١٤٦. عَنْ جَابِرٍ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: لَعَنَ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ آكِلَ الرِّبَا وَمُوكِلَهُ وَكَاتِبَهُ وَشَاهِدَيْهِ وَقَالَ:
«هُمْ سَوَاءٌ».
146. Jabir (r.a.) narrates:
“The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) cursed the receiver of interest and its payer, and the one who records it, and its witnesses, and he said:
“They are all equal…” (Muslim, Musakat, 105-106. Also see Bukhari, Buyu’, 24, 25, 113; Abu Dawud, Buyu, 4/3333; Tirmidhi, Buyu, 2/1206; Ibn Majah, Ticarat, 58)
١٤٧. عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:
«مَا أَحَدٌ أَكْثَرَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِلَّا كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ أَمْرِهِ إِلَى قِلَّةٍ».
147. As narrated by Abdullah b. Mas’ud, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
“The end of everyone who increases their wealth through interest is to inflicted with poverty by the decrease in their wealth.”(Ibn Majah, Trade, 58; Hakim, IV, 353/7892; Baihaqi, Shuab, IV, 392/5512; Taberani, Kabir, X, 223/10539)
١٤٨. عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:
«لَيَأْتِيَنَّ عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ لَا يَبْقَى أَحَدٌ إِلَّا أَكَلَ الرِّبَا فَإِنْ لَمْ يَأْكُلْهُ أَصَابَهُ مِنْ غُبَارِهِ».
148. Abu Huraira (r.a.) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
“There will be a time when there will be no one who does not receive interest. Even if a person does not receive it directly, its dust[1] will reach him.” (Abu Dawud, Kitab Al-Buyu, 3/3331. Also see. Nasai, Kitab Al-Buyu, 2/4452; Ibn Majah, Tijarah, 58)
Explanations:
For the Messenger of Allah, the worst of all earnings is the one earned through interest.[2] Interes, which is based on obtaining profit with no underlying trade, is a great violation of people’s rights. Even if it seems in appearance like a help and an aid to the people in need, in reality it is a disaster nothing more than taking advantage of others’ misfortune. It is a malignant tumor which is a death-warrant to morality and destroys the economy from inside. By increasing inflation, it makes the rich more powerful and the poor even poorer. Thus, it worsens the income inequality. As a matter of fact, as per the definitions of famous economists the best countries in terms of economic state are the ones whose inflation and interest rates are close to zero.
Besides, there are many harms of interest such as increasing unemployment rates, causing artificial price increases. It fuels greed for money and influence by stirring up egoism and selfishness and debilitates moral values such as altruism, generosity, social solidarity, affection, mercy, and compassion.
Interest keeps humans away from honest earning by working and being busy with production. Those who get used to do transactions with interest quit fundamental ways of earning such as agriculture, artisanship, and trade. Then there remains only one option left for livelihood, which is earning money from money. Soon everyone realizes that it is not enough for living.
Interest earning causes major competitions and ongoing hostilities. There is no other thing that causes hostility and enmity between the transactors than interest.
The worst part of interest is that humans can get addicted to it and can’t quit it no matter what. Even though some people may like earning money by money, it is neither in favor of individuals nor the society. As a matter of fact, in the long run, since it alters the relationship between labor and capital, even those who earn interest will be harmed by it in the end.
Interest is a sin that is prohibited in all religions since its harms are so clear. In some verses of Qur’an, it is stated that interest is forbidden in Judaism as well. (Al-Nisa; 4:160-161)
In the Era of Ignorance, the people of Quraish Tribe, were aware of its harms and knew that it was forbidden even if they were deep in interest. As a matter of fact, five years before the emergence of Islam, when Meccan people were planning to fix Ka’bah, Abu Wahb b. Amr, one of the prominent figures of Mecca, stood up and said:
“O people of Quraish! Donate from the honest earning of your money for the construction of Ka’bah! Do not mix any money that is earned through illegitimate ways such as adultery, interest, or seized money by oppression. (Ibn Hisham, I, 210; Ibn Kasir, al-Bidaya, II, 305)
The people of Quraish had a difficult time to find honest earning and had to leave the hatim section of the Ka’bah unfinished.[3] In other words, even if the polytheists of that era knew that interest earning is too wrong to be used in the construction of the House of Allah, they still could not save themselves from it.
Islam came a while later and advised people to increase their wealth by building partnerships instead of through interest. That is because it is the best way of earning for everyone. Apart from this, Islam encourages “qard hasan” or “giving loans without interest, just for the sake of Allah, as much as one can” and regarded the loans given to the needy better than the charity. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) informed us about this as:
“In the night of ascension, I saw that it was written on the door of the Paradise as:
“Sadaqahs (alms) will be rewarded by ten times, and loans will be rewarded by eighteen times.”
