The Honest Muslim Trader

It is related that in the times of the early days of Islam, there lived a trader by name Yunus ibn-Ubayd who sold fabrics in his shop, which were imported from different lands. Some of the cloth he sold was priced low and the other was as high as four hundred Dirhams each. Once, it so happened that he entrusted his nephew who helped him in his shop to take over the business for a few minutes, as he had to go to the nearby mosque to complete his obligatory prayers.

During his absence, a Bedouin entered the shop and began to examine the clothes offered for sale. He immediately took a liking to the cloth that was offered for sale over there, and asked the boy who was responsible for running the shop to state its price. The nephew wanted to please his uncle, so he sold the Bedouin the cloth twice the amount of price than what it was worth. The Bedouin was happy with the bargain. While on his way, crossing the street, he came across Yunus, who had just emerged out of the mosque after completing his prayers and recognising his cloth, he asked the Bedouin from where he had purchased it and its price.

The Bedouin replied truthfully that he had purchased the cloth from a shop across the street from a boy and had paid four hundred Dirhams for it. “But it is not worth more than two hundred,” replied Yunus and taking the Bedouin by the arm conducted him back to his shop. “Come with me, and I will exchange it for a cloth, which is far more better than one you have bought for four hundred Dirhams.”

On the way to the shop the Bedouin replied, “But the cloth of this type, and design is highly valued from where I come from and it is worth five hundred Dirhams and I am perfectly pleased with my purchase.”

Yunus objected to his decision saying: “Do not say that for the counsel of the religion of Islam is far more rewarding than the riches of the world.” Returning to his shop, he immediately returned the two hundred Dirhams which had been paid in excess by the Bedouin for the cloth and scolded his nephew saying: “ Do you have no fear of Allah? You have abandoned Allah’s counsel in matters relating to trade in your dealings with your customers?”