Selling Juice and Wine

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about selling juice that became wine before receiving the price. He (the Imam) said, ’If he sells fruits to one about whom the seller knows that he turns it into something unlawful, selling is not unlawful. If it is juice then it cannot be sold except for cash.’”

“About the case of a man who has a slave whom he has left at a vineyard to sell grapes or juice, but the slave goes and squeezes wine and sells it, abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ’The price received is not useable.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Once a man from Thaqif presented to the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, two sacks of wine and the Messenger of Allah commanded to throw them away and said, “The One who has prohibited its drinking has prohibited to accept its price also.’” Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said, ‘The best thing to do about what this slave has done is to give it as charity.’”

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the price of juice before it boiled for one who wanted to buy it so he could cook or make wine out of it. He (the Imam) said, ‘If you sell before it is wine and it is lawful, then selling is not unlawful.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), disliked selling juice for deferred payment.”

“I once asked al-Rida’ (a.s.), about the case of a Christian man who had become a Muslim and he, in his possession, had wine and pigs and he owed debts; if he could sell the wine and pigs to pay off his debts. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he cannot do so.’”

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about selling grape juice to one who turned it into something unlawful. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful if you sell when it is lawful then he turns it into unlawful; may Allah keep him away and remotely distanced.’”

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘A man asks his slave to sell his grapes as grape juice but he sells it as wine; then brings the price to him.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The most beloved thing to me in this case is to give it (price) as charity.’”

“I once wrote to ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and asked about the case of a man who had a vineyard; if he could sell grapes and dates to someone who made wine or sugar out of them. He (the Imam) said, ‘He has sold it as lawful when drinking, eating was lawful, thus it is not unlawful.’”

“About the case of a man to whom another man owes a certain amount of dirham who sells wine or pig when he (the creditor) is looking, then pays him from such funds. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful. For the creditor it is lawful and for the seller it is unlawful.’”

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘A non-Muslim taxpayer owes to me a certain amount of dirham. He sells wine and pig when I am present; if it is lawful for me to take it. He (the Imam) said, ‘All he owes you are dirhams, and he has paid you dirhams.’”

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who owed me a certain amount of dirham with which he sold wine and pigs and with such business he paid me back. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful’ or that he (the Imam) said, ‘You can take it.’”

“A man once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about juice saying, ‘I have a vineyard. ‘Every year I squeeze juice and keep it in a large container, then sell it before it boils. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful but if it boils then selling is not lawful.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘We sell our dates knowing that they make wine out of it.’”

“About the case of a of Zoroastrian man who sold wine or pigs for an appointed time, then became a Muslim before due time for payment, he (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘He can have his dirhams.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If one becomes a Muslim and owns wine and pigs, then dies while they are in his possession, and he owes a certain amount of debts, his creditor or guardian can sell his wine and pigs to non-Muslims to pay off his debts; but in his life time he cannot sell or keep them.’”

“I once asked al-Rida’ (a.s.), about the case of a Christian man who became a Muslim and had wine and pigs and owed debts; if he could sell his wine and pigs to pay off his debts. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he cannot do so.’”