The buyer's request to the seller for a reduction after a loss

Question:
Please inform us about a man who bought sheep from someone for fifteen thousand riyals. Then the buyer lost about eight thousand riyals on them, so he went back to the seller and said, "I lost money on the sheep, and I want you to reduce the amount for me." The seller said to him, "I will give you one thousand riyals." Is this permissible? Because some people say that this is *istirda'* (extracting money from the seller), and *istirda'* is forbidden. What is *istirda'*? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
If they reach a settlement, there is nothing wrong with it. There is no harm in a case of financial loss if a person loses money on a commodity and asks his brother to forgive him a portion of the price; there is no blame in this. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The best of you in trade is the one who settles the debts of his family.” So, if they agree that the seller forgives the buyer a portion of the price because of a loss, or because the buyer made a mistake in the purchase and lacked insight into the transaction, and his brother shows leniency and reduces the price for him, there is nothing wrong with it. As for the legal ruling, that is a matter for the court. However, a settlement between the seller and the buyer whereby the seller waives part of the price is without blame, even if some people call it *istidra'* (a claim for compensation); there is no harm in that, provided the buyer is truthful that he suffered a loss and was harmed by this commodity because he was deceived in buying it, or was short-changed in its purchase, or the market for it had passed, or something similar. If he asks his brother to forgive him a portion of the price or to waive it, there is no blame. Yes.