Purchasing on account without knowledge of the price of the items

Q: Many customers buy groceries from my store on account and pay me at the end of the month. Will the sale be valid as the customers often don’t know the prices of the items they are taking?

A: It is necessary for the purchaser to know the price of the items he is purchasing. Since the seller has not told the customer the price of the items at the time of the sale, the sale will not be permissible. They should refrain from dealing in this manner.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

ومنها أن يكون المبيع معلوما والثمن معلوما علما يمنع من المنازعة فبيع المجهول جهالة تفضي إليها غير صحيح كبيع شاة من هذا القطيع وبيع شيء بقيمته وبحكم فلان (الفتاوى الهندية 3/3)

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)