I asked:
“O Gabriel! Why is loan better than sadaqah (alms)?”
Gabriel (pbuh) answered:
“That is because a beggar (most of the time) asks for money in spite of he has some with him. However, those who ask for a loan ask due to their need.” (Ibn Majah, Sadaqah, 19)
In addition to these, by ordering zakat (obligatory alms) and sadaqah (alms), Islam has ensured economic stability and order of the Muslim society.[4]
Interest, which was seen as a normal way of transaction by the people of the Era of Ignorance, was gradually prohibited by the Noble Qur’an for it was deeply rooted in the society. That is because it is very hard to deter people from their deep rooted traditions and beliefs. For this reason, first the prophets and then all other reformers have faced many troubles and gone through many difficulties in order to deter people from their wrong ideas and false traditions. In order to be successful, they employed the method of gradualism.
Almighty Allah reproached interest in a noble verse of Qur’an revealed in Mecca saying “That which you lay out for increase through the property of (other) people will have no increase with Allah”[5] and pointed out that it was going to be forbidden in the future.
In the following verse of the Qur’an, revealed during the first years of Medinan era, counts interest among the sins that led the punishment of the Jews:
“For the iniquity of the Jews We made unlawful for them certain (foods) good and wholesome which had been lawful for them; in that they hindered many from Allah’s Way that they took usury, though they were forbidden; and that they devoured men’s substance wrongfully; We have prepared for those among them who reject faith a grievous punishment.” (Al-Nisa; 4:160-161)
In these verses, there is not a clear command forbidding interest for Muslims. They just point out that interest is a major sin from which a believer has to stay away.
Through other verses which were revealed in later periods, interest is prohibited for Muslims:
“O you who believe! Devour not usury, doubled and multiplied; but fear Allah that you may (really) prosper. Fear the Fire, which is repaired for those who reject Faith: And obey Allah and the Messenger that you may obtain mercy.” (Al-i Imran; 3:130-132)
In the practice called “interest of the Era of Ignorance” the increase was based on postponing the payment of the loan. The creditor would ask for extra payment either at the beginning of the agreement knowing that the debt will be paid back at a later time or to postpone the payment when the debt is unpaid on the due date. Usually, since the debts would not get paid on time, the interest would multiply. The above mentioned verse points out this fact by saying “doubled and multiplied” and expresses that this is a heartbreaking brutality. Therefore, it is not possible to understand from these expressions that small amounts of interest which do not double the principal are not forbidden. As a matter of fact, the aim of this verse is not to put a limit on the prohibition but to remind the miserable end that interest eventually reaches and the fact that it is harmful to people.
For this reason, whether the rate is small or big, all kinds of interest are prohibited. As a matter of fact, interest is absolutely prohibited with the following later noble verse of the Qur’an that was revealed without mentioning the expression “doubled and multiplied” and some questions that can be raised is answered:
“Those who devour usury will not stand except as stand one whom the Evil one by his touch has driven to madness. That is because they say: “Trade is like usury,”[6] but Allah has permitted trade and forbidden usury. Those who after receiving direction from their Lord, desist, shall be pardoned for the past; their case is for Allah (to judge); but those who repeat (the offence) are companions of the Fire: They will abide therein (for ever).” (Al-Baqarah; 2:275)
Ibn Abbas (r.a.) said referring to these verses:
“One of the last noble verses of the Qur’an that is revealed to the Prophet (pbuh) was the one about interest.” (Bukhari, Tafsir, 2/53)
This verse continues as:
“O you who believe! Fear Allah, and give up what remains of your demand for usury, if you are indeed believers. If you do it not, take notice of war from Allah and His Messenger. But if you turn back, you shall have your capital sums: Deal not unjustly, and you shall not be dealt with unjustly.” (Al-Baqarah; 2:278-279)
In the Noble Qur’an, Almighty Allah did not declare war against any disobedient and sinner other than who gain from interest and threaten anyone so severely.[7] This is enough to prove how big a sin taking interest is. We see the miserable ends of those who continue to take interest by being deaf and blind to such divine warnings in various examples in our daily life.
