with the utmost precision. Thus it may be said: “This gold is of such-and-such a carat standard, and this is of such-and-such a carat standard; this silver contains adulteration amounting to such-and-such a proportion.”
However, if there are other adulterated items whose composition cannot be precisely determined, then a salam contract is not valid for them.
“Whatever combines indistinguishable mixtures, such as ghāliyah perfume and medicinal pastes, is not valid for salam; but it is valid for animals, cloth woven from two types [of material], and items whose mixture is not intended, such as cheese, date vinegar, sakanjabin, and the like.”
His statement, “Whatever combines indistinguishable mixtures, such as ghāliyah”: ghāliyah is a type of perfume composed by blending and combining ingredients. The same applies to medicinal preparations that combine indistinguishable ingredients. They said: a salam contract is not valid for it, because the indistinguishable mixture is unknown; and if it is unknown, it is not valid.
It is understood from his words that if the ingredients are distinguishable, there is no problem. For example, it may be said: these ingredients consist of ten percent of this, ten percent of this, and ten percent of this. In that case, they are distinguishable. Likewise, if they can be distinguished by sight rather than by proportion—such that they are mixed ingredients, yet it is known that they are distinct, with grains and the like visible. All of this returns to what has preceded regarding the possibility of specifying the characteristics precisely. A sale by description is more restrictive than a sale by inspection.
His statement, “and medicinal pastes: salam is not valid for them”: people use these pastes for the sick, so a salam contract is not valid for them. The reason is ignorance, for we do not know how much of each type of ingredient is mixed into these pastes. Thus salam is not valid for them, because their characteristics cannot be precisely specified. The correct view, however, is that salam is valid for them, because although the proportion is unknown, it is small, and the intended purpose is their benefit.
His statement, “and it is valid for animals”: this is unrestricted, and thus includes any animal