3 minutes read
Some merchants think squeezing every last dollar out of a deal makes them smart.
They negotiate as if every transaction must have a winner and a loser. If a buyer does not know the market price, they charge more. If someone is desperate, they take advantage of it. If there is another dollar to extract, they keep pushing.
But the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught Muslim merchants a different standard.
He ﷺ said:
“May Allah have mercy on a man who is easy-going when he sells, when he buys, and when he demands his due.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 2076
Sahih al-Bukhari 2076“May Allah have mercy on a man who is easy-going when he sells, when he buys, and when he demands his due.”
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Ease Is Part of Good Character
The Prophet ﷺ made duʿā for the merchant who is easy-going.
This means being reasonable when selling, not unfairly diminishing the value of someone's goods when buying, and being gentle when collecting what is owed.
Islam does not teach merchants to be weak negotiators. Nor does it prohibit making a good profit.
But business should not become a competition to see who can extract the most from the other person.
The Best Deal Is Not Always the Biggest Deal
Sometimes giving up a little profit, overlooking a small amount, or making a transaction easier for someone may be worth far more than what you could have extracted.
A merchant's success is not measured only by the amount of money he takes from a transaction.
It is also measured by the character he brings into it.
The smartest merchant may not be the one who captures every last dollar.
It may be the one who makes business easier for people and earns the duʿā of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for Allah's mercy.
What would our markets look like if ease in dealing became a sign of business excellence?
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