BARTER DISAPPROVED

In some matters, the Prophet was modern.  He disapproved of the barter system and in its place stood for money-exchange.  The collector of the revenues from Khaibar once brought Muhammad some fine dates.  Muhammad asked whether all the dates of Khaibar were of such fine quality.  The collector said: �No.  We got one sA [of fine dates] for two sAs [of inferior dates].� Muhammad disapprovingly replied: �Don�t do that; rather sell the inferior quality of dates for dirhams[money], and then buy the superior quality with the help of dirhams� (3870).

author : ram swarup