Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
Is selling 3 sofas in return of 4 sofas muʾajjalan (deferred) permissible?
Answer:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for contacting Mathabah Institute.
It is only islamicaly permissible to trade 3 sofas for 4 sofas if the transaction takes place on the spot with nothing owing. In the described scenario, deferring is not permitted as it will constitute ribā (usury). The principle is that if the commodity is the same on both sides of the transaction, then deferring is not permitted. The disparity is allowed since the commodity is not weighed or measured. – (See: Rad Al-Muḥtār, Vol 5, Page 175, Dār Al-Fikr)[1]
“Allāh has permitted trade and has forbidden interest.” – (Qur’ān 2:275)[2]
“Dates can be exchanged for dates, wheat for wheat, barley for barley, salt for salt, like for like. Payment [must] be made on the spot. He who made an addition or demanded an additional amount [on one side of the transaction], in fact, has dealt in usury except in the case where the commodities differ [on either side of the transaction].” – (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1588)[3]
Only Allāh knows best.
[1] أَنَّ هَذَا مِمَّا لَمْ يَدْخُلْهُ الْقَدْرُ الشَّرْعِيُّ كَالسَّيْفِ وَالسَّيْفَيْنِ وَالْإِبْرَةِ وَالْإِبْرَتَيْنِ فَجَوَازُ التَّفَاضُلِ لِعَدَمِ دُخُولِ الْقَدْرِ الشَّرْعِيِّ فِيهِمَا وَيَحْرُمُ النَّسَاءُ لِوُجُودِ الْجِنْسِ – كتاب الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ج٥ / ص ١٧٥ دار الفكر
[2] وَأَحَلَّ اللَّهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا – البقرة ٢٧٥
[3] التَّمْرُ بِالتَّمْرِ وَالْحِنْطَةُ بِالْحِنْطَةِ وَالشَّعِيرُ بِالشَّعِيرِ وَالْمِلْحُ بِالْمِلْحِ مِثْلاً بِمِثْلٍ يَدًا بِيَدٍ فَمَنْ زَادَ أَوِ اسْتَزَادَ فَقَدْ أَرْبَى إِلاَّ مَا اخْتَلَفَتْ أَلْوَانُهُ – اخرجه مسلم ١٥٨٨