SECTION ON BUYING AND SELLING · 29 – ENGAGING IN TRADE WITH ANOTHER'S PROPERTY WITHOUT PERMISSION
3387 – It was narrated from ʿAbdullāh, the father of Sālim (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) say: “Let whoever among you is able to possess a ferak (a measure) of rice do so.” The Companions (ṣaḥāba) said, “O Messenger of Allah, who is the one who possesses a ferak of rice?” The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) then recounted the story of the cave that occurred when a mountain collapsed upon them, and said: “One of those in the cave said, ‘Tell of your best deeds.’ Thereupon, the third one narrated as follows: ‘O Allah, You know that I once hired a laborer for a ferak (a measure) of rice. When evening came, I offered him his wage, but he refused to take it and left. So I invested his money on his behalf, and for him I acquired a herd of cattle and a shepherd to tend them. One day, he came to me and said, “Give me my due.” I said to him, “Go, that herd of cattle and the shepherd with them are yours; take them.” Thereupon, the man went and drove the herd away before him.’” [211]