English translation
6980. Narrated Abū Rāfi': The Prophet ﷺ said, "The neighbour has more right to be taken care of by his neighbour (than anyone else)." Some men said, "If one wants to buy a house for 20,000 Dirham then there is no harm to play a trick to deprive somebody of pre-emption by buying it (just on paper) with 20,000 Dirham but paying to the seller only 9,999 Dirham in cash and then agree with the seller to pay only one Dīnār in cash for the rest of the price (i.e., 10,001 Dirham). If the pre-emptor offers 20,000 Dirham for the house, he can buy it otherwise he has no right to buy it (by this trick he got out of pre-emption). If the house proves to belong to somebody else other than the seller, the buyer should take back from the seller what he has paid, i.e., 9,999 Dirham and one Dīnār, because if the house proves to belong to somebody else, so the whole bargain (deal) is unlawful. If the buyer finds a defect in the house and it does not belong to somebody other than the seller, the buyer may return it and receive 20,000 Dirham (instead of 9,999 Dirham plus one Dīnār) which he actually paid.” Abū ‘Abdullāh said, “So that man allows (some people) the playing of tricks amongst the Muslims (although) the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘In dealing with Muslims one should not sell them sick (animals) or bad things or stolen things.’”
