Repaying a Dollar debt in Rands

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

In principle, it is incumbent that the debtor returns the actual amount/value owed to the creditor.[1] Any surplus requested by the creditor will be Riba (interest) and not permissible.[2]

Example: A purchased something on behalf of B for $50. Therefore, B owes A $50 or its equivalent in any other currency. If A is content to be repaid in Rands, it will be permissible to do so provided the current market exchange rate is used. Any excess stipulated will be Riba and not permissible.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Bilal Yusuf Pandor

Student Darul Iftaa

Lusaka, Zambia

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai

درر الحكام شرح مجلة الأحكام - ط. العلمية (3/ 82) [1]

 الْمَبْحَثُ الْأَوَّلُ ( فِي بَيَانِ تَعْرِيفِ الْقَرْضِ وَرُكْنِهِ ) الْمَسْأَلَةُ الْأُولَى - الْقَرْضُ ( بِالْفَتْحِ , وَالْكَسْرِ ) مَعْنَاهُ اللُّغَوِيُّ : الْمَالُ الَّذِي يُعْطَى عَلَى أَنْ يُؤْخَذَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ بَدَلُهُ , وَيَكُونُ قِيَمِيًّا أَوْ مِثْلِيًّا . وَعَلَى هَذَا التَّقْدِيرِ يَكُونُ الْقَرْضُ بِمَعْنَى الْمَقْرُوضِ . أَمَّا مَعْنَاهُ الشَّرْعِيُّ : فَهُوَ عَقْدٌ مَخْصُوصٌ يَرِدُ عَلَى دَفْعِ وَإِعْطَاءِ الْمَالِ الْمِثْلِيِّ لِآخَرَ عَلَى أَنْ يَرُدَّ مِثْلَهُ . وَيَخْرُجُ بِقَيْدِ ' عَلَى أَنْ يَرُدَّ مِثْلَهُ ' , الْوَدِيعَةُ وَالْهِبَةُ وَالصَّدَقَةُ وَالْعَارِيَّةُ لِأَنَّ الْوَدِيعَةَ وَالْعَارِيَّةَ يَجِبُ رَدُّهُمَا عَيْنًا كَمَا أَنَّ الْهِبَةَ وَالصَّدَقَةَ لَا يَلْزَمُ رَدُّهُمَا عَيْنًا أَوْ بَدَلًا ( الدُّرُّ الْمُخْتَارُ وَرَدُّ الْمُحْتَارِ )

[2]Contemporary Fatawa Mufti Taqi Usmani pg 141