Taking away the tenant’s property in case of non-payment

Question

Question: A man lent his brother money for a handloom, on the understanding that he would keep repaying it gradually. But after four months, when the loan was not repaid, he took away the loom and also collected two to four months’ rent from him. Is this permissible or not?

Answer

He has the right only to recover the money he lent; collecting anything beyond that is not permissible: it is interest, under whatever name it may be.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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