Sarf
*Sarf* is exchanging one form of money for another, such as currency for currency, or gold for silver.
What it means for me: Two conditions apply whenever sarf takes place. The exchange happens hand-to-hand, within the same sitting, with nothing deferred. When the two sides are the same kind, such as gold for gold, the amounts must also be equal. These conditions are why a mufti is often asked about money-transfer apps and gold bought on installment.
Example: A traveler exchanges dollars for local currency at an airport kiosk, receiving the cash immediately. That immediate handover is exactly what sarf's condition requires.
Do not confuse with: An ordinary sale of goods, a loan, and *hawalah*, the transfer of a debt. A sale of goods can be deferred or paid in installments without issue. Sarf cannot. A loan or a hawalah moves a debt between people. Sarf exchanges money for money on the spot instead.
If scholars differ: Scholars differ on whether an instant electronic transfer satisfies the hand-to-hand condition. Some treat immediate settlement through an app as equivalent to a physical handover. Others require money to actually change hands, not merely a screen confirmation.
See the term in context
What is the reason for prohibiting the combination of a sales contract with a جعل (ju'alah - reward/commission) and currency exchange (صرف - sarf)?
The Prophet ﷺ forbade combining a sale and a loan (salaf) because a sale is based on bargaining while a loan is based on benevolence. Their combination would deviate the loan from its original purpose. Imam Malik…
What are the Arabic language sciences that a student of knowledge needs, other than syntax (nahw) and morphology (sarf)? What are the appropriate books for progressing in them? How can one learn the Arabic tongue well? Is it necessary to memorize their poetry, and what poetry is recommended for memorization?
The Arabic sciences are: syntax (Nahw), morphology (Sarf), calligraphy (Khatt), semantics (Ma'ani), eloquence (Bayan), rhetoric (Badi'), lexicology (Lughah), prosody (Aroodh), rhymes (Qawafi), poetry composition (Qardh…
What is the difference between the science of Nahw (syntax) and the science of Sarf (morphology), what is the benefit of each to Sharia, and what are the most important books in each science?
The difference between Nahw (syntax) and Sarf (morphology) is that Nahw investigates the conditions of the endings of words in terms of their inflection (i'rab) and immutability (bina'), whereas Sarf investigates the…
Questions that use it
What are the best educational tapes for the rules of morphology (Sarf) and grammar (Nahw)? And can assistance be provided in obtaining them?
What is the ruling on my transferring an amount from my friend's account to my account, and then giving him the amount in cash? Is this transaction considered an exchange (sarf) or a debt, and what is the ruling on conducting it inside the mosque?
Is it permissible in a currency exchange (sarf) contract to leave the received amount as a trust (amanah) with the other party to be delivered later to my brother, the agent, knowing that the basic principle is immediate mutual possession (al-muqabadah) at the time of the contract?