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Dealing
with riba (usury or interest) has
spread widely among many Muslims today,
to the point that many Muslims do not
see any problem with it, either because
of lack of knowledge or
absent-mindedness. Despite the fact that
all Muslim scholars agree that dealing
with riba (usury or interest) is
a major sin because the prophet (S.A.W.)
mentioned explicitly in a hadith
reported by Imam Bukhari and Muslim,
"Avoid the seven destructive
sins", then he mentioned one of
them as, "and dealing with riba
(usury or interest)"
What
is riba? riba
linguistically means in Arabic an
increase. And in Islamic terminology
means, an increase agreed upon over
the loan with consideration for the
time, whether this increase is small or
large because Allah (S.W.T.) says in
surat Al-Baqarah, (Verse 279),
what can be translated as, "But if
you repent (from dealing with riba),
you shall have your capital sums. Deal
not unjustly (by asking more than your
capital sums), and you shall not be
dealt with unjustly (by receiving less
than your capital sums)."
Many
verses and many authentic Ahadith
have declared that dealing with riba
is very prohibited.
Dealing
with riba is forbidden not only
in the Islamic (sharia’h) laws,
but also in the previous divine
legislation. Allah (S.W.T.) says about
the Jews in surat An-Nisa’,
(Verses 160 & 161), what can be
translated as, "For the wrong
-doing of the Jews, We made unlawful to
them certain good foods which had been
lawful to them, and for their hindering
many from Allah’s Way. And their
taking of riba (usury/interest)
though they were forbidden from taking
it and their devouring of men’s
substance wrongfully." From the
transgression, the oppression, and the
corruption of the Jews was hindering
many from Allah’s Way and dealing with
riba (usury/interest) while it is
forbidden. Imam Ibn Katheer says Allah
forbade them, the Jews, from dealing
with riba, but they dealt with it
and took it and tried to deceive Allah
with many forms of interest.
The
holy Qur'an has talked about riba
in many places in chronological order:
In
the period of Makkah, Allah (S.W.T.)
says in surat Ar-Roum, (Verse
39), what can be translated as,
"And that which you give in riba
(to others), in order that it may
increase (your wealth by expecting to
get a better one in return) from other
people’s property, has no increase
with Allah."
Then,
in the period of Al-madinah, interest
was explicitly prohibited in the saying
of Allah (S.W.T.), in surat Ale-Emran,
(Verse 30), what can be translated as,
"O you who believe! Do not take riba
doubled and multiplied, but fear Allah
that you may be successful."
Then,
another revelation came down in the
saying of Allah (S.W.T.) in surat
Al-Baqarah, (Verse 275 & 276), what
can be translated as, "Those who
deal with riba will not stand (on
the day of Resurrection) except like the
standing of a person beaten by Shaitan
(Satan) leading him to insanity. That is
because they say: "Trading is only
like riba," whereas Allah
has permitted trading and forbidden riba.
So whosoever receives an admonition from
his Lord and stops dealing with riba
shall not be punished for the past: his
case if for Allah (to judge); but
whoever returns to dealing with riba,
such are the dweller of the Fire-they
will abide therein. Allah destroys riba
and will give increase for Sadaqat
(deeds of charity, alms, etc.) and Allah
does not like the disbelievers,
sinners."
Then,
the last thing that was revealed about
the prohibition of interest was the
saying of Allah (S.W.T.) in surat
Al-Baqarah, (Verses 278 & 279), what
can be translated as, "O you who
believe! Fear Allah and give up what
remains (due to you) from riba
(from now onward), if you are truly
believers. And if you do not do it, then
take a notice of war from Allah and His
Messenger but if you repent, you shall
have your capital sums. Deal not
unjustly, and you shall not be dealt
with unjustly." This last verse is
an emphatic argument that would silence
those who say, "interest is not
forbidden unless it is a high
percentage." But it is clear that
Allah did not allow for the person to
receive except the exact capital, no
more and no less."
Imam
Ibn Katheer says about these two verses,
"The believers said: We repent to
Allah (S.W.T.) and leave what remained
from riba, so they left it all,
and this is a severe warning and an
assertive punishment for those who keep
dealing with riba after they are
warned. Ibn Abbas (R.A.A.) said about
the saying of Allah "then take a
notice of war from Allah and His
Messenger…" In the day of
Judgment will be said for the one who
dealt with riba: prepare yourself
and take your weapon to war, and the riba
eater is resurrected on the day of
judgment as insane to be strangled.
Imam
Bukhari reported that the prophet (S.A.W.)
had a long night dream part of that the
prophet said, "....then we came
to a red river like blood, I saw a man
swimming in it and another on the river
bank had gathered many stones. The
swimmer started swimming toward the man
on the riverbank and when he got to him,
he opened his mouth to feed him the
stones. Then the prophet (S.A.W.)
said, that is the riba eater."
Imam
Muslim reported that the prophet (S.A.W.)
said: "The messenger of Allah
cursed the eater of riba, (usury/interest)
and the one who feeds it." Imam
At-Tirmithi and other scholars of hadith
added to this hadith from another
narration: "and its witness and
its writer."
Imam
Ahmad reported in an authentic hadith
that the prophet (S.A.W.) said, "Dirham
(the smallest coin like a penny) of
interest eaten by a man with knowledge
is more severe than thirty-six acts of
fornication or adultery."
After
we heard all of these clear verses and
many authentic ahadith that make riba
(interest/usury) very prohibited, we
should repent to Allah and stop dealing
with riba, small or large and not
to deceive ourselves by changing the
name of the forbidden riba to
more appealing names like interest. Its
large increase is forbidden, as well as
its small. We should not try to come up
with excuses to deal with interest,
because nothing hides from Allah (S.W.T.).
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