The Objectives of the Prohibition of Riba By: Elhadi Habbani

Riba al-fadl:
Based on the definition of the PGPOSAI also "Riba Al-Fadl is derived from the Arabic root "fadl" which means "increase' or "growth". This type of Riba involves increase in either of two articles subject to exchange. According to Hadith of the Prophet, six things are susceptible to Riba Al-Fadl: gold, silver, wheat, barley, dates, and salt. It is prohibited to charge interest on such transactions where any of the above things are exchanged for articles of the same type. The same holds true with regard to exchanging two articles which bear the same common cause of prohibition. It is, for complete, prohibited to exchange kilo of gold of gold of inferior quality for half of a kilo of superior quality. The same is applicable in the case of exchanging a good type of silver, wheat, barley, dates, or salt for a poor type. It is only permissible to exchange articles of the above mentioned things provided that they are equal in weight and the exchange has to be made in a hand-to-hand transaction. However, it is permissible to exchange a kilo of gold for two kilos of silver provided that it is a hand to hand-to-hand transaction. This is because gold and silver are different types. The prophet (peace be upon him) said, (Gold is to be exchanged for gold, silver for silver, wheat for wheat, barley for barley, dates for dates, and salt for salt, like for like and equal for equal, payment being made hand to hand. If these classes differ, then sell as you wish if payment is made hand to hand. Narrated by Muslim from the Hadith narrated on authority of Ubadah ibn Al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him)" .
It is quite understandable that Islam meant not only to get rid of the exploitation that built in the foundation of interest, but also all manners of unfair exchange in business transactions. This means that although sale is permitted in Islam, in general, it does not mean that all kind of sale or the whole thing in sale is agreed to in Islam.
Since, Riba al-nasi'ah was involved in the verse “Allah has allowed sale and prohibited riba” (2:275), it is used to be called "Riba Al-Quran", while Riba Al-fadl used to be referred to as Riba Al-Hadith because it was not clearly understood from the Holy Quran and has been undoubtedly addressed in Prophet Hadith; (Gold is to be exchanged for gold, silver for silver, wheat for wheat, barley for barley, dates for dates, and salt for salt, like for like and equal for equal, payment being made hand to hand. If these classes differ, then sell as you wish if payment is made hand to hand. Narrated by Muslim from the Hadith narrated on authority of Ubadah ibn Al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him.).
Some people also classified Riba to Riba Al-Duyun which includes: Riba Al-Qard referring to the situation in which the Riba or interest imposed at the beginning of the loan, and Riba Aljahiliyah referring to the Riba or interest imposed after delinquency; And Riba Al-Buyu'u which refers to the kind of Riba that occur due to the exchange of two similar Ribawi items with deferment of delivery. Despite that the classification of Riba in Fiqh to Riba Al-nasi'ah and Riba Al-fadl remains the broader main types implicitly includes all the other somewhat complicated classifications which refer to the same meaning; both of Riba Aljahiliyah and riba Al-Qard give the same meaning of Riba Al-nasi'ah which is normally occur when a loan contract created or when an existing debt is extended so it is meaningless and more complicated to divide this obvious and very simple definition into two terms.

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