Hazrat Al-Najraani narrates that I asked Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them): Can a forward sale (Bai' Salam) be made in date palm trees before the emergence of buds? Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) replied: It cannot be done. I asked: Why can it not be done? Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) said: In the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), a man made a forward sale in date palm trees before the emergence of buds, but that year no buds appeared. The buyer said: These will remain in my ownership until the buds appear, and the seller said: I sold the trees only for this year. So both men brought their dispute to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked the seller: Has the buyer cut anything from your tree? The seller replied: Nothing at all. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Then how can his wealth be lawful for you? Return to him whatever you have taken from him. And henceforth, no one should make a forward sale in date palm trees until the fruit's suitability becomes apparent.