SAYINGS OF THE HOLY PROPHET ﷺ ABOUT RIBA (INTEREST) - Part 2

- Rasool Allah ﷺ cursed the one who accepts Riba (interest or usury), the one who pays it, the one who writes it and the person who gives witness to it, and said, "They are all alike."

- Rasool Allah ﷺ said that there are four kinds of people about whom Allah has decided not to admit them to Paradise and not to let them taste its bliss: The one who is addicted to alcohol, the one who takes Riba, the one who exploits the property of an orphan, and the man who is disobedient to his parents.

- Rasool Allah ﷺ said, "A dirham a man receives as Riba (interest or usury) is, in the sight of Allah, more serious than thirty six acts of adultery."

From Ma'ariful Quran, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi Rehmatullah Elaih

SAYINGS OF THE HOLY PROPHET ﷺ ABOUT RIBA (INTEREST) - Part 1

- Rasool Allah ﷺ said, "Abstain from the seven disasters!" The people asked him, "What are they, O Messenger of Allah?" He replied:
"1. To ascribe partners to Allah,
2. to practice sorcery,
3. to unjustly kill one who Allah has declared inviolable,
4. to take Riba (interest, usury),
5. to exploit the property of an orphan,
6. to escape from the battlefield,
7. and to slander a chaste woman."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Muslim)

- Rasool Allah ﷺ said, "This night I saw two men who came to me and brought me to a sacred land. We walked until we reached a river of blood, wherein a man was standing, and another man was standing on the bank of the river with some stones before him. Then the man who was standing in the river came forward, and when he intended to come out of the river, the other man threw a stone at his mouth, and turned him back to the place where he was earlier - thus he began to do the same with him whenever he tried to come out of the river by throwing a stone at him and turning him back. I asked him, "What is that which I have just seen going on?" He replied, "He is the one who used to take Riba (interest or usury)."

From Ma'ariful Quran, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi Rehmatullah Elaih

SURAH AL-BAQARAH: 280 - Part 3

If one compares superficially one would come to the conclusion that the person who gives loans on interest is in a win-win situation. His principal is safe as the borrower is bound to return it under any circumstances even if he has to sell his home, he will take more back than what he had lent in form of interest, and he keeps charging interest on any unpaid principal and interest till he gets all of his money back. On the other hand, Shariah says that one cannot take back more than one has lent, then recommends that if the borrower is in a financially difficult situation give him more time, or completely forego the loan if you can. This way it seems like the person is losing his capital. Then why did Allah Ta'alah say that  this is better for you if you understand?

The reason is that the measures of success are different in both the situations. For the person who sole measure of success is material wealth, increase in numbers is everything. A person who has a million dollars is more successful than a person who only has ten thousand dollars. A person who is a billionaire is more successful than a millionaire. On the other hand, in the eyes of the person whose sole measure of success is seeking Allah Ta'alah's pleasure, true success is to please Allah Ta'alah by giving relaxation to the borrower, by foregoing his loan if the borrower cannot afford to return it, and giving away his wealth in sadaqah, even if to others it appears that his wealth is decreasing.

Adapted from Ma'ariful Quran, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi Rehmatullah Elaih

SURAH AL-BAQARAH: 280 Part 2

According to a Hadith in the Mu'jim of al-Tabarani, if a person wants to be under the shadow of divine mercy when there will be no other shadow for anyone to hide under, he should treat the poor borrower with lenience and deferment, or forgive him the debt.

It is said in a Hadith from Musnad of Ahmad that the person who gives relief to a poor borrower will get a daily thawab (reward) of sadaqah (charity) in proportion to the amount that borrower owes to him, and this relates to giving relief before the due date of returning the loan arrives. And if the borrower still doesn't have the means to pay after the deadline has arrived, then the thawab of giving relief and relaxation then will be equal to giving double the amount of the due loan in sadaqah every day.

Another Hadith says that if a person wishes that his prayers be answered, or his difficulties be lifted, then he should give relief and relaxation to the poor borrower.

Adapted from Ma'ariful Quran, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi Rehmatullah Elaih

SURAH AL-BAQARAH: 280 - Part 1

وَاِنۡ كَانَ ذُوۡ عُسۡرَةٍ فَنَظِرَةٌ اِلٰى مَيۡسَرَةٍ ‌ؕ وَاَنۡ تَصَدَّقُوۡا خَيۡرٌ لَّـكُمۡ‌ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ۔

"And if there be one in misery, then deferment till ease. And that you leave it as alms, it is far better for you, if you really know."

In today's interest-based financial system if someone takes a loan on interest and cannot repay it on time, then that interest is also added to their unpaid loan, and they have to start paying interest on earlier unpaid interest too. This way their debt keeps on escalating and in many examples we see around us it ends up in bankruptcy. Once a person declares bankruptcy it becomes even more difficult for them to get another loan. Either no one gives them a loan, or people take advantage of their situation and give them loan on very high interest rates. In this way they end up in a vicious cycle of debt which is very difficult to get out of.

