Is it considered usury to agree to exchange gold for gold, or wheat for wheat, or gold for silver, or to sell a car for gold, with the actual handover being deferred to a later time due to the unavailability of the goods at the time of the agreement, despite Ibn Uthaymeen's fatwa that it is not permissible to part ways before the handover, and the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): "If these types [of goods] differ, then sell however you wish, if it is hand-to-hand"? And if that is forbidden, what must be done? And is it not permissible to agree unless the goods are available?

If the aforementioned agreement is binding, then it is not permissible. This is because it is akin to an exchange (sarf) with delayed possession, which is not allowed in the sale of usurious items where immediate possession and exchange are prerequisites. However, if the agreement is a non-binding promise, then there is a difference of opinion among scholars: some permit it, while others prohibit or dislike it. The most prudent course of action is to avoid such promises to steer clear of scholarly disagreements. If a non-binding arrangement is made, we hope there is no harm in it. As for selling a car for gold, immediate possession is not a condition, because a car is not among the usurious items.