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What is the wisdom behind the legality of 'ariya (loan for use)?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Islam has legislated and encouraged the act of giving a loan (عاريّة) due to the benevolence it entails, fulfilling people's needs, and fostering affection, as Allah Almighty says: (And cooperate in righteousness and piety). It has condemned those who withhold small helpful items (al-Ma'un), as this is a characteristic of those who deny the Day of Judgment. What is meant by al-Ma'un are things that people borrow from one another, and this indicates the legitimacy of lending. It is an act of benevolence from the lender to the borrower, by which the borrower's need is met, and the lender receives a reward. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, encouraged fulfilling the needs of Muslims and relieving their distress, and this includes lending them what they need.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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