The Sale of Hidden Things

Question

Can one buy a thing when it is not present before one, by estimating it without weighing, or not? For example, when the thing is not before one’s eyes but hidden — as when something in a field has ripened but is hidden by the soil, like onions, potatoes and so on. In these cases, which forms are correct?

Answer

A thing that is before one’s eyes may also correctly be bought in this way: “this thing is for such-and-such a price,” even if its weight is not known. For example, potatoes are lying in a basket; one bought them for eight annas (a coin worth 1/16 of a rupee) without knowing what the weight is — this form is correct.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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