On the other hand, in this verse Quran Karim is preaching that if your borrower is in financial difficulties then give them time till their financial circumstance improve, and do no not put pressure on them to return the loan immediately. Then the Quran goes even further and says that if you forego that loan it will be much better for you. This waiver of the loan has been termed Sadaqah (charity) indicating that the person will get as much thawab (reward) as he would have if they had given the same amount as Sadaqah.

To be continued...

Adapted from Ma'ariful Quran, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi Rehmatullah Elaih

SURAH AL-BAQARAH: 279 - Part 2

The second sentence of this verse is وَاِنۡ تُبۡتُمۡ فَلَـكُمۡ رُءُوۡسُ اَمۡوَالِكُمۡ‌ۚ لَا تَظۡلِمُوۡنَ وَلَا تُظۡلَمُوۡنَ meaning "if you repent and resolve to leave off the remaining about of Riba in future, you will get your principal. Neither you will be able to do injustice to anyone by extracting more than your principal, nor will anyone be able to do injustice to you by decreasing or delaying the return of your principal. Here the return of the principal has been linked to the condition to do Taubah (repentance), and vowing never to take Riba in the future.

Adapted from Ma'ariful Quran by Mufti Muhammad Shafi Rehmatullah Elaih

SURAH AL-BAQARAH: 279 - Part 1

يٰۤـاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ وَذَرُوۡا مَا بَقِىَ مِنَ الرِّبٰٓوا اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ مُّؤۡمِنِيۡنَ‏ ﴿۲۷۸﴾ فَاِنۡ لَّمۡ تَفۡعَلُوۡا فَاۡذَنُوۡا بِحَرۡبٍ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ وَرَسُوۡلِهٖ‌ۚ وَاِنۡ تُبۡتُمۡ فَلَـكُمۡ رُءُوۡسُ اَمۡوَالِكُمۡ‌ۚ لَا تَظۡلِمُوۡنَ وَلَا تُظۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ ﴿۲۷۹﴾

"O those who believe, fear Allah and and give up what still remains of the 'Riba' if you are believers. But if you do not, then listen to the declaration of war from Allah and His messenger. And if you repent, yours is yours principal. Neither you wrong, nor be wronged."

This warning is such a dire warning that other than for those people who intentionally commit 'kufr' such a dire warning has not been issued in the Quran for committing any other sin. May Allah Ta'alah save us all from being deserving of such a warning, and help those of us who are somehow involved in taking or giving interest get rid of it altogether. Ameen. There would hardly be a Muslim who believes that Allah Ta'alah exists, who believes in the Holy Prophet ﷺ being the Messenger of Allah, who believes that Quran Karim is Allah's book, and whose heart won't be affected by listening to this declaration of war from Allah Ta'alah.

Adapted from Ma'ariful Quran, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi Rehmatullah Elaih

SURAH AL-BAQARAH: 278

يٰۤـاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ وَذَرُوۡا مَا بَقِىَ مِنَ الرِّبٰٓوا اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ مُّؤۡمِنِيۡنَ‏۔

"O those who believe, fear Allah and give up what still remain of the Riba (interest) if you are believers." 

This verse starts with the command اتَّقُوا اللّٰہ, meaning 'fear Allah". This is the unique style of the Holy Quran, which distinguishes it from all the other law books of the world, in that before introducing a new law, which people may find difficult to follow, it reminds people that one day we will be presented before Allah Ta'alah, we will have to account for all the actions we have performed in this life, and after that it will be decided whether we go to Jannah (Paradise) or Jahannum (Hell). In this way people's minds are prepared to obey the law that is introduced subsequently. Similarly, in this case people might have found it difficult to let go of the interest accrued on their previous loans, therefore, this verse starts with اتَّقُوا اللّٰہ (fear Allah), and then it commands them to let go of their remaining interest. The verse ends with اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ مُّؤۡمِنِيۡنَ (if you are believers), again reminding them if they are true believers then they must obey Allah Ta'alah. (Ma'ariful Quran)

Explanation:

The true meaning of Taqwa is fear because of which a person abstains from doing something wrong, or gives up something bad. The Quran Karim advises us many many times; develop Taqwa, develop fear of Allah. The reason for that is that once this feeling develops strongly in someone's mind that Allah Ta'alah is watching him all the time, then he doesn't need an external agency to police his behaviour, he automatically starts hesitating before committing sins. It is like there are many sins we commit which we would never dream of committing if being observed by our parents. Then Allah's being is much greater and has no comparison with that of our parents. 

