I have an old car that I exchanged for a new one with the difference paid. What is the ruling?
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The questioner : May the Shaykh be respected, I have an old car that I exchanged for a new car and paid the difference. What is the ruling on this sale?
The Shaykh : There is nothing wrong with this; that is, it is permissible for a person to exchange an old car for a new one and add money to the old car.
The questioner : Does the ruling on the sale of dates not apply to it?
The Shaykh : No, because there is no riba (usury or interest) in cars. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to take a camel as a debt and pay it off with two camels to the camels of charity, and he would take two camels and give three to the camels of charity. Dates are not exchanged for dates because it is riba (usury or interest); riba (usury or interest) does not occur except in foodstuffs that are consumed, such as dates, barley, wheat, rice, corn, and the like, or in gold and silver.
As for cars, vessels, houses, camels, cows, and sheep, there is nothing [forbidden] in them.
The Shaykh : There is nothing wrong with this; that is, it is permissible for a person to exchange an old car for a new one and add money to the old car.
The questioner : Does the ruling on the sale of dates not apply to it?
The Shaykh : No, because there is no riba (usury or interest) in cars. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to take a camel as a debt and pay it off with two camels to the camels of charity, and he would take two camels and give three to the camels of charity. Dates are not exchanged for dates because it is riba (usury or interest); riba (usury or interest) does not occur except in foodstuffs that are consumed, such as dates, barley, wheat, rice, corn, and the like, or in gold and silver.
As for cars, vessels, houses, camels, cows, and sheep, there is nothing [forbidden] in them.