Forty Gems of Beauty — Page 113
113 anger and, in extreme displeasure, he told the grain merchant that cheating was not permissible in Islam, and the Muslim who practised deceit and wanted to sell rotten goods by making them appear like a good commodity, had no lot or part with him. He then commanded that if goods were defective in any way, their defect should be made public and then offered for sale so that the buyer may be able to evaluate them, keeping their defect in mind. The effect of this extremely forceful exhortation was evidenced sometime in the very charming difference of opinion that occurred among his companions, when, for instance, the vendor would ask two hundred coins for his commodity, but the buyer would insist that it was worth three hundred coins. But it is painful to note that many so- called Muslims of today cheat in trade without the least scruples and back their lies with oaths and indulge in excessive adulteration, so much so that even Satan, perhaps, feels outdone. Some Muslims perform Hajj [pilgrimage] also for the sole consideration of promoting their trade with their newly-won epithet of ‘ Ha j i. ’ I do not say that all of them are of this type. But when a substantial number of the community is involved in the moral degradation of this kind, the entire mass of its people cannot get away from the stigma of a bad reputation. And, in any case, the true follower of our Holy Prophet (May peace and blessings of Allah be on him) is one who obeys his command, and shuns every form of deceit and fraud, as he cannot otherwise escape the operation of the warning that: “whoso cheats and commits fraud in trade and other transactions has nothing to do with me. ”