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The public crier was a well-known institution among the Arabs. Among the tribes and in the towns, criers made important proclamations, invitations or announcements to general assemblies. "This crier" according to Sirat al-Halabia (2:170), "was called munadi or mu'adhdhin." Thus, official proclamations were regularly made mu'adhdhin in the time of the Prophet (Tabari, 3:2131).

According to Al-Kanz (3:126), Abdul Rahman bin Ka'b narrates that Ma'adh bin Jabal was a young and bounteous person. He would borrow money to help others. Eventually his loans exceeded the value of his properties. Hence he went to the Prophet and requested to get some concessions from his creditors for him. But the creditors refused any reduction in the amount of loan. Thus, the Prophet auctiond his properties in the mosque to settle his accounts. Once Abdur Rahman bin Awf gave away his garden in donation for the wives of the Prophet, which was auctioned for four thousand dinars.

Shibli Nomans writes in Sirat-i Nabi (2:273) that once an Ansar came asking for some relief. The Prophet asked him if he had nothing with him. The man replied that he owned nothing except a bowl for drinking water and one bed-sheet. He was told to fetch both the things, and then the Prophet auctioned them, asking the people to bid for them. One offered one dhiram. "Is there any other bid?" repeated the Prophet thrice. The next man bid two dhirams. "Go," said the Prophet to the Ansari, handing over the money to him, "Buy some food for one dhiram and leave it at your house, then get a rope with the second dhiram, gather wood in the jungle, and sell it in the city."

Zarkani writes that a wooden cot was presented y As’ad bin Zarah, which the Prophet used to sleep on it. After Prophet’s death, his body was placed on that cot, and then the people in Medina used it as a bier at funerals. In Umayyad period, the four legs – the only remains of the cot were auctioned and Abdullah bin Ishaq bought it in four thousand dinars. William Muir summed up the tradition in The Life of Mohammad (London, 1923, p. 201) in these words: “The cot is said to have been a gift from As’ad. After the Prophet’s death it was used as a bier at funerals, and was eventually sold (auctioned) for a great price.”

Waqidi writes in Kitab al-Maghazi (Berlin, 1882, p. 275), “When the booty was more varied at Khaibar, as after Hunain, it was divided into lots regarded as equal in value. Each man received a particular object or objects, but there were usually dealers about, and the Prophet had no difficulty in exchanging the goods for cash, at Khaibar the booty was auctioned to the compaigners and dealers.”

Thabit reports that Anas bin Malik had a wooden bowl, on which was an iron band. He served honey, milk or water in this bowl to the Prophet. Later, Nazr bin Anas sold the bowl in an auction for eight thousand dhirams. Imam Bukhari is said to have drunk water from this bowl in Basra.

The Ismaili housewife sets apart a portion of cooking and sends it for nandi. Cooked food, raw food, vegetables, fruits, beverages, cloth, furniture, etc. are thus auctioned and turned into cash, which is ultimately spent for charitable purpose according to the instructions of the Imam. Nandi is not meant for the poor, it is a nazrana for the Imam as a token of love.