In his farewell sermon, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) announced that interest is forbidden to everyone and said:
“All claims to usury of the pre-Islamic period have been abolished. “You shall have your capital sums, deal not unjustly and you shall not be dealt with unjustly.”[8] The first of those I remit is the interest of my uncle Abbas ibn AbdulMuttalib. His interest is remitted completely.” (See Muslim, Hajj, 147-8; Abu Dawud, Kitab Al-Buyu, 5/3334; Tirmidhi, Tafsir, 9/3087)
In another hadith, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) informs us that interest is one of the seven things that drag humans to misery. (Bukhari, Wasaya, 23; Tibb, 48; Hudud, 44; Muslim, Iman, 145. Also see Abu Dawud, Wasaya, 10/2874; Nasai, Wasaya, 12)
There are also other strong statements that exemplify how big a sin interest is. In one of them, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) talks about seventy kinds of sins due to interest and says:
“The lightest of them would be like getting married to one’s own mother.” (Ibn Majah, Ticarat, 58; Hakim, II, 43/2259; Baihaqi, Shuab, IV, 392-395)
Here the number seventy is not mentioned to limit the harms of interest but rather to show the magnitude of its harms. As a matter fact, in various narrations different numbers, such as seventy two or seventy three, are used. Therefore, interest leads to many other sins and all of them cause major harms. Even the least harmful of them would be similar to the worst and most undesirable situation.
In another hadith stating the punishments of the interest receivers, the Prophet (pbuh) said:
“In the night of Ascention, I saw some people whose bellies were as big as a house. Their bellies were full of snakes and they were visible from the outside. I asked:
“O Gabriel! Who are they?” He answered:
“Those are the interest receivers!” (Ibn Majah, Trade, 58)
There are other reports that inform us about the miserable end in the grave and in the Hereafter of those who receive interest. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) warned his followers in many occasions for them not to fall into such miserable situation. For example, as we are told in our first hadith, in order to keep his followers away from this major sin, he cursed those who receive interest, who give interest, who record the transactions of interest, and the witnesses of these kinds of agreements and told that they are all the same in terms committing this sin.
The term “receiver (literally consumer)” is used to indicate those who take the interest earning. It does not make any difference whether he personally consumes the interest (money) or not. Since one of the most important and known ways of benefiting from wealth is expressed as “consuming,” these terms are generally used to mean to benefit from interest.
The Prophet cursed everyone who takes part in interest bearing transactions in order to show that there is no place for it in Muslim societies. His cursing also clearly explains that everyone should stay away from it, and closes the doors to all the wrong deeds and evils that interest causes. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has been so careful about the issue of interest that he did not leave any loopholes and made the criteria very clear and accurate. For example, let’s look at the following noble hadith:
“Whoever mediates for another and receives a gift in turn, if he accepts the gift, he opens one of the great doors of interest (and loses the reward of his good deed.)” (Abu Dawud, Kitab Al-Buyu, 82/3541)
“If one of you lends some money to another and the receiver gives a gift to the lender, the lender should not accept the gift or if the receiver offers the lender a ride with his animal, he should not use it unless it is customary between them to give and receive gifts or help from each other before the loan.” (Ibn Majah, Sadaqah, 19)
Hence, one should be very careful about interest and avoid even the suspicious acts. As a matter of fact, Umar (r.a.) said:
“One of the last noble verses of Qur’an is about interest. Therefore, you should quit interest and anything related that is suspicious.” (Ibn Majah, Trade, 58)
Here, Umar’s object is to express that interest is one of the things prohibited lastly and it is not possible that this command was abrogated. In other words, the prohibition of interest is clear and for this reason, one must pay extra attention and avoid even the suspicious things in order to protect oneself from it. As a matter of fact, the Companions of the Prophet (r. anhum) used to act in this way. Umar (r.a.) expressed how much attention they paid to this matter saying:
“We have abandoned nine out of the ten permissible (halal) things due to the fear of getting into interest.” (Ali al-Muttaqi, IV, 187/10087)
While Muslim scholars agree that it is liked (mandub) to stay away from suspicious things, they agree that when it comes to interest, it is required (wajib) to avoid them.
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to pay so much attention to the issue of interest that he said when he made an agreement with the people of Najran: “There is no more transaction of interest. Those who receive interest from now on are not under my protection.” (See Abu Dawud, Kitab al-Kharaj, 29-30/3041; Baihaqi, al-Sunan al-Kubra, IX, 202; Ibn Abi Shayba, Musannaf, VII, 426/37015)
In the Musannaf of Ibn Ebi Shaybah, the following expression is recorded
“If you receive interest, there is no more peace between us” in the section about the peace agreement with the people of Najran. Then, it is written that the Prophet did not do any peace or agreement with those who receive interest. (Ibn Abi Shayba, Musannaf, IV, 448/22006)
While many people may agree that interest is bad for the society, sometimes people may wrongly consider it to be beneficial for individuals. However, as expressed in our second hadith, the happiness of a person who thinks that his wealth has increased with the interest would not last long. His calculations would turn upside down and he will face misery. The bounty of his wealth would be lost from the beginning and he would not benefit from it. Then, for various reasons his wealth will decrease and he will even go bankrupt. At the end, he will be condemned to misery both in this world and in the hereafter.
