Fatwa No : 82167

What do the respected Muftis say regarding the following matter: A man—let's say Bakr—takes a loan of ten thousand rupees from Amr. In exchange for the loan, Bakr gives his land to Amr. Now, Amr benefits from this land, but he also pays some rent for using it, while the loan amount remains untouched. Is it permissible for Amr to benefit from this land in such a case?
Second scenario: Amr benefits from the land but pays no rent. In this situation, is it permissible for him to benefit from the land or not? Please provide a detailed answer with supporting Islamic evidence.
Note: Also, kindly explain the Shariah-compliant method of jointly raising livestock (animals).

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

(1) Items held as collateral—whether land, a house, or anything else—may not be used for personal benefit, even in the form of rent, whether the benefit is stipulated or customary. Doing so falls under the category of usury (riba) and must be strictly avoided.
Therefore, Bakr must keep the said land withheld (in lien) rather than renting it out, and he should simply wait to recover his due amount.
(2) Clarification: Regarding the questioner’s inquiry about jointly raising animals, they are requested to clearly explain the exact form or arrangement they are referring to. They should submit the question again to the Dar al-Ifta with this clarification. In Shaa Allah, the Islamic ruling for that specific scenario will also be provided.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کمافي الدر المختار: لا يحل له أن ينتفع بشيء منه بوجه من الوجوه وإن أذن له الراهن، لأنه أذن له في الربا لأنه يستوفي دينه كاملا فتبقى له المنفعة فضلا، فتكون ربا وهذا أمر عظيم اھ (5/ 166)۔
وفيه ايضا: (لاانتفاع به مطلقا) لا باستخدام، ولا سكنى ولا لبس ولا إجارة اھ (6/ 482)۔
وفي حاشية ابن عابدين: (قوله ولا إجارة) فلو أجره المرتهن بلا إذن فالأجرة له كما سيذكره آخر الرهن مع بقية فروعه اھ (6/ 482)۔