The third distinguishes between cases where the intention is to exchange a commodity subject to the rules of riba for an unequal amount of the same kind and cases where that is not the intention. This is the position of Mālik and the well-known position reported from Ahmad.

Thus, if someone exchanges dates containing their stones for date stones or pitted dates, or a ewe with milk for a ewe without milk or for milk, and similar transactions, both regard this as permissible. By contrast, exchanging a thousand dirhams for five hundred dirhams wrapped in a cloth is not permissible. If the intention is to exchange a commodity subject to the rules of riba for an unequal amount of the same kind, it is not permissible; but if that element is merely incidental and not intended in itself, it is permissible. Mālik, may Allah have mercy on him, sets this proportion at one-third.

Likewise, exchanging wheat containing a small amount of barley for wheat containing a small amount of barley is permissible according to the majority of scholars. The same applies to exchanging debased dirhams for others of the same kind: the base metal is not the object of the transaction; rather, the intention is to exchange silver for silver, with both being equal in amount.

Similarly, those who disapprove of exchanging copper coins for debased dirhams say that it amounts to exchanging silver and copper for copper. The correct view, held by the majority of scholars, is that all these transactions are permissible.