Is dropshipping halal?

The short answer

Dropshipping in its common form, where you sell an item you neither own nor possess and only buy it after the customer pays, runs into the Prophet's instruction: "Do not sell what you do not possess." Many scholars say it can be made halal by changing the structure: act as a paid agent, buy the stock before selling it, or use a properly specified advance-payment sale (salam).

Evidence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Explanation

Hakim ibn Hizam (RA) asked the Prophet ﷺ about exactly this: a customer asks him for something he does not have, so should he sell it and then buy it from the market? The answer was: "Do not sell what you do not possess" 1, or in another wording, "what is not with you" 2. The Prophet ﷺ also forbade reselling food before receiving it 3. Ibn Abbas (RA) explained that such a deal is really "selling money for money", since no goods have changed hands 4, and another hadith forbids profit on something that is not yet in your charge (your risk) 5.

The typical dropshipping model does this: you list a product, the customer pays you, and only then do you order it from a supplier who ships it directly. You profit from goods you never owned and never carried the risk for.

Contemporary scholars point to three ways the same business can be done lawfully:

  • Agency (wakalah). You work as the supplier's or the customer's agent for a stated fee or commission. The Prophet ﷺ himself sent Urwa (RA) to buy on his behalf 6. Affiliate marketing for halal products usually fits here.
  • Own it first. Buy the stock (or have the supplier transfer ownership and risk to you) before you sell it.
  • Salam (advance-payment sale). The Prophet ﷺ allowed payment in advance for goods delivered later if the quantity, specification and delivery time are clearly fixed 7. Many scholars say a store can sell on this basis when the description and delivery date are precise.

Whichever you choose, avoid vague or misleading listings: the Prophet ﷺ forbade sales involving uncertainty (gharar) 8. Be honest about delivery times, product quality and who you really are.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Hadith Sunan Abi Dawud 3503
    Sahih graded by Al-Albani

    Asked about selling an item he did not have and then buying it, the Prophet ﷺ said, "Do not sell what you do not possess."

    Narrated Hakim ibn Hizam: Hakim asked (the Prophet): Messenger of Allah, a man comes to me and wants me to sell him something which is not in my possession. Should I buy it for him from the market? He replied: Do not sell what you do not possess

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، عَنْ يُوسُفَ بْنِ مَاهَكَ، عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ، قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ يَأْتِينِي الرَّجُلُ فَيُرِيدُ مِنِّي الْبَيْعَ لَيْسَ عِنْدِي أَفَأَبْتَاعُهُ لَهُ مِنَ السُّوقِ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ لاَ تَبِعْ مَا لَيْسَ عِنْدَكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  2. 2
    Hadith Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1232
    Sahih graded by Al-Albani

    The same question, answered with "Do not sell what is not with you."

    Narrated Hakim b. Hizam:"I asked Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), I said: 'A man came to me asking to buy something that I did not have. Can I buy it from the market for him and then give it to him?' He said: 'Do not sell what is not with you.'" He said: There are narrations on this topic from 'Abdullah bin 'Umar

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، عَنْ يُوسُفَ بْنِ مَاهَكَ، عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ، قَالَ أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ يَأْتِينِي الرَّجُلُ يَسْأَلُنِي مِنَ الْبَيْعِ مَا لَيْسَ عِنْدِي أَبْتَاعُ لَهُ مِنَ السُّوقِ ثُمَّ أَبِيعُهُ قَالَ ‏ "‏ لاَ تَبِعْ مَا لَيْسَ عِنْدَكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ‏.‏

  3. 3
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2133
    Sahih Bukhari

    Whoever buys foodstuff should not resell it until he has received it.

    Narrated Ibn `Umar:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who buys foodstuff should not sell it till he has received it

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ دِينَارٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ يَقُولُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنِ ابْتَاعَ طَعَامًا فَلاَ يَبِعْهُ حَتَّى يَقْبِضَهُ ‏"‏‏.‏

  4. 4
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2132
    Sahih Bukhari

    Ibn Abbas explained that selling before taking possession is like selling money for money.

    Narrated Tawus:Ibn `Abbas said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade the selling of foodstuff before its measuring and transferring into one's possession." I asked Ibn `Abbas, "How is that?" Ibn `Abbas replied, "It will be just like selling money for money, as the foodstuff has not been handed over to the first purchaser who is the present seller

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ طَاوُسٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَهَى أَنْ يَبِيعَ الرَّجُلُ طَعَامًا حَتَّى يَسْتَوْفِيَهُ‏.‏ قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ كَيْفَ ذَاكَ قَالَ ذَاكَ دَرَاهِمُ بِدَرَاهِمَ وَالطَّعَامُ مُرْجَأٌ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْد اللَّهِ مُرْجَئُونَ مُؤَخَّرُونَ

  5. 5
    Hadith Sunan Abi Dawud 3504
    Hasan Sahih graded by Al-Albani

    No profit on what is not in one's charge, and no selling what is not in one's possession.

