Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (8/100)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

Thus, if we were to say that a loan is a sale, loans involving usurious commodities of the same kind would not be valid, because this entails delaying possession when lending an item in exchange for the same kind of item. It is well known that delaying possession in the sale of an item for another of its own kind is forbidden and constitutes usury.

If someone were to ask, “What excludes a loan from being a sale, when it is an exchange of property for property?”

We answer: What excludes it is the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: “Actions are only by intentions, and every person shall have only what he intended.” (1) What did the lender intend? Did he intend an exchange and trade, or did he intend to extend assistance? The answer is the latter: he intended to extend assistance. Because he intended benevolence, his intention is the opposite of the usurer’s intention, for the basis of usury is injustice, as Allah Most High says:

“Then you may have your principal—neither inflicting injustice nor suffering it.” [al-Baqarah: 279]

Thus, a loan is contrary to the purpose of usury, since its purpose is to extend assistance. This is why it is excluded from being a sale.

So, what is the evidence that a loan is excluded from being a sale?

The answer is the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: “Actions are only by intentions, and every person shall have only what he intended.” Neither the lender nor the borrower intended a reciprocal exchange. Rather, the lender intended to extend assistance, while the borrower intended to meet his need. This is why a loan is not a sale. It has already been mentioned that, if we were to regard a loan as a sale, loans involving all usurious commodities exchanged for their own kind would be invalid.

“A sale is concluded by an offer and acceptance, whether the acceptance comes after the offer or before it. ….”

His statement, “is concluded,” means the sale contract. Conclusion is the opposite of dissolution. A contract means making something firm and joining one part of it to another. Thus, one says, “I tied the rope,” meaning: I joined one part of it to another. The word “is concluded” is a description applicable to all contracts,

(1) Its source citation has been given above on p. 77.

إذاً لو قلنا: إن القرض بيع، ما صح القرض في الأموال الربوية؛ لأنه يؤدي إلى تأخير القبض بإقراض الشيء بجنسه، ومعلوم أن تأخير القبض في بيع الشيء بجنسه حرام وربا. إذا قال قائل: ما الذي أخرج القرض عن البيع، وهو مبادلة مال بمال؟ قلنا: أخرجه قول النبي ﷺ: «إنما الأعمال بالنيات، وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوى» (١)، فما الذي نواه المقرض، هل نوى المعاوضة والاتجار أو نوى الإرفاق؟ الجواب: الثاني، فهو نوى الإرفاق، ومن أجل أنه نوى الإحسان صار مقابلاً لنية المرابي؛ لأن الأصل في الربا هو الظلم كما قال تعالى: ﴿فَلَكُمْ رُؤُوسُ أَمْوَالِكُمْ لَا تَظْلِمُونَ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ﴾ [البقرة: ٢٧٩]، فصار القرض على نقيض مقصود الربا، إذ إن المقصود منه الإرفاق، فلذلك خرج عن كونه بيعاً. إذاً ما الدليل على خروج القرض من البيع؟ الجواب: قول النبي ﷺ: «إنما الأعمال بالنيات وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوى»، وذلك أن المقرض والمستقرض لم ينو أحد منهما المعاوضة، إنما قصد المقرض الإرفاق وقصد المستقرض سد حاجته، ولهذا صار القرض ليس بيعاً، وقد سبق أننا لو جعلنا القرض بيعاً لبطل القرض في جميع الربويات بجنسها. وَيَنْعَقِدُ بِإِيجَابٍ وَقَبُولٍ بَعْدَهُ وَقَبْلَهُ. .... قوله: «وينعقد» أي البيع، والانعقاد ضد الانحلال، والعقد بمعنى الإحكام وربط الشيء بعضه ببعض، تقول: عقدت الحبل أي: ربطت بعضه ببعض، وكلمة: «ينعقد» وصف لجميع العقود،

(١) سبق تخريجه ص (٧٧).