He was asked:

A man wishes to borrow some dirhams from another man for one year to improve his property and purchase land. Yet no one will provide his money without making a profit. How can the lender earn a profit lawfully?

He replied:

Praise be to Allah. One way is for the property owner to lease out his property, or part of it, receive the rent in advance, and use it to make the improvements. If part of the property is in ruins and he stipulates that the tenant carry out specified repairs, that is permissible. This is a lawful means by which both parties can achieve their aims.

But if they agree to exchange dirhams for dirhams payable at a later date, and employ some device to accomplish this, Allah will bless neither party. An example is selling part of the property through a bay al-amānah (trust sale), on condition that the seller subsequently repurchase the property for more than the sale price. This is among the forms of usury that Allah and His Messenger have forbidden.

If, however, the person providing the funds has goods that the other party needs, such as rubble for renovating the bathhouse, the latter may purchase those goods on deferred payment, with whatever profit they agree upon. Nevertheless, the seller should not make a profit beyond what is customary in comparable transactions.