Selling Dates for Another Type and How to Avoid Riba

Question:
Is it permissible to exchange one type of dates for another type, or to exchange them for a price of sugar dates, if the two types are the same?

Answer:
There must be equality; dates must be equal in quantity, even if the type differs, such as sugar dates being purer or better than some others. But if one wants to sell the good ones, or if one wants to sell the bad ones and obtain the good ones, it is as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) guided: sell the bad ones for currency, then buy from the good ones with the currency. This is the method to which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) guided, because good dates were brought to him (peace and blessings be upon him), and he said: Oh, this is the very essence of riba, the very essence of riba. Do not do this. Sell the 'ajw for dirhams; the 'ajw is the bad kind. Sell it , which is the good kind. So, if you have bad dates and you want to sell good dates, it is not permissible for you to take five kilos of the good ones for ten kilos of the bad ones. This is not permissible. That is, it is all dates, but you sell the bad ones for dirhams and buy from the good ones with the dirhams. This is the method to which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) guided, and in it is the way out of riba. Likewise, if you have gold of a bad purity and you want to sell gold of a good purity, it is not permissible for you to take the bad purity for the good purity with a difference in amount. Rather, sell the bad purity for dirhams, then buy from the good gold, from the good purity, with the dirhams. Yes. Ah. Huh? Dates are measured by weight; the default is that they are measured by volume, a sa' of dates.