Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (9/108)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

at many times its value, and this is harmful. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “There should be neither harm nor reciprocating harm.” (1)

Every condition that brings a benefit is prohibited. However, if the borrower voluntarily provides it without any prior stipulation, or repays him with something better, or gives him a gift after repayment, that is permissible. If, before repaying his loan, he gives his lender something that he does not customarily give him, it is not permissible, unless he intends it as reciprocation or intends to count it toward his debt.

His statement, “Every condition that brings a benefit is prohibited,” means that, in the case of a loan, every condition imposed by the lender which brings him a benefit is prohibited. As for a condition that brings a benefit to the borrower, that is the basic purpose of a loan. Thus, every condition that brings a benefit to the lender is prohibited.

His statement, “Every condition”: in such a case, the condition is imposed by the lender. It is also unlawful for the borrower to agree to it, since this constitutes cooperation in sin and transgression. Yet, as a rule, it is the lender who imposes the condition.

An example of his statement, “Every condition that brings a benefit is prohibited,” is when a man comes to another and says, “I want you to lend me one hundred thousand.” He replies, “There is no objection, but I will live in your house for a month.” Here, the loan has brought a benefit to the lender, and this is unlawful and impermissible.

Why is it not permissible? Are Muslims not bound by their conditions? Indeed they are, except for a condition that makes lawful what is forbidden or makes forbidden what is lawful. This condition makes lawful what is forbidden, because the fundamental purpose of a loan is to extend relief and kindness to the borrower. Once a condition is attached to it, it becomes a transaction of exchange; and when it becomes a transaction of exchange, it involves both riba al-fadl and riba al-nasi'ah. Thus, both types of riba are combined in it.

For example, when someone borrows one hundred thousand from me and I stipulate that I may live in his house for a month, it is as though I had sold him one hundred thousand for one hundred thousand, with an increase

(1) Its source has been cited previously on p. 37.

بأضعاف أضعاف القيمة، وهذا إضرار، وقد قال النبي ﷺ: «لا ضرر ولا ضرار» (١). وَيَحْرُمُ كُلُّ شَرْطٍ جَرَّ نَفْعاً، وَإِنْ بَدَأ بِهِ بِلَا شَرْطٍ، أَوْ أَعْطَاهُ أجْوَدَ، أَوْ هَدِيَّةً بَعْدَ الوَفَاءِ جَازَ، وَإِنْ تَبَرَّعَ لِمُقْرِضِهِ قَبْلَ وَفَائِهِ بِشَيءٍ لَم تَجْرِ عَادَتُهُ بِهِ لَمْ يَجُزْ، إِلاَّ أنْ يَنْوِيَ مُكَافَأتَهُ أَوِ احْتِسَابَهُ مِنْ دَيْنِهِ. قوله: «ويحرم كل شرط جر نفعاً» «يحرم» يعني في القرض كل شرط يشترطه المقرِض يجر إليه نفعاً، أما إذا كان يجر نفعاً إلى المستقرض فهو الأصل، إذاً كل شرط جر نفعاً للمقرض فهو محرم. وقوله: «كل شرط» الشرط يقع في هذه الحال من المقرض، وهو حرام على المقترض لموافقته على المحرم، فيكون من باب التعاون على الإثم والعدوان، لكن الأصل أن الشارط هو المقرض. وقوله: «يحرم كل شرط جر نفعاً» مثال ذلك: جاء رجل إلى شخص، وقال: أريد أن تقرضني مائة ألف، قال: ليس هناك مانع، لكن أسْكُنُ بيتك لمدة شهر، فهنا القرض جر نفعاً للمقرض، فهذا حرام ولا يجوز. ولماذا لا يجوز؟! أليس المسلمون على شروطهم؟! بلى، لكن إلا شرطاً أحل حراماً أو حرَّم حلالاً، وهذا أحل حراماً؛ وذلك أن الأصل في القرض هو الإرفاق والإحسان إلى المقترض، فإذا دخله الشرط صار من باب المعاوضة، وإذا كان من باب المعاوضة، صار مشتملاً على ربا الفضل وربا النسيئة، فاجتمع فيه الربا بنوعيه. مثال ذلك: لما استقرض مني مائة ألف، واشترطت عليه أن أسكن داره شهراً، صار كأني بعت عليه مائة ألف بمائة ألف، بزيادة

(١) سبق تخريجه ص (٣٧).