It is told in other noble verses of the Qur’an:
“That which you lay out for increase through the property of (other) people, will have no increase with Allah, but that which you lay out for charity, seeking the Countenance of Allah, (will increase): it is these who will get a recompense multiplied.” (Ar-Rum; 30:39)
“Allah will deprive usury of all blessing, but will give increase for deeds of charity: For He loves not creatures ungrateful and wicked.” (Al-Baqarah; 2:276)
Although interest is such a harmful and painful sin, many people get biased by how it externally looks and get stuck in interest. As a matter of fact, as our third hadith informs us that there will be a time when there will be no one who does not receive interest, even if a person tries to avoid interest, he will get from its dust. That is because a person who lives in a society will have relations with others, visit each other, exchange gifts, and join in weddings and holidays. He will have to receive his salary from a bank, and as such it will be impossible to stay away from interest.
People living in such society will eventually start not even to worry about what is permissible (halal) or what is forbidden. That is because their souls and hearts will be completely bankrupt. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
“There will be a time when a person will not care whether his earnings are coming through permissible or prohibited means.” (Nasai, Buyu, 2/4451)
From these statements, it is not right to conclude that “it is not possible to imagine a society without interest in today’s world.” If this were the case, Allah the Almighty would not prohibit interest. For sure there could be a life without interest, and it would be much better than it is thought. As a matter of fact, there are societies who achieved that. It is necessary for Muslims to face the struggle of getting interest out of their lives when interest is widespread and build a clean society free from interest. As a matter of fact, it is possible to take the words of the Prophet “There will be a time when there will be no one who does not receive interest. Even if a person does not directly earn from interest, its dust will reach him” as a warning in these terms. In other words, the time will be so bad that Muslims will have to be extra careful about this issue. Otherwise, even if they directly do not receive interest, its dust will reach them.
May our Almighty Lord protect the followers of the Muhammed from all kinds of sins and bless us with a peaceful society free of all sins!
Amin!..[9]
[1] In another versions of this hadith recorded by Abu Dawud, the phrase “its vapor” is used.
[2] Ibn Abi Shayba, Musannaf, VII, 106/34552; Waqidi, III, 1016; ; Ibn Kathir, Bidayah, V, 13-14.
[3] Translator’s Note: The area enclosed by a half-moon shaped wall beside the Ka‘bah called hatim.
[4] Our ancestors had reached to the peak of being nice and kind when giving alms to needy. In order not to embarrass those who could not want anything from anyone due to their honor and modesty, they placed “ alms stones” in various locations. Those who are wealthy would leave their alms in the hole on top of these stones. Then the modest and honorable needy of the neighborhood would come and take as much as they need from these alms and would leave the rest. A French traveler who wrote about the 17th century Istanbul stated that he had observed a stone with money on top of it but had not seen anyone to come and get the money.
[6] Interest is to take more than what is given in transactions of goods that are same in measurements, weight or kind. It does not matter whether the transaction is in full payment or installments. If a person lends some gold, silver, wheat, or date, and then receives gold for the gold, silver for the silver, wheat for the wheat, and date for the date but more than what he has given in terms of measurement or kind, this extra is the interest prohibited in the noble verses; the command does not change even if the payment happens at a later time. There is no problem by taking gold for gold, silver for silver or wheat for wheat as long as attention is paid to the kind, measurements, and weights are the same. If a person gives gold to someone and receives silver in turn, gives barley and receives date in turn, or gives barley and receives wheat in turn, the extra money that he makes is permissible (halal) even if the measurements or the kinds are not the same because it is the profit that he makes. That is because the work he has done is trade whether it is done in full payment or in installments.
Charging for a higher amount in transactions of exchanging different goods is the compensation for the cost of effort, time, the good, and the business. However, receiving extra in transactions of the same goods with the same kinds and measurements is earning something for free. (Izzet Derveze, et-Tefsiru’l-hadis, V, 309-310)
[7] The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) mentions one more case where Allah declares war against which is against those who show hostility to the friends of Allah. (Bukhari, al-Riqaq, 38)
[9] For more details about interest see İsmail Özsoy, “Faiz” Diyanet İslâm Ansiklopedisi, XII, 110-126; ibid, Faiz ve Problemleri, İzmir 1993.
