Book of Livelihood
Chapter on Usury (Riba)
وَ رُوِيَ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ بَيَّاعِ اَلسَّابِرِيِّ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنَّ اَلنَّاسَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّ اَلرِّبْحَ عَلَى اَلْمُضْطَرِّ حَرَامٌ وَ هُوَ مِنَ اَلرِّبَا فَقَالَ "وَ هَلْ رَأَيْتَ أَحَداً اِشْتَرَى غَنِيّاً أَوْ فَقِيراً إِلاَّ مِنْ ضَرُورَةٍ يَا عُمَرُ قَدْ "أَحَلَّ اَللّٰهُ اَلْبَيْعَ وَ حَرَّمَ اَلرِّبٰا" فَارْبَحْ وَ لاَ تُرْبِهِ " قُلْتُ وَ مَا اَلرِّبَا قَالَ "دَرَاهِمُ بِدَرَاهِمَ مِثْلاَنِ بِمِثْلٍ".
It is narrated from Umar ibn Yazid, the seller of Sabiri, who said: I said to Abu Abdullah (a.s): "May I be your ransom! People claim that making a profit from someone in distress is forbidden and is considered usury." Imam (a.s) said: "Have you ever seen anyone, whether rich or poor, buy something except out of necessity, O Umar? Indeed, 'Allah (swt) has permitted trade and forbidden usury.' So make a profit, but do not commit usury." I said: "What is usury?" Imam (a.s) said: "It is exchanging dirhams for dirhams of equal amount."
وَ رَوَى غِيَاثُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: "أَنَّ عَلِيّاً عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ كَرِهَ بَيْعَ اَللَّحْمِ بِالْحَيَوَانِ".
Ghiyath ibn Ibrahim narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s), that Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s) disliked the sale of meat in exchange for live animals.
وَ سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ اَلصَّادِقَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ قَوْلِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: يَمْحَقُ اَللّٰهُ اَلرِّبٰا وَ يُرْبِي اَلصَّدَقٰاتِ وَ قَدْ أَرَى مَنْ يَأْكُلُ اَلرِّبَا يَرْبُو مَالُهُ فَقَالَ "فَأَيُّ مَحْقٍ أَمْحَقُ مِنْ دِرْهَمٍ رِبًا يَمْحَقُ اَلدِّينَ فَإِنْ تَابَ مِنْهُ ذَهَبَ مَالُهُ وَ اِفْتَقَرَ".
A man asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) about the saying of Allah (swt), the Almighty and Majestic: "Allah (swt) destroys usury and gives increase for charities." (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:276). He asked: "Yet I see those who consume usury, and their wealth increases." Imam (a.s) replied: "Is there any destruction greater than a dirham of usury that destroys one's religion? If he repents from it, his wealth will vanish, and he will become poor."
وَ رَوَى أَبَانٌ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ اَلْحَلَبِيِّ وَ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ اَلْحَلَبِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ: "مَا كَانَ مِنْ طَعَامٍ مُخْتَلِفٍ أَوْ مَتَاعٍ أَوْ شَيْءٍ مِنَ اَلْأَشْيَاءِ يَتَفَاضَلُ فَلاَ بَأْسَ بِبَيْعِهِ مِثْلَيْنِ بِمِثْلٍ يَداً بِيَدٍ فَأَمَّا نَظِرَةً فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَصْلُحُ ".
Aban narrated from Muhammad ibn Ali al-Halabi and Hammad ibn Uthman, from Ubaydullah ibn Ali al-Halabi, who said: I heard Abu Abdullah (a.s) say: "There is no harm in selling different types of food, goods, or items that vary in value, two for one, if it is done hand-to-hand. However, if it is done on credit, then it is not permissible."
وَ رَوَى جَمِيلُ بْنُ دَرَّاجٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: "اَلْبَعِيرُ بِالْبَعِيرَيْنِ وَ اَلدَّابَّةُ بِالدَّابَّتَيْنِ يَداً بِيَدٍ لَيْسَ بِهِ بَأْسٌ" وَ قَالَ "لاَ بَأْسَ بِالثَّوْبِ بِالثَّوْبَيْنِ يَداً بِيَدٍ وَ نَسِيئَةً إِذَا وَصَفْتَهُمَا ".
