1- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ رِئَابٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ رَجُلٍ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ قَرَابَةٌ مَاتَ وَتَرَكَ أَوْلاداً صِغَاراً وَتَرَكَ مَمَالِيكَ غِلْمَاناً وَجَوَارِيَ وَلَمْ يُوصِ فَمَا تَرَى فِيمَنْ يَشْتَرِي مِنْهُمُ الْجَارِيَةَ يَتَّخِذُهَا أُمَّ وَلَدٍ وَمَا تَرَى فِي بَيْعِهِمْ قَالَ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ لَهُمْ وَلِيٌّ يَقُومُ بِأَمْرِهِمْ بَاعَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَنَظَرَ لَهُمْ وَكَانَ مَأْجُوراً فِيهِمْ قُلْتُ فَمَا تَرَى فِيمَنْ يَشْتَرِي مِنْهُمُ الْجَارِيَةَ فَيَتَّخِذُهَا أُمَّ وَلَدٍ قَالَ لا بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ إِذَا بَاعَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقَيِّمُ لَهُمُ النَّاظِرُ لَهُمْ فِيمَا يُصْلِحُهُمْ فَلَيْسَ لَهُمْ أَنْ يَرْجِعُوا فِيمَا صَنَعَ الْقَيِّمُ لَهُمُ النَّاظِرُ [لَهُمْ] فِيمَا يُصْلِحُهُمْ.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn Mahbub from ibn Ri’ab who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan, Musa, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the case of a man who is of my relatives who has left behind small children, slave-boys and slave-girls, and has not made any will. ‘What do you say about one who buys from them a slave-girl for a mother of one’s child and what do you say about selling them?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If they have a guardian he looks after their affairs, sells for them, and looks after them, he will receive his reward from Allah.’ I then asked, ‘What do you say about one who buys from them a slave-girl to make her mother of his child.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful if their guardian sells her for them who supervises for them in matters of their interest and they cannot revoke what the guardian has done to protect their interest.’”

2- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ قَالَ مَاتَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا وَلَمْ يُوصِ فَرُفِعَ أَمْرُهُ إِلَى قَاضِي الْكُوفَةِ فَصَيَّرَ عَبْدَ الْحَمِيدِ الْقَيِّمَ بِمَالِهِ وَكَانَ الرَّجُلُ خَلَّفَ وَرَثَةً صِغَاراً وَمَتَاعاً وَجَوَارِيَ فَبَاعَ عَبْدُ الْحَمِيدِ الْمَتَاعَ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ بَيْعَ الْجَوَارِي ضَعُفَ قَلْبُهُ فِي بَيْعِهِنَّ إِذْ لَمْ يَكُنِ الْمَيِّتُ صَيَّرَ إِلَيْهِ الْوَصِيَّةَ وَكَانَ قِيَامُهُ فِيهَا بِأَمْرِ الْقَاضِي لأنَّهُنَّ فُرُوجٌ قَالَ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لأبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَقُلْتُ لَهُ يَمُوتُ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا وَلا يُوصِي إِلَى أَحَدٍ وَيُخَلِّفُ جَوَارِيَ فَيُقِيمُ الْقَاضِي رَجُلا مِنَّا لِيَبِيعَهُنَّ أَوْ قَالَ يَقُومُ بِذَلِكَ رَجُلٌ مِنَّا فَيَضْعُفُ قَلْبُهُ لأنَّهُنَّ فُرُوجٌ فَمَا تَرَى فِي ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَقَالَ إِذَا كَانَ الْقَيِّمُ بِهِ مِثْلَكَ وَمِثْلَ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ فَلا بَأْسَ.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ‘Isma’il who has said the following: “A certain person of our people died without a will and his case was presented before a judge of al- Kufah. ‘Abd al-Hamid was appointed as the supervisor over his affairs. The man had left behind small heirs, assets and slave-girls. ‘Abd al-Hamid sold the assets and when he wanted to sell the slave-girls, His heart became weak in selling them because the deceased had not appointed him as executor of his will and his appointment was because of the order of the judge and it was a matter of Furuj (matters of reproductive issue). I then asked abu Ja’far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about it saying, ‘If a man of our people dies without a will and leaves behind slave-girls, then the judge appoints a man from us as supervisor to sell the slave-girls or says that a man from us looks after this issue and his heart becomes weak because it is a matter of Furuj; what do you say about it?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If the supervisor is like you or like ‘Abd al-Hamid it is not unlawful.’”

3- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَشْتَرِي الْعَبْدَ وَهُوَ آبِقٌ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ فَقَالَ لا يَصْلُحُ إِلا أَنْ يَشْتَرِيَ مَعَهُ شَيْئاً آخَرَ فَيَقُولَ أَشْتَرِي مِنْكَ هَذَا الشَّيْ‏ءَ وَعَبْدَكَ بِكَذَا وَكَذَا فَإِنْ لَمْ يَقْدِرْ عَلَى الْعَبْدِ كَانَ ثَمَنُهُ الَّذِي نَقَدَ فِي الشَّيْ‏ءِ.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Sama‘ah who has said the following: “I once asked him (the Imam), ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the case of a man who buys a slave, who is a runaway one, from his people. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not valid unless he buys something else along with him and says, “I buy from you this thing and your slave so and so for so and so amount” and if he cannot find the slave his price (asset) will be in what he has paid for that thing.’”

4- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَأَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ رِفَاعَةَ النَّخَّاسِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقُلْتُ سَاوَمْتُ رَجُلا بِجَارِيَةٍ لَهُ فَبَاعَنِيهَا بِحُكْمِي فَقَبَضْتُهَا مِنْهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ بَعَثْتُ إِلَيْهِ بِأَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ وَقُلْتُ لَهُ هَذِهِ الألْفُ حُكْمِي عَلَيْكَ فَأَبَى أَنْ يَقْبَلَهَا مِنِّي وَقَدْ كُنْتُ مَسِسْتُهَا قَبْلَ أَنْ أَبْعَثَ إِلَيْهِ بِأَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ قَالَ فَقَالَ أَرَى أَنْ تُقَوَّمَ الْجَارِيَةُ بِقِيمَةٍ عَادِلَةٍ فَإِنْ كَانَ ثَمَنُهَا أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا بَعَثْتَ إِلَيْهِ كَانَ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَرُدَّ إِلَيْهِ مَا نَقَصَ مِنَ الْقِيمَةِ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ قِيمَتُهَا أَقَلَّ مِمَّا بَعَثْتَ بِهِ إِلَيْهِ فَهُوَ لَهُ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ أَصَبْتُ بِهَا عَيْباً بَعْدَ مَا مَسِسْتُهَا قَالَ لَيْسَ لَكَ أَنْ تَرُدَّهَا وَلَكَ أَنْ تَأْخُذَ قِيمَةَ مَا بَيْنَ الصِّحَّةِ وَالْعَيْبِ.

4. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Ahmad ibn Muhammad all from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Rifa’ah al-Nakhkhas who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, ‘I have made a deal with a man in the manner of Musawamah (fixed price regardless of capital) about his slave-girl. He sold her to me on my demand and I took possession on that basis, sent him a thousand dirham and said to him, ‘This is a thousand because of my order.’ He refused to accept it from me and I had already touched her before sending the thousand dirham. He (the Imam) said, ‘I say that you must evaluate the slave-girl for a fair price. If her price is more than what you sent to him you must complete the deficit, and if the price is less than what you have sent to him it belongs to him.’ I then said, ‘What happens if I find a defect in her after touching her?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You cannot return her. You can, however, demand for the difference of her prices as defect-free and defective condition.’”

5- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ قَالَ فِي الْمَمْلُوكِ يَكُونُ بَيْنَ شُرَكَاءَ فَيَبِيعُ أَحَدُهُمْ نَصِيبَهُ فَيَقُولُ صَاحِبُهُ أَنَا أَحَقُّ بِهِ أَلَهُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ نَعَمْ إِذَا كَانَ وَاحِداً فَقِيلَ فِي الْحَيَوَانِ شُفْعَةٌ فَقَالَ لا.

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from Hammad from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “This is about the case of a slave who is owned by several people and one of them sells his share and the other says, ‘I am more rightful to buy it if his claim is right.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is a right if there is only one shareholder.’ It then was asked if there is right of al-Shuf’ (priority right over others to buy) in the sale of animals. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, there is no right of al-Shuf ’ in the sale of animals.’”

6- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي شِرَاءِ الرُّومِيَّاتِ قَالَ اشْتَرِهِنَّ وَبِعْهُنَّ.

6. Muhammad ibn ‘Isma’il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from ibn abu ‘Umayr from fbrahim ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid who has said the foiiowing: “About the case of buying and the sale of Romans, abu al-Hassan, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘(If they are for sale), buy and sell them.’”

7- حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ الْفَضْلِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ شِرَاءِ مَمْلُوكِي أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ إِذَا أَقَرُّوا لَهُمْ بِذَلِكَ فَقَالَ إِذَا أَقَرُّوا لَهُمْ بِذَلِكَ فَاشْتَرِ وَانْكِحْ.

7. Humayd ibn Ziyad from ai-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Sama‘ah from more than one person from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from ‘Isma’ii ibn ai-Fadi who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about buying slaves of tax payers if their government approves. He (the Imam) said, ‘If the authority over them approves you can buy and marry them.’”

8- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَهْلٍ عَنْ زَكَرِيَّا بْنِ آدَمَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ قَوْمٍ مِنَ الْعَدُوِّ صَالَحُوا ثُمَّ خَفَرُوا وَلَعَلَّهُمْ إِنَّمَا خَفَرُوا لأنَّهُ لَمْ يُعْدَلْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَيَصْلُحُ أَنْ يُشْتَرَى مِنْ سَبْيِهِمْ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ عَدُوٍّ قَدِ اسْتَبَانَ عَدَاوَتُهُمْ فَاشْتَرِ مِنْهُمْ وَإِنْ كَانَ قَدْ نَفَرُوا وَظَلَمُوا فَلا تَبْتَعْ مِنْ سَبْيِهِمْ قَالَ وَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ سَبْيِ الدَّيْلَمِ يَسْرِقُ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَيُغِيرُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِلا إِمَامٍ أَيَحِلُّ شِرَاؤُهُمْ قَالَ إِذَا أَقَرُّوا بِالْعُبُودِيَّةِ فَلا بَأْسَ بِشِرَائِهِمْ قَالَ وَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَوْمٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ أَصَابَهُمْ جُوعٌ فَأَتَاهُ رَجُلٌ بِوَلَدِهِ فَقَالَ هَذَا لَكَ فَأَطْعِمْهُ وَهُوَ لَكَ عَبْدٌ فَقَالَ لا تَبْتَعْ حُرّاً فَإِنَّهُ لا يَصْلُحُ لَكَ وَلا مِنْ أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ.

8. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Sahl from Zakariya ibn Adam who has said the following: “I once asked al-Rida’, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the enemy people who make peace, then breach it because justice was not practiced with them; if it is permissible to buy their captives. He (the Imam) said, ‘If they are open enemies you can buy but if they are exiled and treated unjustly, then do not buy their captives.’ I asked him (the Imam) about captives from Daylam who steal from each other and the Muslims invade them without authorization from Imam; if buying them is permissible. He (the Imam) said, ‘If they confess their slavery, then it is not unlawful.’ I then asked him (the Imam) about taxpayer people who face famine and a man brings his children and says: this is for you feed him and he is for you. He (the Imam) said, ‘You must not sell free people. It is not lawful for you as well as for the tax payers.’”

9- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَأَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ رِفَاعَةَ النَّخَّاسِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ الرُّومَ يُغِيرُونَ عَلَى الصَّقَالِبَةِ فَيَسْرِقُونَ أَوْلادَهُمْ مِنَ الْجَوَارِي وَالْغِلْمَانِ فَيَعْمِدُونَ إِلَى الْغِلْمَانِ فَيَخْصُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُونَ بِهِمْ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ إِلَى التُّجَّارِ فَمَا تَرَى فِي شِرَائِهِمْ وَنَحْنُ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ سُرِقُوا وَإِنَّمَا أَغَارُوا عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَرْبٍ كَانَتْ بَيْنَهُمْ فَقَالَ لا بَأْسَ بِشِرَائِهِمْ إِنَّمَا أَخْرَجُوهُمْ مِنَ الشِّرْكِ إِلَى دَارِ الإسْلامِ.

9. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Ahmad ibn Muhammad all from ibn Mahbub from Rifa’ah al- Nakhkhas who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about Romans who invade al-Saqalibah (a people who lived between Bulgaria and Constantinople (Istanbul)), steal their children, slave-girls and slave-boys, then castrate the slave-boys, then send them to Baghdad for the merchants. What do you say about them and we know they are stolen and they were invaded wrongfully without declared war among them. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful to buy them because they have only taken them from paganism to al-Islam.’”

10- حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ عَنْ أَبَانٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ رَقِيقِ أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ أَشْتَرِي مِنْهُمْ شَيْئاً فَقَالَ اشْتَرِ إِذَا أَقَرُّوا لَهُمْ بِالرِّقِّ.

10. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Sama‘ah from more than one person from Aban from ‘Abd al- Rahman ibn abu ‘Abd Allah who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the slaves of the taxpayers; if I can buy from them. He (the Imam) said, ‘You can buy them if they certify their slavery.’”

11- أَبَانٌ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ اشْتَرَى جَارِيَةً بِثَمَنٍ مُسَمًّى ثُمَّ بَاعَهَا فَرَبِحَ فِيهَا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَنْقُدَ صَاحِبَهَا الَّذِي هِيَ لَهُ فَأَتَاهُ صَاحِبُهَا يَتَقَاضَاهُ وَلَمْ يَنْقُدْ مَالَهُ فَقَالَ صَاحِبُ الْجَارِيَةِ لِلَّذِينَ بَاعَهُمْ اكْفُونِي غَرِيمِي هَذَا وَالَّذِي رَبِحْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَهُوَ لَكُمْ قَالَ لا بَأْسَ.

11. Aban has narrated from Zurarah who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘ Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the case of a man who buys a slave-girl for a certain price, then sells her (on credit) and makes a profit before paying the owner. The owner comes and demands payment but he does not pay. The owner says to those who have bought her to pay him what the person selling the slave-girl owes him and the profit that he has made is for them. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful.’”

12- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ حُمَيْدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَضَى أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فِي وَلِيدَةٍ بَاعَهَا ابْنُ سَيِّدِهَا وَأَبُوهُ غَائِبٌ فَاسْتَوْلَدَهَا الَّذِي اشْتَرَاهَا فَوَلَدَتْ مِنْهُ غُلاماً ثُمَّ جَاءَ سَيِّدُهَا الأوَّلُ فَخَاصَمَ سَيِّدَهَا الآخَرَ فَقَالَ وَلِيدَتِي بَاعَهَا ابْنِي بِغَيْرِ إِذْنِي فَقَالَ الْحُكْمُ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ وَلِيدَتَهُ وَابْنَهَا فَنَاشَدَهُ الَّذِي اشْتَرَاهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ خُذِ ابْنَهُ الَّذِي بَاعَكَ الْوَلِيدَةَ حَتَّى يَنْقُدَ لَكَ الْبَيْعَ فَلَمَّا أَخَذَهُ قَالَ لَهُ أَبُوهُ أَرْسِلْ ابْنِي قَالَ لا وَاللهِ لا أُرْسِلُ إِلَيْكَ ابْنَكَ حَتَّى تُرْسِلَ ابْنِي فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ سَيِّدُ الْوَلِيدَةِ أَجَازَ بَيْعَ ابْنِهِ.

12. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu Najran from ‘Asem ibn Hamid from Muhammad ibn Qays who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, issued a judgment in the case of a slave-girl who is the mother of a child who is sold by the son of her master in the absence of his father. The buyer made her to become pregnant and a boy was born. Then her first master came and disputed the second master, saying: she was the mother of my child whom my son had sold without my permission. He (the Imam) said, ’The judgment gave him the mother and the child.’ The one who had bought begged and pleaded before him (the Imam). He said, ‘Take his son who sold to you the mother of the child until he pays you for the sale.’ When he took him his father said, ‘Allow my son to go.’ He said, ‘No, by Allah, I will not allow him to go until you allow my son to go.’ When the master of the mother of the child saw this he authorized the sale of his son.’”

13- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ عَنْ حَمْزَةَ بْنِ حُمْرَانَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَدْخُلُ السُّوقَ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَشْتَرِيَ جَارِيَةً فَتَقُولُ لِي إِنِّي حُرَّةٌ فَقَالَ اشْتَرِهَا إِلا أَنْ تَكُونَ لَهَا بَيِّنَةٌ.

13. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from Jamil ibn Darraj from Hamzah ibn Humran who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, ‘I go to the market to buy a slave-girl and she says that she is free. He (the Imam) said, ‘You can buy her unless she presents proof of her freedom.’”

14- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ كُنْتُ جَالِساً عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ وَمَعَهُ ابْنٌ لَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مَا تِجَارَةُ ابْنِكَ فَقَالَ التَّنَخُّسُ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لا تَشْتَرِيَنَّ شَيْناً وَلا عَيْباً وَإِذَا اشْتَرَيْتَ رَأْساً فَلا تُرِيَنَّ ثَمَنَهُ فِي كِفَّةِ الْمِيزَانِ فَمَا مِنْ رَأْسٍ رَأَى ثَمَنَهُ فِي كِفَّةِ الْمِيزَانِ فَأَفْلَحَ وَإِذَا اشْتَرَيْتَ رَأْساً فَغَيِّرِ اسْمَهُ وَأَطْعِمْهُ شَيْئاً حُلْواً إِذَا مَلَكْتَهُ وَتَصَدَّقْ عَنْهُ بِأَرْبَعَةِ دَرَاهِمَ.

14. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from Zurarah who has said the following: “Once I was sitting with abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, when a man came in with his son. Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, asked, ‘What kind of business does your son do?’ He replied, ‘He sells slaves.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, said, ‘You must not buy what is defective physically or morally. When you buy a head, you must not show its price on balance; whatever head sees its price in the balance it does not succeed. When you buy a head change its name, feed it something sweet and when you become the owner give four dirham charity for it.’”

15- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُيَسِّرٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنْ نَظَرَ إِلَى ثَمَنِهِ وَهُوَ يُوزَنُ لَمْ يُفْلِحْ.

15. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ibrahim ibn ‘Uqbah from Muhammad ibn Muyassir from his father who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘One who looks at his own price when he is weighed, he does not succeed.’”

16- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ رِفَاعَةَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ رَجُلٍ شَارَكَ رَجُلا فِي جَارِيَةٍ لَهُ وَقَالَ إِنْ رَبِحْنَا فِيهَا فَلَكَ نِصْفُ الرِّبْحِ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ وَضِيعَةٌ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ شَيْ‏ءٌ فَقَالَ لا أَرَى بِهَذَا بَأْساً إِذَا طَابَتْ نَفْسُ صَاحِبِ الْجَارِيَةِ.

16. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from Rifa’ah who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan, Musa, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the case of a man who shares a slave-girl with another man and says, ‘If we made profit half is for you, if it is a loss then there is nothing on you.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘I do not see anything unlawful in it if the owner of the slave-girl agrees without compulsion.’”

17- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الشَّرْطِ فِي الإمَاءِ أَلا تُبَاعَ وَلا تُورَثَ وَلا تُوهَبَ فَقَالَ يَجُوزُ ذَلِكَ غَيْرَ الْمِيرَاثِ فَإِنَّهَا تُورَثُ وَكُلُّ شَرْطٍ خَالَفَ كِتَابَ اللهِ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ.

17. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from Hammad from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘ Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the case of slave- girls and conditions that say, ‘She must not be sold or transferred in inheritance or given as gift.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is lawful except inheritance; she is inherited. Any condition against the book of Allah is rejected.’”

18- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ عَنْ أَبِي جَمِيلَةَ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ لِي يَا شَابُّ أَيَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ تُعَالِجُ فَقُلْتُ الرَّقِيقَ فَقَالَ أُوصِيكَ بِوَصِيَّةٍ فَاحْفَظْهَا لا تَشْتَرِيَنَّ شَيْناً وَلا عَيْباً وَاسْتَوْثِقْ مِنَ الْعُهْدَةِ.

18. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid from abu Jamilah who has said the following: “Once I visited abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, and he asked, ‘Young man, what you do for a living?’ I replied, ‘It is slaves.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘I recommend you so keep my recommendations safe. You must not buy physically or morally defective ones. You must make the guarantees strong and firm.’”