Types of Riba Transactions
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Question:
The questioner says, "May the Shaykh be respected: We hope you will speak to us about riba and what it is, as it has become obscure to some people in their dealings in the present age. Also, what is the way out for buying and selling gold, where there is no one who weighs gold with gold, because the old gold might break or be unfit for use? May you be rewarded."
Answer:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified riba and explained it. If gold is sold for gold, or silver for silver, or a measured food item for a measured food item, such as rice, wheat, dates, salt, and the like, then two conditions are necessary:
Equality and immediate exchange, weight for weight, like for like, hand to hand, in the case of gold and silver, and in the case of dates and barley, corn and wheat, salt, and the like. It is necessary that it be measure for measure, equal, hand to hand, in the assembly before separating. If one does the opposite of that, it is riba. If he sells gold for gold that is heavier, it is riba; or silver for silver that is heavier, it is riba; or if he sells a sa' of dates for a sa' and a mudd, or two sa' of dates, it is riba; or a sa' of wheat for two sa' of wheat, it is riba; or a sa' of barley for two sa' of barley, it is riba; or a sa' of salt for two sa' of salt, it is riba.
Equality is necessary if it is the same type: a sa' for a sa', two sa' for two sa', if it is one type; dates for dates, wheat for wheat, barley for barley, salt for salt, corn for corn, rice. Equality and immediate exchange are necessary: a sa' of rice of any type for a sa' of the same, whether measure for measure, hand to hand; there is no harm. A sa' of dates for a sa' of dates, even if the type differs, a sa' of dates for a sa' of dates hand to hand, meaning they exchange in the assembly, there is no harm.
Similarly, a gold pound for a gold pound, even if the mint and currency differ, if their weight is the same; there is no harm. If their weight is the same, hand to hand, exchanged in the assembly; there is no harm.
Or a gold item for a gold item, their weight is the same, and there is no mixing of pure gold with pure gold, their weight is the same, and they exchange in the assembly; there is no harm, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained.
As for when the type differs; there is no harm in inequality, but hand to hand. For example: a pound for twenty, a dirham for four hundred dirhams, a hundred dirhams, hand to hand; there is no harm, in the assembly, immediate exchange. For example: a sa' of dates for two sa' of barley, or two sa' of wheat, or two sa' of salt, or two sa' of corn, hand to hand, there is no harm, even if this is more than that, because the type is different. But it is necessary that he takes a sa' of dates for two sa' of rice hand to hand, a sa' of dates for two sa' of corn hand to hand; there is no harm, a sa' of dates for two sa' of salt hand to hand; there is no harm.
Similarly, the current currency, when people left gold and silver and used the current currency, the paper money, like gold and silver. If he sells Saudi dirhams for Saudi dirhams, for example, like for like, hand to hand, like: five hundred one-riyal coins for five hundred ten-riyal coins, or hundred-riyal coins, hand to hand; there is no harm, hand to hand. One hundred-riyal Saudi coin for a hundred one-riyal coins, or five-riyal coins, or ten-riyal coins, hand to hand; there is no harm; because they are equal, and hand to hand. Or a hundred dollars for a hundred dollars, even if the sizes differ, a hundred dollars for a hundred dollars hand to hand; there is no harm.
Similarly, a hundred Jordanian dinars for a hundred Jordanian dinars, or a hundred Egyptian pounds for a hundred Egyptian pounds, hand to hand, there is no harm.
So if they differ; there is no harm in inequality, like: a hundred Saudi riyals for fifty US dollars, hand to hand; because it is a different currency. Or a hundred US dollars for two hundred Egyptian pounds hand to hand, there is no harm.
The point is: if the currency differs; inequality is permissible, but hand to hand. As for if the currency is the same, Saudi riyal for Saudi riyal, then two things are necessary: equality and immediate exchange in the assembly. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, Your Eminence the Shaykh.
The questioner says, "May the Shaykh be respected: We hope you will speak to us about riba and what it is, as it has become obscure to some people in their dealings in the present age. Also, what is the way out for buying and selling gold, where there is no one who weighs gold with gold, because the old gold might break or be unfit for use? May you be rewarded."
Answer:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified riba and explained it. If gold is sold for gold, or silver for silver, or a measured food item for a measured food item, such as rice, wheat, dates, salt, and the like, then two conditions are necessary:
Equality and immediate exchange, weight for weight, like for like, hand to hand, in the case of gold and silver, and in the case of dates and barley, corn and wheat, salt, and the like. It is necessary that it be measure for measure, equal, hand to hand, in the assembly before separating. If one does the opposite of that, it is riba. If he sells gold for gold that is heavier, it is riba; or silver for silver that is heavier, it is riba; or if he sells a sa' of dates for a sa' and a mudd, or two sa' of dates, it is riba; or a sa' of wheat for two sa' of wheat, it is riba; or a sa' of barley for two sa' of barley, it is riba; or a sa' of salt for two sa' of salt, it is riba.
Equality is necessary if it is the same type: a sa' for a sa', two sa' for two sa', if it is one type; dates for dates, wheat for wheat, barley for barley, salt for salt, corn for corn, rice. Equality and immediate exchange are necessary: a sa' of rice of any type for a sa' of the same, whether measure for measure, hand to hand; there is no harm. A sa' of dates for a sa' of dates, even if the type differs, a sa' of dates for a sa' of dates hand to hand, meaning they exchange in the assembly, there is no harm.
Similarly, a gold pound for a gold pound, even if the mint and currency differ, if their weight is the same; there is no harm. If their weight is the same, hand to hand, exchanged in the assembly; there is no harm.
Or a gold item for a gold item, their weight is the same, and there is no mixing of pure gold with pure gold, their weight is the same, and they exchange in the assembly; there is no harm, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained.
As for when the type differs; there is no harm in inequality, but hand to hand. For example: a pound for twenty, a dirham for four hundred dirhams, a hundred dirhams, hand to hand; there is no harm, in the assembly, immediate exchange. For example: a sa' of dates for two sa' of barley, or two sa' of wheat, or two sa' of salt, or two sa' of corn, hand to hand, there is no harm, even if this is more than that, because the type is different. But it is necessary that he takes a sa' of dates for two sa' of rice hand to hand, a sa' of dates for two sa' of corn hand to hand; there is no harm, a sa' of dates for two sa' of salt hand to hand; there is no harm.
Similarly, the current currency, when people left gold and silver and used the current currency, the paper money, like gold and silver. If he sells Saudi dirhams for Saudi dirhams, for example, like for like, hand to hand, like: five hundred one-riyal coins for five hundred ten-riyal coins, or hundred-riyal coins, hand to hand; there is no harm, hand to hand. One hundred-riyal Saudi coin for a hundred one-riyal coins, or five-riyal coins, or ten-riyal coins, hand to hand; there is no harm; because they are equal, and hand to hand. Or a hundred dollars for a hundred dollars, even if the sizes differ, a hundred dollars for a hundred dollars hand to hand; there is no harm.
Similarly, a hundred Jordanian dinars for a hundred Jordanian dinars, or a hundred Egyptian pounds for a hundred Egyptian pounds, hand to hand, there is no harm.
So if they differ; there is no harm in inequality, like: a hundred Saudi riyals for fifty US dollars, hand to hand; because it is a different currency. Or a hundred US dollars for two hundred Egyptian pounds hand to hand, there is no harm.
The point is: if the currency differs; inequality is permissible, but hand to hand. As for if the currency is the same, Saudi riyal for Saudi riyal, then two things are necessary: equality and immediate exchange in the assembly. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, Your Eminence the Shaykh.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.