Jamil ibn Darraj narrated from Zurarah, from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s), who said: "There is no harm in exchanging a camel for two camels or an animal for two animals, as long as it is done hand-to-hand." And Imam (a.s) said: "There is no harm in exchanging one garment for two garments, whether hand-to-hand or on credit, if you describe them."
وَ سَأَلَ سَمَاعَةُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنْ بَيْعِ اَلْحَيَوَانِ اِثْنَيْنِ بِوَاحِدٍ - فَقَالَ "إِذَا سَمَّيْتَ اَلسِّنَّ فَلاَ بَأْسَ".
Sama'ah asked Abu Abdullah (a.s) about selling two animals for one. Imam (a.s) said: "If you specify their age, then there is no harm."
وَ سَأَلَ عَبْدُ اَلرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنِ اَلْعَبْدِ بِالْعَبْدَيْنِ وَ اَلْعَبْدِ بِالْعَبْدِ وَ اَلدَّرَاهِمِ فَقَالَ "لاَ بَأْسَ بِالْحَيَوَانِ كُلِّهَا يَداً بِيَدٍ".
Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Abdullah asked Abu Abdullah (a.s) about exchanging one slave for two slaves, or one slave for another slave along with dirhams. Imam (a.s) said: "There is no harm in exchanging all types of animals hand-to-hand."
وَ سَأَلَهُ سَعِيدُ بْنُ يَسَارٍ: عَنِ اَلْبَعِيرِ بِالْبَعِيرَيْنِ يَداً بِيَدٍ وَ نَسِيئَةً فَقَالَ "نَعَمْ لاَ بَأْسَ إِذَا سُمِّيَتِ اَلْأَسْنَانُ جَذَعَانَ أَوْ ثَنِيَّانَ، ثُمَّ أَمَرَنِي فَخَطَطْتُ عَلَى اَلنَّسِيئَةِ لِأَنَّ اَلنَّاسَ يَقُولُونَ لاَ وَ إِنَّمَا فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ لِلتَّقِيَّةِ".
Sa'id ibn Yasar asked him about exchanging one camel for two camels, whether hand-to-hand or on credit. Imam (a.s) said: "Yes, there is no harm if their ages are specified, whether they are young or mature." Then Imam (a.s) instructed me to strike out the mention of credit because people say it is not allowed, and Imam (a.s) only did that as a precaution (taqiyyah).
وَ رَوَى أَبَانٌ عَنْ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ: "أَنَّ عَلِيّاً عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ كَسَا اَلنَّاسَ بِالْعِرَاقِ فَكَانَ فِي اَلْكِسْوَةِ حُلَّةٌ جَيِّدَةٌ فَسَأَلَهُ إِيَّاهَا اَلْحُسَيْنُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فَأَبَى فَقَالَ اَلْحُسَيْنُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ "أَنَا أُعْطِيكَ مَكَانَهَا حُلَّتَيْنِ" فَأَبَى فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُعْطِيهِ حَتَّى بَلَغَ خَمْساً فَأَخَذَهَا مِنْهُ ثُمَّ أَعْطَاهُ اَلْحُلَّةَ وَ جَعَلَ اَلْحُلَلَ فِي حَجْرِهِ فَقَالَ "لآَخُذَنَّ خَمْسَةً بِوَاحِدَةٍ" ".
Aban narrated from Salamah, from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s) that: Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s) distributed clothing among the people in Iraq, and among the garments was a fine robe. Imam Hussain ibn Ali (a.s) asked him for it, but Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s) refused. Imam Hussain ibn Ali (a.s) then said: "I will give you two robes in exchange for it." Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s) refused. Imam Hussain ibn Ali (a.s) continued offering until he reached five robes. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s) then took the robes from him, gave him the fine robe, and placed the robes in his lap, saying: "I will take five in exchange for one."
وَ رَوَى جَمِيلٌ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: "اَلدَّقِيقُ بِالْحِنْطَةِ وَ اَلسَّوِيقُ بِالدَّقِيقِ مِثْلاً بِمِثْلٍ لاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ ".
Jamil narrated from Zurarah, from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s), who said: "Flour in exchange for wheat, and parched flour in exchange for regular flour, if it is equal in measure, there is no harm in it."
