A reminder from the Hadith: Don’t sell what you don’t own

As-salamu alaykum - Islam isn’t just lofty ideas; it gives practical rules to stop us from harming ourselves or others. The Prophet ﷺ warned: “Do not sell that which you do not possess.” (At-Tirmidhi et al., regarded authentic by Al-Albani.) A recent example: in China, some unregulated brokers were taking payments for future gold and silver deliveries they didn’t actually have. When prices jumped, they raced to find the metal to fulfill orders and in many cases defaulted entirely. That left investors facing big losses and the market at risk of a wider credit crunch. If those dealing had followed the guidance of the Hadith and avoided selling what they didn’t possess, much of that trouble could have been avoided. Just a simple reminder to keep transactions honest and within Islamic principles, so we protect ourselves and others from unnecessary harm.