Seadet-i Ebediyye - Endless Bliss Fifth Fascicle

1– Qadr, i.e. their being measured by weight or by capacity;
2– Their being of the same genus.
A sale containing fâiz cannot be made on credit. It always has
to be made by ready payment. The sale’s being made on the basis
of ready payment requires the mebî’ and the themen’s having (the
attribute of) ta’ayyun.
It is a commandment of Islam that wheat, barley, dates, and salt
should always and everywhere be measured by capacity, and gold
and silver should always and everywhere be measured by weight.
How things other than these six items should be measured is to be
determined in accordance with common practices. Please see the
twenty-ninth chapter!
If both the (aforesaid) causes of fâiz are nonexistent in a sale,
that sale is not tainted with fâiz. Hence, when one of the items
measures more and the sale is made on the basis of ready payment
or on credit, fâiz will not be the case. For instance, it is permissible
to sell ten metres of flannelette for fifteen metres of printed cloth
on the basis of ready payment or on credit.
If both the causes coexist, the sale will be permissible only
when both items are equal in measure and the bargain is made on
ready payment, and it will be tainted with fâiz when the items
differ in amount although the basis of ready payment is effected,
or when one of the parties is allowed credit although the items are
equal in amount. As a matter fact, sales that are harâm when the
item that measures more is to be paid on the spot, are always
harâm, regardless of whether it is allowed credit and both items
are equal in amount. A sale on credit is one thing; and a sale
wherein the bargain is made that the payment (of the themen) will
be made on the spot and thereafter the payment is adjourned, is
another. When a tin of wheat is sold for another tin of wheat on
the basis of ready payment, the items (to be exchanged) have to be
measured as the bargain is being made. The sale will not be
permissible if they are measured afterwards, even if they turn out
to be equal. There will be fâiz in a sale whereby a bushel of wheat
is sold for another bushel of wheat on credit, or for a less or more
amount of wheat on the basis of ready delivery. In other words, it
is not permissible; it is harâm. Licitness of selling a commodity for
another commodity of the same genus and with the same weight or
capacity on the basis of ready payment requires the two
commodities’ having different characteristics. For that matter is it
permissible to have money changed. If their characteristics also are
– 454 –