something while also lending him money; for he would give him preferential treatment in the sale on account of the loan, thereby benefiting him, and this is usury. These and other hadiths make clear that any arrangement between two men intended to exchange dirhams for a greater number of dirhams payable later constitutes usury, whether it involves selling and then buying back, selling alongside lending, or something similar. And Allah knows best.

He—may Allah have mercy on him—was asked:

A man incurred a debt, went with the other man to the market, purchased something in his presence, and then sold it to him at a profit. Is this permissible or not?

He answered:

Praise be to Allah.

This may take three forms:

The first is that the parties have an agreement, whether expressed verbally or understood by custom, that the commodity is to be purchased from the shopkeeper. This is not permissible.

The second is that he purchases it from him on condition that he returns it to him. This, too, is not permissible. The slave woman who had borne Zayd ibn Arqam a child came to ‘Ā’ishah and said, “Mother of the Believers, I purchased a slave boy from Zayd ibn Arqam for eight hundred dirhams, with payment deferred until the stipend was paid. Then I purchased him from him for six hundred in cash.” ‘Ā’ishah said to her, “How wretched was what you sold, and how wretched