    Narrated 'Amr b. Suh'aib: On his father's authority, said that his grandfather 'Abd Allah b. 'Amr reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: The proviso of a loan combined with a sale is not allowable, nor two conditions relating to one transaction, nor profit arising from something which is not in one's charge, nor selling what is not in your possession

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، حَدَّثَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ شُعَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، حَتَّى ذَكَرَ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لاَ يَحِلُّ سَلَفٌ وَبَيْعٌ وَلاَ شَرْطَانِ فِي بَيْعٍ وَلاَ رِبْحُ مَا لَمْ تَضْمَنْ وَلاَ بَيْعُ مَا لَيْسَ عِنْدَكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  6. 6
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 3642
    Sahih Bukhari

    The Prophet ﷺ sent Urwa to buy a sheep on his behalf, an example of agency.

    Narrated `Urwa:That the Prophet (ﷺ) gave him one Dinar so as to buy a sheep for him. `Urwa bought two sheep for him with the money. Then he sold one of the sheep for one Dinar, and brought one Dinar and a sheep to the Prophet. On that, the Prophet (ﷺ) invoked Allah to bless him in his deals. So `Urwa used to gain (from any deal) even if he bought dust. (In another narration) `Urwa said, "I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "There is always goodness in horses till the Day of Resurrection." (The subnarrator added, "I saw 70 horses in `Urwa's house.') (Sufyan said, "The Prophet (ﷺ) asked `Urwa to buy a sheep for him as a sacrifice

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا شَبِيبُ بْنُ غَرْقَدَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْحَىَّ، يُحَدِّثُونَ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَعْطَاهُ دِينَارًا يَشْتَرِي بِهِ شَاةً، فَاشْتَرَى لَهُ بِهِ شَاتَيْنِ، فَبَاعَ إِحْدَاهُمَا بِدِينَارٍ وَجَاءَهُ بِدِينَارٍ وَشَاةٍ، فَدَعَا لَهُ بِالْبَرَكَةِ فِي بَيْعِهِ، وَكَانَ لَوِ اشْتَرَى التُّرَابَ لَرَبِحَ فِيهِ‏.‏ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ كَانَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عُمَارَةَ جَاءَنَا بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ عَنْهُ، قَالَ سَمِعَهُ شَبِيبٌ مِنْ عُرْوَةَ، فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَقَالَ شَبِيبٌ إِنِّي لَمْ أَسْمَعْهُ مِنْ عُرْوَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْحَىَّ يُخْبِرُونَهُ عَنْهُ‏.‏ وَلَكِنْ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ الْخَيْرُ مَعْقُودٌ بِنَوَاصِي الْخَيْلِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ فِي دَارِهِ سَبْعِينَ فَرَسًا‏.‏ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ يَشْتَرِي لَهُ شَاةً كَأَنَّهَا أُضْحِيَّةٌ‏.‏

  7. 7
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2240
    Sahih Bukhari

    Advance payment (salam) is allowed for a specified measure, weight and period.

    Narrated Ibn `Abbas:The Prophet (ﷺ) came to Medina and the people used to pay in advance the price of dates to be delivered within two or three years. He said (to them), "Whoever pays in advance the price of a thing to be delivered later should pay it for a specified measure at specified weight for a specified period

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا صَدَقَةُ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي نَجِيحٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الْمِنْهَالِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ قَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمَدِينَةَ، وَهُمْ يُسْلِفُونَ بِالتَّمْرِ السَّنَتَيْنِ وَالثَّلاَثَ، فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنْ أَسْلَفَ فِي شَىْءٍ فَفِي كَيْلٍ مَعْلُومٍ وَوَزْنٍ مَعْلُومٍ، إِلَى أَجَلٍ مَعْلُومٍ ‏"‏‏.‏

  8. 8
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 1513
    Sahih Muslim

    The Prophet ﷺ forbade transactions involving uncertainty (gharar).

    Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade a transaction determined by throwing stones, and the type which involves some uncertainty

    العربية

    وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ، وَيَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَأَبُو أُسَامَةَ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ بَيْعِ الْحَصَاةِ وَعَنْ بَيْعِ الْغَرَرِ ‏.‏

This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24

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