In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate
"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"
Praise be to Allaah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with
Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah
guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one
can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness
that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah
As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu
Major Sins # 31
Consuming Riba (usury or interest)
In the Quraan, Allaah does not declare war on anyone except the people who deal
in riba (interpretation of the meaning):
"O you who believe! Be afraid of Allaah and give up what remains (due to you)
of riba (from now onward), if you are (really) believers. And if you do not do
it, then take a message of war from Allaah and His Messenger."
[al-Baqarah 2:278-279]
This is sufficient to explain the abhorrence of this deed in the sight of
Allaah, may He be glorified.
One may easily discern the extent of devastation, at the individual and the
international level, caused by dealing with riba - such as bankruptcy,
recession, economic stagnation, inability to repay loans, high unemployment,
collapse of many companies and institutions, etc. Daily toil has become a
never-ending struggle to pay off interest on loans and societies have become
class-ridden structures in which huge wealth in concentrated in the hands of a
few. Perhaps all this is a manifestation of the war threatened by Allaah to
those who deal in riba.
Everyone who has something to do with riba, whether he is one of the main
parties involved or is a middleman or facilitator, has been cursed by Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed "the one who consumes riba,
the one who gives it to others, the one who writes it down and the one who
witnesses it." He said: "They are all the same."
(Reported by Muslim, 3/1219).
Based on this, it is not permitted to do work that involves writing
interest-based contracts and conditions, paying or receiving riba, depositing
it or guarding it. Generally speaking, it is haraam to be directly or
indirectly involved with riba in any way, shape or form.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was keen to explain the
ugliness of this major sin. Abdullaah ibn Masood (may Allaah be pleased with
him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "There are seventy-three types of riba, the least of which is as
abhorrent as a man having intercourse with his own mother and worst of which is
[violating] a Muslims honor and sanctity. (Reported by al-Haakim in
al-Mustadrak, 2/37); see also Saheeh al-Jaami, 3533).
Abdullah ibn Hanzalah (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Knowingly
consuming a dirham of riba is worse for a man than committing adultery
thirty-six times."
(Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 5/225; see also Saheeh al-Jaami', 3375).
The prohibition on riba does not just apply to deals between rich and poor, as
some people think; it is a general prohibition that applies to every person and
every situation. How many rich people and big businessmen have gone bankrupt
because of riba! The least harm riba does is to destroy the blessing (barakah)
of the money, even if a persons wealth is great.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Even if riba is
much, it will end up being a small amount."
(Reported by al-Haakim, 2/37; see also Saheeh al-Jaami', 3542).
This does not refer to whether the ratio of interest is high or low; all riba
is haraam, and the one who deals with it will be raised up on the Day of
Resurrection like the one who stands beaten by Shaytaan resulting in insanity
and epilepsy.
In spite of the enormity of this sin, Allaah has told us to repent from it and
has explained how. Allaah says to those who deal in riba (interpretation of the
meaning): ". . . but if you repent, 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)."
[al-Baqarah 2:279]
This is quintessential justice.
The believer must despise this major sin and feel its abhorrence, even if he
puts his money in interest-based banks because he has no other choice and is
afraid that his money may be lost or stolen otherwise. He should feel that he
is being compelled by necessity to do this, like one who eats dead meat, or
worse. At the same time, he should seek the forgiveness of Allaah and try to
find an alternative if he can. He is not permitted to ask the bank for
interest, and if the bank deposits it in his account, he must get rid of it in
whatever way is permissible.
This money cannot be counted as sadaqah (charity), because Allaah is pure and
accepts only that which is pure. He cannot benefit from this money by using it
to by food, drink, clothing, transportation or housing; he cannot use it to
fulfil obligations such as spending on his wife, child or parents, or to pay
zakaat or taxes, or to defend himself in court. Rather, he should just get rid
of it, for fear of the wrath of Allaah.
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