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d. Interest
١٤٦. عَنْ جَابِرٍ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: لَعَنَ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ آكِلَ الرِّبَا وَمُوكِلَهُ وَكَاتِبَهُ وَشَاهِدَيْهِ وَقَالَ:
«هُمْ سَوَاءٌ».
146. Jabir (r.a.) narrates:
“The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) cursed the receiver of interest and its payer, and the one who records it, and its witnesses, and he said:
“They are all equal…” (Muslim, Musakat, 105-106. Also see Bukhari, Buyu’, 24, 25, 113; Abu Dawud, Buyu, 4/3333; Tirmidhi, Buyu, 2/1206; Ibn Majah, Ticarat, 58)
١٤٧. عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:
«مَا أَحَدٌ أَكْثَرَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِلَّا كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ أَمْرِهِ إِلَى قِلَّةٍ».
147. As narrated by Abdullah b. Mas’ud, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
“The end of everyone who increases their wealth through interest is to inflicted with poverty by the decrease in their wealth.”(Ibn Majah, Trade, 58; Hakim, IV, 353/7892; Baihaqi, Shuab, IV, 392/5512; Taberani, Kabir, X, 223/10539)
١٤٨. عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:
«لَيَأْتِيَنَّ عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ لَا يَبْقَى أَحَدٌ إِلَّا أَكَلَ الرِّبَا فَإِنْ لَمْ يَأْكُلْهُ أَصَابَهُ مِنْ غُبَارِهِ».
148. Abu Huraira (r.a.) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
“There will be a time when there will be no one who does not receive interest. Even if a person does not receive it directly, its dust[1] will reach him.” (Abu Dawud, Kitab Al-Buyu, 3/3331. Also see. Nasai, Kitab Al-Buyu, 2/4452; Ibn Majah, Tijarah, 58)
Explanations:
For the Messenger of Allah, the worst of all earnings is the one earned through interest.[2] Interes, which is based on obtaining profit with no underlying trade, is a great violation of people’s rights. Even if it seems in appearance like a help and an aid to the people in need, in reality it is a disaster nothing more than taking advantage of others’ misfortune. It is a malignant tumor which is a death-warrant to morality and destroys the economy from inside. By increasing inflation, it makes the rich more powerful and the poor even poorer. Thus, it worsens the income inequality. As a matter of fact, as per the definitions of famous economists the best countries in terms of economic state are the ones whose inflation and interest rates are close to zero.
Besides, there are many harms of interest such as increasing unemployment rates, causing artificial price increases. It fuels greed for money and influence by stirring up egoism and selfishness and debilitates moral values such as altruism, generosity, social solidarity, affection, mercy, and compassion.
Interest keeps humans away from honest earning by working and being busy with production. Those who get used to do transactions with interest quit fundamental ways of earning such as agriculture, artisanship, and trade. Then there remains only one option left for livelihood, which is earning money from money. Soon everyone realizes that it is not enough for living.
Interest earning causes major competitions and ongoing hostilities. There is no other thing that causes hostility and enmity between the transactors than interest.
The worst part of interest is that humans can get addicted to it and can’t quit it no matter what. Even though some people may like earning money by money, it is neither in favor of individuals nor the society. As a matter of fact, in the long run, since it alters the relationship between labor and capital, even those who earn interest will be harmed by it in the end.
Interest is a sin that is prohibited in all religions since its harms are so clear. In some verses of Qur’an, it is stated that interest is forbidden in Judaism as well. (Al-Nisa; 4:160-161)
In the Era of Ignorance, the people of Quraish Tribe, were aware of its harms and knew that it was forbidden even if they were deep in interest. As a matter of fact, five years before the emergence of Islam, when Meccan people were planning to fix Ka’bah, Abu Wahb b. Amr, one of the prominent figures of Mecca, stood up and said:
“O people of Quraish! Donate from the honest earning of your money for the construction of Ka’bah! Do not mix any money that is earned through illegitimate ways such as adultery, interest, or seized money by oppression. (Ibn Hisham, I, 210; Ibn Kasir, al-Bidaya, II, 305)
The people of Quraish had a difficult time to find honest earning and had to leave the hatim section of the Ka’bah unfinished.[3] In other words, even if the polytheists of that era knew that interest earning is too wrong to be used in the construction of the House of Allah, they still could not save themselves from it.
