The ruling on exchanging a sum of paper currency for a lesser amount

The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. A listener from Wadi al-Dawasir, who referred to his name by the letters Ayn Ayn, asks and says: Does exchanging or buying ten paper riyals for nine metal riyals fall under riba (usury or interest) or not? And is the sin upon the buyer or the seller?

The Shaykh:
This is from Allah, because it falls under riba; because the type has become unified, and it is all called the Saudi riyal. The difference in material from paper to metal does not matter. The consideration is the legal status, the consideration

The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh:
is the legal status, and it has been considered a Saudi riyal issued by one state, and it is unified in type. When the type is unified between two currencies, equality is obligatory, so any difference in amount is considered riba, and it affects both the giver and the taker.

The presenter:
There is no power or strength except by Allah.