taken actual possession, he would not have returned to him.

To illustrate: if a man bought gold with dirhams, the seller received the cash, and the money was then lost, the seller could not reclaim anything from the buyer. But if the seller accepted a check from the buyer, went to the bank to cash it, and the check was lost, he would go back to the buyer for the price. This proves that a check is not possession; and without genuine possession the sale is invalid, for the Prophet ﷺ instructed that gold be exchanged for silver hand to hand. The only concession is when the check is certified by the bank and the seller contacts the bank and says, “Keep the money with you as a deposit for me.” In that case, a dispensation may be granted. Allah knows best.

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Question 16: What is the ruling on selling gold that bears designs or images, such as a butterfly or a serpent’s head, and similar figures?

Answer: Gold or silver jewelry fashioned in the likeness of any creature is forbidden to sell, forbidden to purchase, forbidden to wear, and forbidden even to possess, because images must