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Q&A · Business & Finance

Can I sell an item on installments at a price higher than its cash price?

Yes, the majority of scholars permit charging more for a deferred (installment) sale than for immediate cash, because this is a genuine sale of goods, not a loan with interest, and Allah has permitted trade while forbidding riba. The key condition is that a single price is agreed and fixed in the contract; once settled it cannot increase if the buyer is late, since adding to a fixed debt for delay is riba. What is forbidden is leaving two prices unsettled at the conclusion of the contract (the prohibited "two sales in one"), or structuring it so the real object is money-for-more-money rather than an actual good. So a clear, single deferred price is halal, but a penalty that grows the debt over time is not.

Informational, not a personal fatwa. Consult a qualified scholar for rulings on your situation.

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