Caliph Umar Raziullah Anhu once went out of the city. When he became hungry there was nothing to eat out there. A shepherd was herding his goats nearby. Hazrat Umar Raziullah Anhu asked him if he could drink the milk of his goat. The shepherd replied that the goats didn't belong to him. He herded someone else's goats for a charge, and therefore, he could not give their milk to him without the owner's permission. Hazrat Umar sometimes used to test the people. He said, "Why don't I propose something which would be of benefit to both of us. If you sell me the goat I will drink its milk, and then eat its meat after slaughtering it. This will relieve my hunger and thirst. I will pay you for the goat. You just lie to the owner that a wolf ate one of the goats. That is not unheard of so the owner won't suspect you and you can keep the money." Upon hearing this the shepherd exclaimed, "O" prince! Then what about Allah?" meaning that the owner is not watching me but Allah Ta'alah is watching me. How can I lie in front of Allah. Hazrat Umar RAA said to him, "as long as people like you are present in this Ummah (community) it will never go astray."

This is true Taqwa that where no one is watching and monitoring, just the thought that Allah Ta'alah is watching does not let a person lie or eat Hara'am. Unfortunately as we have moved further away the time of the Holy Prophet ﷺ our character has deteriorated to such an extent that today even those people among us who consider themselves religious do not have the same degree of Taqwa and worry about Hara'am and Halal that was present in a shepherd of those days.

SURAH AL-BAQARAH: 277

اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ وَاَقَامُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتَوُا الزَّكٰوةَ لَهُمۡ اَجۡرُهُمۡ عِنۡدَ رَبِّهِمۡ‌ۚ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُوۡنَ‏۔

"Surely those who believe and do good deeds, establish Salah and Zakah, have their reward with their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve."

This verse mentions the great reward of internal peace and comfort that awaits the truly believing and practicing Muslims, who are steadfast in Salah and Zakah. The Arabic word "خَوۡفٌ" refers to anxiety and worry about something untoward happening in the future, and the word "حزن" refers to sadness and grief about a loss event. A person who is free of these two emotions enjoys true bliss and happiness. (Ma'ariful Quran)

Hazrat Sufiyan Suri REhmatullah Elaih, who was one of the great saints of his time, used to say that if kings became aware of the inner peace and tranquillity of  Ilm (knowledge), of His Ibadah (acts of worship), and of His Zikr (remembrance) that Allah Ta'alah has bestowed upon us in our hearts, as His blessing, then they would descend upon with us with drawn swords insisting that we hand this peace and tranquillity over to them. 

These days people are afflicted by all sorts of worries, anxieties and mental distress. They try to get rid of it through all sorts of treatments, and still their worry and sadness does not go away completely. In Quran Karim Allah Ta'alah has promised Momineen (people of faith) and Saliheen (virtuous people) again and again that they will neither have anxiety about the future, nor sadness about the past. It does not mean that they do not come across worrying or sad situations. What it means is that once someone places his happiness in Allah's will, in that they are happy with whatever Allah decides for them, then even if they experience adverse circumstances in life they may feel biological anxiety and sadness, but their heart and mind are happy with whatever Allah Ta'alah has chosen for them. A person should trying acting on these verses even if as treatments, he will then InshaAllah experience such peace in his heart that he will get the blessing of وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُوۡنَ‏ in this world.

SURAH AL-BAQARAH: 276 - Part 2

In the second part of this verse Allah Ta'alah has said: "وَاللّٰهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ اَثِيۡمٍ" (And Allah does not like any sinful disbeliever). Here it has been indicated that those who refuse to accept Riba as Hara'am have fallen into kufr (disbelief); and those who do accept that it is Hara'am, and yet get involved in it, are sinners, transgressors or fasiq. This needs to be understood in a bit of detail.

It is only Allah Ta'alah who knows who is a true Momin (believer), a Munafiq (a duplicitous person who claims to be a Muslim but doesn't truly believe) or a Kafir (non-believer), as Iman resides inside a person's heart and no human being can know what is inside another human being's heart or mind. However, according to the rules of the Shariah a person becomes a Kafir only if he openly refuses to accept a clear injunction or rule of the Shariah clearly described in the Quran by Allah Ta'alah or laid out by the Holy Prophet ﷺ, and either denies that it is a sin at all, or insists that it is the right thing to  do. 

If a person comes to realise that he had been involved in sinful behaviours, and he intends to give up those sins but because of his circumstances cannot give up all of them immediately, what he or she should do is to start accepting that what he is doing is a sin, and start praying to Allay Ta'alah that "O' Allah! I am involved in these sins. At this time I am unable to stop committing all of them immediately. Please help me to stop committing these sins." (Ameen). Doing this is not beyond the capacity of any human being at any time. What we must refrain from is denying that these sins are sins, or insisting that they are the right thing to do, because then, as comes elsewhere, Allah Ta'alah then sometimes puts a stamp on a person's heart and he loses the capacity to differentiate right from wrong.

These days some Muslims sometimes say that interest-based economy has become so ubiquitous that we cannot live without it, so Ulema (religious scholars) should declare interest Halal. What they fail to appreciate is that Riba has not been declared Hara'am by Ulema, it has been declared Hara'am by Allah Ta'alah, and not just once but in multiple verses of the Quran. How can any Moulvi, Aalim or Mufti who has read the Quran declare it Halal?

Adapted from Ma'ariful Quran, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi Rehmatullah Elaih