What is the legal status regarding intent when buying fruit before soundness appears?

Chapter on Selling Assets and Fruits

Al-Mughni

Book of Sales

Book 12 · Issue 7 · Bab 4

Open in Qurani

Primary text

If the intent at the time of purchase was to delay the harvest until soundness appeared, and the purchase was not conditioned on cutting as a trick against the prohibition of buying fruit before soundness, the sale is void from its origin because it is a forbidden stratagem.

Supporting text

According to Abu Hanifa and Al-Shafi'i, the intent has no legal consequence, and the sale is valid whether the intent was present or not, depending on their differing views on the prohibition of stratagems.