Selling of items which is not in one's possession.

Question.

can a person sell an item which is not in his possession at the time of sale?

Answer.

It is not permissible to sell goods that haven’t come into one’s physical possession. However those things which are immovable i.e. land, house, garden, farm, well etc there is no need for a physical possession to take place due to the fact that it is very rare for immovable assets to be destroyed in a short term, therefore they will enter into the constructive possession and the liability of the buyer by merely purchasing them.

As for movable items i.e. goods, cars, furniture etc they will not enter into the liability of a person by merely purchasing them, therefore it necessitates physical possession since there is a possibility of them being destroyed before delivery takes place.

Thus if anyone sells a movable item which is not in his possession as yet then this transaction is cancelled due to the fact that if that item happens to get destroyed then the first transaction is void. Once the first transaction is void (because of the destruction that occurred in the item of the first transaction) then the second transaction will automatically be cancelled since it is based on the first transaction.

ومن إشترى شيئا مما ينقل و يحول لم يجز بيعه حتى يقبضه)لأنه نهى عن بيع ما لم يقبض و لأن فيه غرر إنفساخ العقد على إعتبار الهلاك و يجوز بيع العقار قبل القبض عند أبي حنيفة و أبي يوسف وقال محمد لا يجوز……………

( الهداية ص 73 ج3)

ومنها القبض في بيع المشترى المنقول فلا يصح بيعه قبل القبض لما روى أن النبي عليه الصلاة و السلام نهى عن بيع ما لم يقبض و النهى يوجب فساد المنهى ولأنه بيع فيه غرر الإنفساخ بهلاك المعقود عليه لأنه إذا هلك المعقود عليه قبل القبض يبطل البيع الأول فينفسخ الثاني لأنه بناه على الأول ……… وأما بيع المشترى العقار قبل القبض فجائز عند أبي حنيفة و أبي يوسف إستحسانا

( بدائع الصنائع ص 180 ج 5)
 
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