a long period, do musaqat — a specified share of the fruit in return for tending the trees.
4. If the whole orchard is sold together with the land, that is different — there the fruit follows the land.

Monthly Ruqyah Course

★ 12 live ruqyah sessions ★ Recorded video of every session ★ Separate session notes for every session ★ A diagnosis package worth 500 taka for only 150 taka ★ The opportunity to consult with the raqi in a group ★ A separate Telegram group ★ A separate discussion group for brothers and sisters ★ A separate session for each different problem ★ A guidelines and Q&A segment in every session

The course hadiya (fee) is only 490 taka. To join, write Session in a message — I will send you the form link, in sha Allah.

Source: Based on a talk by Shaykh Wahid Abdussalam Bali

Translation and compilation: Raqi Faisal Ahmed Sabit — Al Qur'an Ruqyah Healing Center