The validity of releasing a portion of a debt in exchange for the payment of the remaining part.
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Settlement
Primary text
The second division is release (*ibra'*), where one admits a debt and says, 'I release you from half or a specific portion of it, so give me the remainder.' This is valid if the release is absolute and without condition. Ahmad permitted this when a debtor lacked means of full payment, allowing the creditor to remit a part and take the rest. This ruling is supported by the tradition where the Prophet (peace be upon him) interceded for Jabir's creditors, who remitted half his debt, and the tradition concerning the man whose garden was damaged, where the Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed the creditors to take half.
Supporting text
If the debtor stipulates, 'On the condition that you pay me the remainder,' the transaction is void because the release of a part was conditioned upon payment of the rest, equating to exchanging one part of the right for another part.