Exchange of One Kind of Food Items for another Kind

سُئِلَ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَبِيعُ الرَّجُلَ الطَّعَامَ الْأَكْرَارَ فَلَا يَكُونُ عِنْدَهُ مَا يُتِمُّ لَهُ مَا بَاعَهُ فَيَقُولُ لَهُ خُذْ مِنِّي مَكَانَ كُلِّ قَفِيزِ حِنْطَةٍ قَفِيزَيْنِ مِنْ شَعِيرٍ حَتَّى تَسْتَوْفِيَ مَا نَقَصَ مِنَ الْكَيْلِ قَالَ لَا يَصْلُحُ لِأَنَّ أَصْلَ الشَّعِيرِ مِنَ الْحِنْطَةِ وَ لَكِنْ يَرُدُّ عَلَيْهِ الدَّرَاهِمَ بِحِسَابِ مَا نَقَصَ مِنَ الْكَيْلِ.

“Once abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about the case of a man who sells foodstuff to another man in quantity of several kur but cannot deliver what he owes, and says to the other party to accept two Qafiz (a certain unit of measurement) of barley for one Qafiz of wheat to compensate for the deficit. He (the Imam) sai

الْحِنْطَةُ وَ الشَّعِيرُ رَأْساً بِرَأْسٍ لَا يُزَادُ وَاحِدٌ مِنْهُمَا عَلَى الْآخَرِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Wheat and barley are equal to each other; neither one of the two can be exchanged in excess of the other.’”

قَالَ: لَا يُبَاعُ مَخْتُومَانِ مِنْ شَعِيرٍ بِمَخْتُومٍ مِنْ حِنْطَةٍ وَ لَا يُبَاعُ إِلَّا مِثْلًا بِمِثْلٍ وَ التَّمْرُ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ وَ سُئِلَ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَشْتَرِي الْحِنْطَةَ فَلَا يَجِدُ عِنْدَ صَاحِبِهَا إِلَّا شَعِيراً أَ يَصْلُحُ لَهُ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ اثْنَيْنِ بِوَاحِدٍ قَالَ لَا إِنَّمَا أَصْلُهُمَا وَاحِدٌ وَ كَانَ عَلِيٌّ ع يَعُدُّ الشَّعِيرَ بِالْحِنْطَةِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not permissible to sell two Makhtum (a container) of barley for one Makhtum of wheat. These items cannot be exchanged except in equal quantities of each other and so also is the date.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about the case of a man who buys wheat but cannot find with h

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْحِنْطَةِ وَ الشَّعِيرِ فَقَالَ إِذَا كَانَا سَوَاءً فَلَا بَأْسَ قَالَ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْحِنْطَةِ وَ الدَّقِيقِ فَقَالَ إِذَا كَانَا سَوَاءً فَلَا بَأْسَ.

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about wheat and barley. He (the Imam) said, ‘If they are of equal measures it is not harmful.’ He (the narrator) has said, ‘I asked him (the Imam) about flour and wheat. He (the Imam) said, ‘If they are of equal measures it is not harmful.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَ يَجُوزُ قَفِيزٌ مِنْ حِنْطَةٍ بِقَفِيزَيْنِ مِنْ شَعِيرٍ فَقَالَ لَا يَجُوزُ إِلَّا مِثْلًا بِمِثْلٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ الشَّعِيرَ مِنَ الْحِنْطَةِ.

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), if it is permissible to exchange one Qafiz (a certain unit of measurement) of wheat for two Qafiz of barley. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is not permissible unless they are of equal quantities.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Barley is from wheat.’”