Islam came a while later and advised people to increase their wealth by building partnerships instead of through interest. That is because it is the best way of earning for everyone. Apart from this, Islam encourages “qard hasan” or “giving loans without interest, just for the sake of Allah, as much as one can” and regarded the loans given to the needy better than the charity. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) informed us about this as:
“In the night of ascension, I saw that it was written on the door of the Paradise as:
“Sadaqahs (alms) will be rewarded by ten times, and loans will be rewarded by eighteen times.”
I asked:
“O Gabriel! Why is loan better than sadaqah (alms)?”
Gabriel (pbuh) answered:
“That is because a beggar (most of the time) asks for money in spite of he has some with him. However, those who ask for a loan ask due to their need.” (Ibn Majah, Sadaqah, 19)
In addition to these, by ordering zakat (obligatory alms) and sadaqah (alms), Islam has ensured economic stability and order of the Muslim society.[4]
Interest, which was seen as a normal way of transaction by the people of the Era of Ignorance, was gradually prohibited by the Noble Qur’an for it was deeply rooted in the society. That is because it is very hard to deter people from their deep rooted traditions and beliefs. For this reason, first the prophets and then all other reformers have faced many troubles and gone through many difficulties in order to deter people from their wrong ideas and false traditions. In order to be successful, they employed the method of gradualism.
Almighty Allah reproached interest in a noble verse of Qur’an revealed in Mecca saying “That which you lay out for increase through the property of (other) people will have no increase with Allah”[5] and pointed out that it was going to be forbidden in the future.
In the following verse of the Qur’an, revealed during the first years of Medinan era, counts interest among the sins that led the punishment of the Jews:
“For the iniquity of the Jews We made unlawful for them certain (foods) good and wholesome which had been lawful for them; in that they hindered many from Allah’s Way that they took usury, though they were forbidden; and that they devoured men’s substance wrongfully; We have prepared for those among them who reject faith a grievous punishment.” (Al-Nisa; 4:160-161)
In these verses, there is not a clear command forbidding interest for Muslims. They just point out that interest is a major sin from which a believer has to stay away.
Through other verses which were revealed in later periods, interest is prohibited for Muslims:
“O you who believe! Devour not usury, doubled and multiplied; but fear Allah that you may (really) prosper. Fear the Fire, which is repaired for those who reject Faith: And obey Allah and the Messenger that you may obtain mercy.” (Al-i Imran; 3:130-132)
In the practice called “interest of the Era of Ignorance” the increase was based on postponing the payment of the loan. The creditor would ask for extra payment either at the beginning of the agreement knowing that the debt will be paid back at a later time or to postpone the payment when the debt is unpaid on the due date. Usually, since the debts would not get paid on time, the interest would multiply. The above mentioned verse points out this fact by saying “doubled and multiplied” and expresses that this is a heartbreaking brutality. Therefore, it is not possible to understand from these expressions that small amounts of interest which do not double the principal are not forbidden. As a matter of fact, the aim of this verse is not to put a limit on the prohibition but to remind the miserable end that interest eventually reaches and the fact that it is harmful to people.
For this reason, whether the rate is small or big, all kinds of interest are prohibited. As a matter of fact, interest is absolutely prohibited with the following later noble verse of the Qur’an that was revealed without mentioning the expression “doubled and multiplied” and some questions that can be raised is answered:
“Those who devour usury will not stand except as stand one whom the Evil one by his touch has driven to madness. That is because they say: “Trade is like usury,”[6] but Allah has permitted trade and forbidden usury. Those who after receiving direction from their Lord, desist, shall be pardoned for the past; their case is for Allah (to judge); but those who repeat (the offence) are companions of the Fire: They will abide therein (for ever).” (Al-Baqarah; 2:275)
Ibn Abbas (r.a.) said referring to these verses:
“One of the last noble verses of the Qur’an that is revealed to the Prophet (pbuh) was the one about interest.” (Bukhari, Tafsir, 2/53)
This verse continues as:
“O you who believe! Fear Allah, and give up what remains of your demand for usury, if you are indeed believers. If you do it not, take notice of war from Allah and His Messenger. But if you turn back, you shall have your capital sums: Deal not unjustly, and you shall not be dealt with unjustly.” (Al-Baqarah; 2:278-279)
In the Noble Qur’an, Almighty Allah did not declare war against any disobedient and sinner other than who gain from interest and threaten anyone so severely.[7] This is enough to prove how big a sin taking interest is. We see the miserable ends of those who continue to take interest by being deaf and blind to such divine warnings in various examples in our daily life.
