Comparison of Ribawi properties according to Hanafi and Shafi'i schools

This study examines the prohibition of ribâ in Islamic law and the understanding of ʿillah (effective cause) in determining ribâ-bearing goods (ribawî items) within the framework of the Ḥanafî and Shâfiʿî schools, from a comparative perspective. Ribâ arises in the context of debt and commercial transactions, with the type occurring in sales being limited by the wellknown "six commodities hadith" of the Prophet. This hadith has been interpreted differently by the two schools with regard to the identification of ribawî goods and the circumstances in which the ribâ prohibition applies in contracts. The first chapter explains concepts related to ribâ such as "property (mâl)", "debt (dayn)", "benefit (manfaʿah)", "sale (bayʿ)", "effective cause (ʿillah)" and "loan (qarḍ)". The second chapter analyzes in detail the approaches of the Ḥanafî and Shâfiʿî schools to determining the ʿillah of the six commodities hadith and the consequences of these approaches. While the Ḥanafîs identify the ʿillah in ribawî goods as the combination of sameness of genus and sameness in measure or weight, the Shâfiʿîs emphasize two main causes: "edibility" (ghidhaʾ) and "monetary function" (thamaniyyah). The aim of the study is to present, in a comparative manner, the approaches of the widely followed Ḥanafî and Shâfiʿî schools in Turkey to ribawî goods and to examine the juristic foundations of their differences. The findings indicate that ribâ is not confined to the debt relationships mentioned in the Qur'an but is further elaborated in matters such as sale and contractual transactions through the Prophet's hadiths. The two schools interpret the relevant scriptural texts through different understandings of ʿillah, which directly affects the scope of ribâ. The Ḥanafîs maintain that ribâ can occur in all goods subject to measurement or weighing, whereas the Shâfiʿîs hold that ribâ applies only to consumable goods and those serving as a medium of exchange. 2025, xi + 84 Pages Keywords: Ḥanafî, Shâfiʿî, Dayn, Bayʿ, Manfaʿah, ʿIllah, Ribâ