لآِخَرَ بِعْنِي ثَمَرَةَ نَخْلِكَ هَذَا الَّذِي فِيهِ بِقَفِيزَيْنِ مِنْ تَمْرٍ أَوْ أَقَلَّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَوْ أَكْثَرَ يُسَمِّي مَا شَاءَ فَبَاعَهُ فَقَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ وَ قَالَ التَّمْرُ وَ الْبُسْرُ مِنْ نَخْلَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ فَأَمَّا أَنْ يَخْلِطَ التَّمْرَ الْعَتِيقَ وَ الْبُسْرَ فَلَا يَصْلُحُ وَ الزَّبِيبُ وَ الْعِنَبُ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ.

“About the case of a man who asks another man to sell the fruits of his certain palm tree for two Qafiz (a certain unit of measurement) of dates or less or more that he names as he likes, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not harmful.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Fresh dates and half-ripe dates from one palm tree c

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي بَصِيرٍ أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَسْأَلَ- أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ رَجُلٍ اسْتَبْدَلَ قَوْصَرَتَيْنِ فِيهِمَا بُسْرٌ مَطْبُوخٌ بِقَوْصَرَةٍ فِيهَا تَمْرٌ مُشَقَّقٌ‌[1] قَالَ فَسَأَلَهُ أَبُو بَصِيرٍ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ ع هَذَا مَكْرُوهٌ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَصِيرٍ وَ لِمَ يُكْرَهُ فَقَالَ كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَسْتَبْدِلَ وَسْقاً مِنْ تَمْرِ الْمَدِينَةِ بِوَسْقَيْنِ مِنْ تَمْرِ خَيْبَرَ

“I once asked abu Basir to ask abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who exchanges two baskets of fresh half-ripe dates for one basket of Mushaqaq (stone-free) dates. Abu Basir asked him (the Imam) and he (the Imam) said, ‘It is Makruh (detestable).’ Abu Basir then asked, ‘Why it is Makruh (detestable)?’ He (

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ كَانَ عَلِيٌّ ص يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَسْتَبْدِلَ وَسْقاً مِنْ تَمْرِ خَيْبَرَ بِوَسْقَيْنِ مِنْ تَمْرِ الْمَدِينَةِ لِأَنَّ تَمْرَ خَيْبَرَ أَجْوَدُهُمَا.

“I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying that ’Amir al-Mu’minin disliked exchanging of one wasaq (a certain unit of measurement) of dates of Khaybar with two wasaq of dates of al- Madinah because dates of Khaybar are of superior quality.’”

قُلْتُ لَهُ مَا تَقُولُ فِي الْبُرِّ بِالسَّوِيقِ فَقَالَ مِثْلًا بِمِثْلٍ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ قُلْتُ إِنَّهُ يَكُونُ لَهُ رَيْعٌ أَوْ يَكُونُ لَهُ فَضْلٌ فَقَالَ أَ لَيْسَ لَهُ مَئُونَةٌ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ هَذَا بِذَا وَ قَالَ إِذَا اخْتَلَفَ الشَّيْئَانِ فَلَا بَأْسَ مِثْلَيْنِ بِمِثْلٍ يَداً بِيَدٍ[1].

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about his opinion on wheat and the sawiq (mush made of wheat or barley). He (the Imam) said, ‘Their exchange in equal measures is not harmful.’ I then asked, ‘What happens if one has a certain yield or preference over the other?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Does it not have expenses and mainte

الْحِنْطَةُ بِالدَّقِيقِ مِثْلًا بِمِثْلٍ وَ السَّوِيقُ بِالسَّوِيقِ مِثْلًا بِمِثْلٍ وَ الشَّعِيرُ بِالْحِنْطَةِ مِثْلًا بِمِثْلٍ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ.

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘It is permissible to exchange wheat with flour in equal measures and sawiq (mush) of wheat with mush and barley with wheat in equal measures, is not harmful.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَدْفَعُ إِلَى الطَّحَّانِ الطَّعَامَ فَيُقَاطِعُهُ عَلَى أَنْ يُعْطِيَ صَاحِبَهُ لِكُلِّ عَشَرَةِ أَرْطَالٍ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ دَقِيقاً قَالَ لَا قُلْتُ فَالرَّجُلُ يَدْفَعُ السِّمْسِمَ إِلَى الْعَصَّارِ وَ يَضْمَنُ لَهُ لِكُلِّ صَاعٍ أَرْطَالًا مُسَمَّاةً قَالَ لَا.

