Is it permissible to deviate from the state’s price controls?

The questioner : I mean, right now, regarding price controls, for example, whatever the state sets a price for, it might result in a loss. For instance, if the price is set at fifteen, it becomes ten... eleven, because the profit in it is small... at eleven... it might be said

The Shaykh : Ahmad, are you recording?
Abu Malik: This... no, this question is good, our Shaykh.

The Shaykh : This is definitely good.
Abu Malik: Yes, indeed, because this is so that the brothers can hear, as many merchants deviate from the state’s price controls. For example, the state sets the price of this commodity at one dinar

The Shaykh : Yes.
Abu Malik: So the merchant, because he sees that this will not cover his costs in his opinion, sells this commodity for one dinar and five qirsh, for example. Naturally, there is no doubt that this deviation and violation of the price controls exposes him to liability, liability for punishment. And the punishment here is sometimes severe, to the point that it may not compensate for what he pays for this violation, or because of this violation, from the year...

The Shaykh : It is not permissible... did you speak to me?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : And we

Another questioner : Peace be upon you

The Shaykh: And upon you peace.
Abu Malik: Therefore, our Shaykh, this... .

The Shaykh : Yes, it is well known, may Allah reward you. This is an important question, but I intended for him to raise his voice a little so that the recorder can hear me.
I say that the price control that must be followed, do you know its condition? I won’t repeat it, but as I said, regarding the ruler, he must consider the interest of the people he rules. Likewise, I say regarding the ruled, he must also consider his own interest. If his own interest requires him not to sell at the government’s controlled price, he may do so. But he should be like that ruler, meaning he does not deviate from the text except for a benefit.
Abu Malik: Yes, exactly.

The Shaykh : Ah, this is a benefit in which the interest of the people is considered. Now, this individual among the people sees, as mentioned in the previous question, that if he sells at the controlled price, he suffers a loss. Do you think he is truthful in this claim? If he is truthful, I also say he should consider his interest. But look, is his interest in selling for more than the controlled price to avoid the harm arising from adhering to the controlled price, or is the interest in not incurring that punishment?
Here, he should be moderate and balance this, if he is truthful in his claim. And it may be that the matter is not so. For example, he makes a profit on a kilo of such goods. For example, he makes a profit according to his free sale of ten, ten qirsh, meaning or ten dinars. This is not important in the matter, but the state set the price so that he makes a profit of one dinar or one qirsh, for example. So he makes a profit in this, he does not lose. But he considers not making his ten compared to five as a loss, and he says this price control does not suit me because it causes me harm. What is the harm here? It is not a loss, but a loss of some of the profit. So this is not a loss, this is profit.
In my opinion, it is perhaps better for any seller and any merchant to sell at a lower price, even if there is no compulsory price control, because this stems from contentment, contentment in profit. "Contentment is a treasure that does not perish," as mentioned in the weak hadith in its chain, but reasonable in its meaning and text. So I have given you the answer, if Allah wills.

The questioner : ... .

Another questioner : Raise your voice.

The questioner : In which book is it found?

The Shaykh: What is this?

The questioner :

The Shaykh : It is found in Sunan Abu Dawud and Musnad Imam Ahmad and others, andThe Shaykh : Here he also says al-Tirmidhi, but I follow it with his saying "Allah knows best" - laughterThe Shaykh : (may Allah have mercy on him) -
Abu Malik: This reminds me, our Shaykh, of a joke by Wail, Wail Abu Ayub

The Shaykh : Yes.
Abu Malik: It reminds me of a group who were writing schoolbooks, and they were all pointed to with the finger (highly respected). They were gathered one day and they disagreed about a hadith, or they did not disagree, and they found a hadith. Of course, they were not from the people of hadith nor from the people of this craft. So each one took a share. So-and-so said this is al-Bukhari, this is Muslim, this is such-and-such. So they said, instead of all this, my brother, so-and-so, you look, take charge of tracing this hadith and bring it to us. And their eldest, who taught them sorcery, said to them, my brother, why the trouble? Just write "Narrated by Ibn Majah," write "Narrated by Ibn Majah."

The Shaykh : Narrated by Muslim.
Abu Malik: Yes, narrated by Ibn Majah.

Another questioner : One went to look.
Abu Malik: Yes, so this reminds me, and Allah knows best. Now, our Shaykh, here there is also a comment on this issue, and that is, do you think this seller, and I think if you are a merchant, my brother? Do you work in trade?

Another questioner : ... .
Abu Malik: I think that there are some goods where the profit might be high.

Another questioner : Yes.
Abu Malik: Is that not so? Now, did this merchant or merchants think about lowering the price from what it is?

Another questioner : Yes.
Abu Malik: Ah?

Another questioner : Yes.
Abu Malik: Did they think? Now, if, I am asking you now, if the state came, for example, at what price do you sell this commodity? It is priced at one dinar. You tell them, I sell it for ninety only. Would the state accept this from you?

Another questioner : ... Accept?
Abu Malik: Ah, why would the state accept?

Another questioner : ... .
Abu Malik: Ah? Because it is in the interest of the nation, it became the interest of the people, ah? And therefore it did not punish you, perhaps it thanked you for this deed. Therefore, I say that high profit covers low profit, indeed high profit covers loss in some sold materials.

The Shaykh: Yes.