as well. If such a sale takes place, it is invalid. The seller who advanced the money is entitled only to what is owed under the salam contract, not to the consideration received in exchange for it. He must return that consideration if he has received it and demand what is owed under the salam contract. If this proves impossible—for example, because a long time has passed, he no longer knows the relevant details, or something similar—he should retain from those proceeds an amount equivalent to the salam debt and give the profit in charity. By taking the equivalent of the salam debt, he has taken only what is rightfully his from that money. The excess is profit from something for which he assumed no liability, and it is not lawful for him. He should therefore give it in charity on behalf of its owners. If, however, he made no profit, and the recipient of the advance merely sold it at its price, he is not required to give away his own money.

He was asked:

About a man who owns a horse that he bought for one hundred and eighty dirhams. Someone offered him three hundred dirhams for it, payable in three months. Is that lawful?

He replied:

Praise be to Allah. If the buyer purchases it to use it or trade in it, there is nothing wrong with selling it on deferred payment. However, when selling to someone in need, the seller must take no more than the customary profit and must not increase it because of that person’s pressing need. But if the buyer needs money and purchases the horse to sell it immediately and obtain its price, this is disapproved according to the stronger of the scholars’ two views.