Fake Reductions on Special Occasions

Praise be to Allah.

Deceiving the customer and telling him that the price of the item is fifty, and that the price has been reduced to thirty for a special occasion, such as `Eid for example, even though there has been no reduction at all, is clearly lying .

Lying is prohibited , and is even worse in the case of selling. There is nothing good in any profit that the seller makes by lying, and it will bring a great deal of harm to the one who does that, whether he is aware of it or not.

If the warning against lying when selling stated only that it erases the blessing from it [the transaction], that would be sufficient.

Hakim ibn Hizam (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The two parties to a transaction have the option (of cancelling it) until they part. If they are honest and disclose any defects, their transaction will be blessed for them, but if they conceal defects and lie, the blessing will be erased .” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 1973 and Muslim, 1532)

Honesty and transparency are among the most important means of bringing about blessing in provision and wealth, and lying and concealing defects are among the greatest causes of the blessing being removed and of loss.

If the seller dislikes that for himself, then how can he like it for his Muslim brothers? This indicates that he is lacking in faith. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “No one of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 13 and Muslim, 45)

And he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever would like to be delivered from Hell and enter Paradise, let him die believing in Allah and the Last Day, and let him treat people as he would like to be treated.” (Narrated by Muslim, 1844)

So let the one who does that (lying) beware, for the punishment of Allah, may He be Exalted, awaits him.

And Allah knows best.