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the case of a man who gives foodstuff to a flour man under a contract that requires him to return for every ten Artal (plural of ritl, a certain unit of measurement) twelve Artal of flour. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is not permissible.’ I then asked about sesame given under a con

لَا يَصْلُحُ التَّمْرُ الْيَابِسُ بِالرُّطَبِ مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّ التَّمْرَ يَابِسٌ وَ الرُّطَبَ رَطْبٌ فَإِذَا يَبِسَ نَقَصَ وَ لَا يَصْلُحُ الشَّعِيرُ بِالْحِنْطَةِ إِلَّا وَاحِداً بِوَاحِدٍ وَ قَالَ الْكَيْلُ يَجْرِي مَجْرًى وَاحِداً وَ يُكْرَهُ قَفِيزُ لَوْزٍ بِقَفِيزَيْنِ وَ قَفِيزُ تَمْرٍ بِقَفِيزَيْنِ وَ لَكِنْ صَاعُ حِنْطَةٍ بِصَاعَيْنِ مِنْ تَمْرٍ وَ صَاعُ تَمْرٍ بِصَاعَيْنِ مِنْ زَبِيبٍ وَ إِذَا اخْتَلَفَ هَذ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Exchanging dry dates with fresh ones is not valid; dry dates are dry and fresh are not dry. When it dries it shrinks. Exchanging barley with wheat is also not valid unless it is in equal measures.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Measuring is one and the same. It is detestable to exchange one Qa

كَرِهَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَفِيزَ لَوْزٍ بِقَفِيزَيْنِ مِنْ لَوْزٍ وَ قَفِيزَ تَمْرٍ بِقَفِيزَيْنِ مِنْ تَمْرٍ[2].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), disliked exchange of one Qafiz of almond with two Qafiz of almond and one Qafiz of dates with two Qafiz of dates.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ رَجُلٍ أَسْلَفَ رَجُلًا زَيْتاً عَلَى أَنْ يَأْخُذَ مِنْهُ سَمْناً قَالَ لَا يَصْلُحُ.

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who makes an advance payment for oil to receive ghee. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not valid.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ لَا يَنْبَغِي لِلرَّجُلِ إِسْلَافُ السَّمْنِ بِالزَّيْتِ وَ لَا الزَّيْتِ بِالسَّمْنِ.

‘It is not valid for a man to make advance payment in the form of ghee to receive oil and vice versa.’”

سُئِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الْعِنَبِ بِالزَّبِيبِ قَالَ لَا يَصْلُحُ إِلَّا مِثْلًا بِمِثْلٍ قُلْتُ وَ التَّمْرُ وَ الزَّبِيبُ قَالَ مِثْلًا بِمِثْلٍ.

“Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about the exchange of grape with raisins and he (the Imam) replied, ‘It is not permissible unless it is in equal measures.’ I asked about exchange of dates and raisins. He (the Imam) said, ‘It must be in equal measures.’”

الْمُخْتَلِفُ مِثْلَانِ بِمِثْلٍ يَداً بِيَدٍ لَا بَأْسَ.

exchange of two different kinds of goods at the same time is not harmful.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مَا تَرَى فِي التَّمْرِ وَ الْبُسْرِ الْأَحْمَرِ مِثْلًا بِمِثْلٍ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ قُلْتُ فَالْبُخْتُجُ وَ الْعَصِيرُ مِثْلًا بِمِثْلٍ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ‌[2].

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about dry dates and fresh dates exchanged in equal measures. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’ I then asked him (the Imam) about cooked juice and uncooked one exchanged in equal measures. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’”