“Ash-Shaykh Abdul-Muhsin al-Abbaad hafidaho-Allah was asked the following question,

السؤال: هل يمكنني أن أبيع السلع التي أشتريها بأن أزيد على ثمنها أكثر من نصف الثمن -بضعفي الثمن مثلاً- أم أن ذلك يعتبر ربا؟

Question:

Is it allowed for me to sell products that I bought by adding more than half of the [original] amount to the price such as by adding for example double the amount to the price or is that considered Riba?

Answer:

لا يقال له ربا، لكن كون الإنسان يزيد في الأسعار زيادة فاحشة، فذلك به غبن للناس وأما إذا باعها في بلد آخر، وكانت الأسعار في ذلك البلد مرتفعة، فلا بأس ولو كانت بأضعاف مضاعفة وأما في نفس البلد الذي فيه السعر فإنه يمكن أن يكون ذلك من باب الغبن.

It is not to be regarded as Riba. However, the fact the person outrageously adds to the prices, then that is a form of deception to the people. As for if he sells them in another land where the prices are higher, then there is no harm [in it] even if it may be with more than double the amount. As for doing this in the same place where the price is found, then that may be a form of deception” End quote. [Listen / Download]

A Side Note: I believe Ash-Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-Uthaymeen rahimahullah has two different verdicts concerning this topic. One in relation to if it is a open market wherein the sellers have the flexibility to make their own prices for their products, so in this case the Shaykh rahimahullah sees that it is permissible for the seller to sell the product at a higher price than the usual amount. And the second case is concerning if the market has been given a specific ratio or a fixed number on how the prices should be, in this case it is not allowed for the seller to take advantage of the buyer’s ignorance concerning the prices in the market by selling it to him at a higher price or by misleading him to think that this is the price of the market. And Allaah knows best.

Translated by

AbdulFattaah Bin Uthman
Abu Fajr