Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ appointed a man over Khaybar, and he brought him dates of the janib variety.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him, "Are all the dates of Khaybar like this?"He replied, "No, by Allah, Messenger of Allah. We take one measure of these in exchange for two measures, and two measures for three."The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Do not do that. Sell the mixed dates for dirhams, then use the dirhams to buy janib dates."
وعن أبي هريرة أن رسول الله ﷺ استعمل رجلا علي خيبر، فجاءه بتمر جنيب، فقال له رسول الله ﷺ: أكل تمر خيبر هكذا؟ فقال: لا، والله يا رسول الله، إنا لنأخذ الصاع من هذا بالصاعين، والصاعين بالثلاثة. فقال رسول الله ﷺ: لا تفعل، بع الجمع بالدراهم، ثم ابتع بالدراهم جنيبا.
Malik narrated it in the Book of Sales (21), from Abdul-Hameed bin Suhayl bin Abdul-Rahman bin Awf, from Saeed bin Musayab, from Abu Saeed Khudri and from Abu Hurairah. Bukhari narrated it in the Book of Sales (2201), and Muslim in the Book of Sharecropping (1593:95), both from Malik with the same chain.In one narration from both of them, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent the brother of Banu Adi al-Ansari and appointed him over Khaybar. He came back with fine dates, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him, "Are all the dates of Khaybar like this?"He said, "No, by Allah, O Messenger of Allah, we buy a saa of these for two saa of jam."The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Do not do that. Rather, exchange like for like, or sell this and buy that with its price. The same applies to weight."Bukhari narrated it in the Book of Holding Fast (7351, 7350), and Muslim in the Book of Sharecropping (1593:94), both through another chain from Abu Saeed and Abu Hurairah with the same wording.His saying, "jam," refers to inferior dates, and it has been explained as mixed dates, as in the hadith that follows.