the state of being a weighed item of a specific genus, and the 'illah of the four items is that of a measured item of a specific genus. This was transmitted from Ahmad by a group, and mentioned by al-Khiraqi, Ibn Abi Musa, and the majority of our companions (Ashab). This is also the position of al-Nakha'i, al-Zuhri, al-Thawri, Ishaq, and the People of Opinion (Ashab al-Ra'y). According to this narration, Riba applies to everything that is measured or weighed within its genus, whether it is edible or non-edible, such as grains, potash (ushnan), lime (nura), cotton, wool, linen, saffron (wars), henna, safflower (usfur), iron, copper, and the like. It does not apply to an edible item that is neither measured nor weighed, because of what Ibn 'Umar narrated: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Do not sell a dinar for two dinars, nor a dirham for two dirhams, nor a sa' for two sa's, for I fear for you the Rama' (usury)." This is Riba. A man stood up to him and said: O Messenger of Allah, what do you think of a man who sells a horse for horses, or a she-camel for camels? He said: "There is no harm if it is hand to hand." Recorded by Imam Ahmad in the Musnad (3), on the authority of Abu Janab, from his father, from Ibn 'Umar. It is also narrated from Anas that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "What is weighed must be like for like if it is of the same type, and what is measured must be like for like if it is of the same type." Recorded by al-Daraqutni (4), who reported it on the authority of Ibn Sa'id, from 'Abd Allah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ayyub, from Abu Bakr ibn 'Ayyash, from al-Rabi' ibn (5) Sabih, from al-Hasan, from 'Ubada and Anas, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he said: No one narrated it from Abu Bakr in this manner except Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Ayyub, and others differed with him, reporting it with different wording. It is also narrated from 'Ammar that he said: A slave is better than two slaves, and a garment is better than two garments. So whatever is hand to hand, there is no harm in it, as Riba only occurs in deferment (Nasa'), except for what is measured or weighed. And because the nature of trade is based on equality, and the factors that effectuate its fulfillment are measurement, weight, and genus, as weight or measurement makes them equal in appearance, and genus makes them equal in meaning; thus, both serve as the 'illah. We have found that an increase in measurement is prohibited while an increase in taste is not; evidence for this is the sale of heavy items for light ones, which is permissible if they are equal in measurement.