In his farewell sermon, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) announced that interest is forbidden to everyone and said:
“All claims to usury of the pre-Islamic period have been abolished. “You shall have your capital sums, deal not unjustly and you shall not be dealt with unjustly.”[8] The first of those I remit is the interest of my uncle Abbas ibn AbdulMuttalib. His interest is remitted completely.” (See Muslim, Hajj, 147-8; Abu Dawud, Kitab Al-Buyu, 5/3334; Tirmidhi, Tafsir, 9/3087)
In another hadith, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) informs us that interest is one of the seven things that drag humans to misery. (Bukhari, Wasaya, 23; Tibb, 48; Hudud, 44; Muslim, Iman, 145. Also see Abu Dawud, Wasaya, 10/2874; Nasai, Wasaya, 12)
There are also other strong statements that exemplify how big a sin interest is. In one of them, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) talks about seventy kinds of sins due to interest and says:
“The lightest of them would be like getting married to one’s own mother.” (Ibn Majah, Ticarat, 58; Hakim, II, 43/2259; Baihaqi, Shuab, IV, 392-395)
Here the number seventy is not mentioned to limit the harms of interest but rather to show the magnitude of its harms. As a matter fact, in various narrations different numbers, such as seventy two or seventy three, are used. Therefore, interest leads to many other sins and all of them cause major harms. Even the least harmful of them would be similar to the worst and most undesirable situation.
In another hadith stating the punishments of the interest receivers, the Prophet (pbuh) said:
“In the night of Ascention, I saw some people whose bellies were as big as a house. Their bellies were full of snakes and they were visible from the outside. I asked:
“O Gabriel! Who are they?” He answered:
“Those are the interest receivers!” (Ibn Majah, Trade, 58)
There are other reports that inform us about the miserable end in the grave and in the Hereafter of those who receive interest. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) warned his followers in many occasions for them not to fall into such miserable situation. For example, as we are told in our first hadith, in order to keep his followers away from this major sin, he cursed those who receive interest, who give interest, who record the transactions of interest, and the witnesses of these kinds of agreements and told that they are all the same in terms committing this sin.
The term “receiver (literally consumer)” is used to indicate those who take the interest earning. It does not make any difference whether he personally consumes the interest (money) or not. Since one of the most important and known ways of benefiting from wealth is expressed as “consuming,” these terms are generally used to mean to benefit from interest.
The Prophet cursed everyone who takes part in interest bearing transactions in order to show that there is no place for it in Muslim societies. His cursing also clearly explains that everyone should stay away from it, and closes the doors to all the wrong deeds and evils that interest causes. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has been so careful about the issue of interest that he did not leave any loopholes and made the criteria very clear and accurate. For example, let’s look at the following noble hadith:
“Whoever mediates for another and receives a gift in turn, if he accepts the gift, he opens one of the great doors of interest (and loses the reward of his good deed.)” (Abu Dawud, Kitab Al-Buyu, 82/3541)
“If one of you lends some money to another and the receiver gives a gift to the lender, the lender should not accept the gift or if the receiver offers the lender a ride with his animal, he should not use it unless it is customary between them to give and receive gifts or help from each other before the loan.” (Ibn Majah, Sadaqah, 19)
Hence, one should be very careful about interest and avoid even the suspicious acts. As a matter of fact, Umar (r.a.) said:
“One of the last noble verses of Qur’an is about interest. Therefore, you should quit interest and anything related that is suspicious.” (Ibn Majah, Trade, 58)
Here, Umar’s object is to express that interest is one of the things prohibited lastly and it is not possible that this command was abrogated. In other words, the prohibition of interest is clear and for this reason, one must pay extra attention and avoid even the suspicious things in order to protect oneself from it. As a matter of fact, the Companions of the Prophet (r. anhum) used to act in this way. Umar (r.a.) expressed how much attention they paid to this matter saying:
“We have abandoned nine out of the ten permissible (halal) things due to the fear of getting into interest.” (Ali al-Muttaqi, IV, 187/10087)
While Muslim scholars agree that it is liked (mandub) to stay away from suspicious things, they agree that when it comes to interest, it is required (wajib) to avoid them.
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to pay so much attention to the issue of interest that he said when he made an agreement with the people of Najran: “There is no more transaction of interest. Those who receive interest from now on are not under my protection.” (See Abu Dawud, Kitab al-Kharaj, 29-30/3041; Baihaqi, al-Sunan al-Kubra, IX, 202; Ibn Abi Shayba, Musannaf, VII, 426/37015)
In the Musannaf of Ibn Ebi Shaybah, the following expression is recorded
“If you receive interest, there is no more peace between us” in the section about the peace agreement with the people of Najran. Then, it is written that the Prophet did not do any peace or agreement with those who receive interest. (Ibn Abi Shayba, Musannaf, IV, 448/22006)
While many people may agree that interest is bad for the society, sometimes people may wrongly consider it to be beneficial for individuals. However, as expressed in our second hadith, the happiness of a person who thinks that his wealth has increased with the interest would not last long. His calculations would turn upside down and he will face misery. The bounty of his wealth would be lost from the beginning and he would not benefit from it. Then, for various reasons his wealth will decrease and he will even go bankrupt. At the end, he will be condemned to misery both in this world and in the hereafter.
