What is the ruling on taking a sample to display to people so they can see the item before going to buy it?
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Question:
He says: We have a merchant who imports goods, and we take a sample from them to display to people. If they desire to buy, we go and purchase from the merchant. If the matter is as described,
Answer:
then there is no harm. There is no harm if, when you see people’s desire for this item, you go and buy it from the merchants and sell it to those who want it; there is no obstacle. However, if you sell them something you do not yet own, and if you are contracting with them for the sale while you do not own the goods, this is not permissible. This is not permissible, because it is not permissible to sell what you do not have. But if it is merely that when they desire it, you go, buy it, and bring it to them, and the sale does not take place until after you have bought it from the merchant, there is no harm.
He says: We have a merchant who imports goods, and we take a sample from them to display to people. If they desire to buy, we go and purchase from the merchant. If the matter is as described,
Answer:
then there is no harm. There is no harm if, when you see people’s desire for this item, you go and buy it from the merchants and sell it to those who want it; there is no obstacle. However, if you sell them something you do not yet own, and if you are contracting with them for the sale while you do not own the goods, this is not permissible. This is not permissible, because it is not permissible to sell what you do not have. But if it is merely that when they desire it, you go, buy it, and bring it to them, and the sale does not take place until after you have bought it from the merchant, there is no harm.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، ما حكم أخذ عينة يعرض على الناس لمعرفة السلعة قبل الذهاب لشرائها؟ للشيخ الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.