This chapter gathers the Prophet's warnings against ghishsh and khida', deceit and cheating, in every dealing. Its refrain is stark: whoever cheats us is not of us. Honesty is treated not as a business tactic but as a mark of belonging to the believing community.
The reports move from a principle to vivid cases: hidden wet grain sold as dry, najsh (driving up a price with fake bids), and even deceiving someone's wife or servant against them. Notice the simple remedy the Prophet (ﷺ) gives the man easily fooled in trade, a plain condition of no deception, and the broad reach of the rule from the marketplace to the home. The fine points of trade rulings belong to the scholars; the heart of the chapter is the duty to be transparent and truthful.
Hadith 1579
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: " من حمل علينا السلاح، فليس منا، ومن غشنا، فليس منا" ((رواه مسلم)). وفي رواية له أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مر على صبرة طعام، فأدخل يده فيها، فنالت أصابعه بللا، فقال: " ما هذا ياصاحب الطعام؟" قال أصابته السماء يارسول الله، قال: " أفلا جعلته فوق الطعام حتى يراه الناس! من غشنا فليس منا".
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who takes up arms against us is none of us; and he who cheats us is none of us." [Muslim]. Another narration of Muslim is: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) happened to pass by a heap of corn. He thrust his hand in that (heap) and his fingers felt wetness. He said to the owner of that heap of corn, "What is this?" He replied: "O Messenger of Allah! These have been drenched by rainfall." He remarked, "Why did you not place this (the drenched part of the heap) over the corn so that people might see it? He who deceives is not of us."
In plain words
Whoever cheats us is not truly one of us. The Prophet (peace be upon him) showed this with a seller who hid wet grain beneath dry: honesty means letting people see what they are really buying.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1579 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 69
Hadith 1580
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
وعنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، قال: " لا تناجشوا" ((متفق عليه)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Do not practise Najsh (to cheat)." [Muslim].
In plain words
Do not drive up a price with fake bids to lure a real buyer. Such trickery in trade is condemned.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1580 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 70
Hadith 1581
Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said:
وعن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما، أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم نهى عن النَجَش، ((متفق عليه)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibited the practice of Najsh. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
The Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade placing fake bids to push up a price. Deceiving a buyer this way is not allowed.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1581 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 71
Hadith 1582
Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said:
وعنه قال: ذكر رجل لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه يُخدع في البيوع فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "من بايعت؟ فقل : لا خلابة" ((متفق عليه)). "الخِلابة" بخاء معجمة مكسورة، وباء موحدة: وهي الخديعة.
A man mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that he was often deceived in dealings. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to him, "When you enter into a transaction you should say: "There should be no deception."' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
A man who kept getting fooled in his dealings was taught to set a plain condition: no deception. A clear honest agreement protects both sides.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1582 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 72
Hadith 1583
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : "من خبب زوجة امرئ، أو مملوكه، فليس منا". "خَبَب" بخاء معجمة، ثم باء موحدة مكررة: أي: أفسده وخدعه.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who deceives another's wife or his slave is none of us." [Abu Dawud].
In plain words
Whoever turns a person's wife or servant against them, by deceit, is not one of us. Cheating reaches beyond the marketplace into the home, and it is condemned there too.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1583 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 73