Q 27: A person says: "This item costs me such and such," when in fact it costs him less. He only says this because he wants to increase his profits. There are some people who swear by Allah that this is the price they paid. What is the ruling on that?

A: If a person buys a product and offers it for sale, and says, "It costs me such and such" but he is lying; saying that he paid more for it than he really did, then he is doing something that is Haram (prohibited) and he is definitely committing a sin. He risks losing the blessing (Part No. 13; Page No. 11) of his sale. If he swears by Allah (Exalted be He) to that effect, then his sin is even greater and the punishment will be even more severe. He is included in the warning mentioned in the Hadith narrated by Muslim in his Sahih on the authority of Abu Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he said: "Three persons whom Allah shall neither look at on the Day of Resurrection, nor purify, and they shall have a painful torment." We said, "Who are they, O Messenger of Allah? For they have failed and lost." He (peace be upon him) said, “He who reminds (the people) of what he gives; he who lets his izar (lower garment) hang below his heels (out of pride); and he who sells his merchandise by false swearing." Al-Tirmidhy said, this is a Hasan (good) Sahih Hadith. According to another narration, "... By evil oaths." Moreover, Al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: 'An oath may sell the product but erase the blessing.' Likewise, it is related by Al-Bukhari in his Sahih (vol. 4, p. 316) on the authority of `Abdullah ibn Abu Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man offered him an item for sale in the market and he swore falsely by Allah that someone else had already made him an offer. He did so in order to get a Muslim to buy it. Then, the Ayah (Qur'anic verse) was revealed: Verily, those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allâh’s Covenant and their oaths, they shall have no portion in the Hereafter (Paradise). Neither will Allâh speak to them, nor look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and they shall have a painful torment. (Part No. 13; Page No. 12) Moreover, it is narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim in their Sahihs on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Three persons whom Allah shall neither speak to, nor look at, or purify, and they shall have a painful torment: a man who has spare water on a way but he withholds it from the wayfarer. A man who swears allegiance to a man, only swearing allegiance to him for the sake of a worldly gain; if he gives him what he wants, he fulfills his obligation towards him, otherwise he does not fulfill it. And a man who bargains with another man over a commodity after the ‘Asr (Afternoon Prayer) and makes an oath by Allah (falsely) that he has been offered such-and-such price for it and he (the buyer believes him and) buys it." May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.