The Arabic word gharar means risk, uncertainty, and hazard. Unlike ribaa, gharar is not precisely defined. Gharar is also considered to be of lesser significance than ribaa. While the prohibition of ribaa is absolute, some degree of gharar or uncertainty is acceptable in the Islamic framework. Only conditions of excessive gharar need be avoided.

The concept of gharar has been broadly defined by the scholars in two ways.

  • First, gharar implies uncertainty.
  • Second, it implies deceit.

The Qur’an has clearly forbidden all business transactions, which cause injustice in any form to any of the parties. It may be in the form of hazard or peril leading to uncertainty in any business, or deceit or fraud or undue advantage. Apart from the above simplistic definition of gharar, some definitions of gharar seem to have a parallel in the concept of uncertainty in conventional finance. Gharar is defined by the Hanafi jurist al-Sarakhsi as any bargain in which the result of it is hidden.

Source: Obaidullah, 29.