The ruling on exchanging paper currency for metal currency with a decrease in value

Question:
What is the ruling on exchanging paper currency for metal currency with a decrease in value?

Answer:
This issue, yes, this is a real case, and what appears is that it is forbidden. Equality is required between the two currencies because they are of the same type, as they are all Saudi currency, in Saudi riyals, in Saudi riyals. Only the material differs; this is paper and that is metal. A difference in material does not matter. The consideration is the currency itself, which is that they are all Saudi riyals. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded equality when the type is the same. He commanded equality and immediate exchange when the type is the same, and he commanded immediate exchange and permitted difference in amount when the type differs. So this issue is of the first type: the type is the same, so equality and immediate exchange in the meeting place are required. This is what appears from the rules of the Shari'ah and the texts. Even though some of our scholars issued a fatwa permitting it, there is a problem with this fatwa. If we examine it against the rules of the Shari'ah and the evidence, the soul is reassured to prohibit this thing. The one who wants to exchange currency should go to the institutions. That is, there are institutions ready to exchange currency, and he takes what he wants with the application of the conditions mentioned.