It is told in other noble verses of the Qur’an:
“That which you lay out for increase through the property of (other) people, will have no increase with Allah, but that which you lay out for charity, seeking the Countenance of Allah, (will increase): it is these who will get a recompense multiplied.” (Ar-Rum; 30:39)
“Allah will deprive usury of all blessing, but will give increase for deeds of charity: For He loves not creatures ungrateful and wicked.” (Al-Baqarah; 2:276)
Although interest is such a harmful and painful sin, many people get biased by how it externally looks and get stuck in interest. As a matter of fact, as our third hadith informs us that there will be a time when there will be no one who does not receive interest, even if a person tries to avoid interest, he will get from its dust. That is because a person who lives in a society will have relations with others, visit each other, exchange gifts, and join in weddings and holidays. He will have to receive his salary from a bank, and as such it will be impossible to stay away from interest.
People living in such society will eventually start not even to worry about what is permissible (halal) or what is forbidden. That is because their souls and hearts will be completely bankrupt. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
“There will be a time when a person will not care whether his earnings are coming through permissible or prohibited means.” (Nasai, Buyu, 2/4451)
From these statements, it is not right to conclude that “it is not possible to imagine a society without interest in today’s world.” If this were the case, Allah the Almighty would not prohibit interest. For sure there could be a life without interest, and it would be much better than it is thought. As a matter of fact, there are societies who achieved that. It is necessary for Muslims to face the struggle of getting interest out of their lives when interest is widespread and build a clean society free from interest. As a matter of fact, it is possible to take the words of the Prophet “There will be a time when there will be no one who does not receive interest. Even if a person does not directly earn from interest, its dust will reach him” as a warning in these terms. In other words, the time will be so bad that Muslims will have to be extra careful about this issue. Otherwise, even if they directly do not receive interest, its dust will reach them.
May our Almighty Lord protect the followers of the Muhammed from all kinds of sins and bless us with a peaceful society free of all sins!
Amin!..[9]
[1] In another versions of this hadith recorded by Abu Dawud, the phrase “its vapor” is used.
[2] Ibn Abi Shayba, Musannaf, VII, 106/34552; Waqidi, III, 1016; ; Ibn Kathir, Bidayah, V, 13-14.
[3] Translator’s Note: The area enclosed by a half-moon shaped wall beside the Ka‘bah called hatim.
[4] Our ancestors had reached to the peak of being nice and kind when giving alms to needy. In order not to embarrass those who could not want anything from anyone due to their honor and modesty, they placed “ alms stones” in various locations. Those who are wealthy would leave their alms in the hole on top of these stones. Then the modest and honorable needy of the neighborhood would come and take as much as they need from these alms and would leave the rest. A French traveler who wrote about the 17th century Istanbul stated that he had observed a stone with money on top of it but had not seen anyone to come and get the money.
[5] Al-Rum; 30:39.
[6] Interest is to take more than what is given in transactions of goods that are same in measurements, weight or kind. It does not matter whether the transaction is in full payment or installments. If a person lends some gold, silver, wheat, or date, and then receives gold for the gold, silver for the silver, wheat for the wheat, and date for the date but more than what he has given in terms of measurement or kind, this extra is the interest prohibited in the noble verses; the command does not change even if the payment happens at a later time. There is no problem by taking gold for gold, silver for silver or wheat for wheat as long as attention is paid to the kind, measurements, and weights are the same. If a person gives gold to someone and receives silver in turn, gives barley and receives date in turn, or gives barley and receives wheat in turn, the extra money that he makes is permissible (halal) even if the measurements or the kinds are not the same because it is the profit that he makes. That is because the work he has done is trade whether it is done in full payment or in installments.
Charging for a higher amount in transactions of exchanging different goods is the compensation for the cost of effort, time, the good, and the business. However, receiving extra in transactions of the same goods with the same kinds and measurements is earning something for free. (Izzet Derveze, et-Tefsiru’l-hadis, V, 309-310)
[7] The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) mentions one more case where Allah declares war against which is against those who show hostility to the friends of Allah. (Bukhari, al-Riqaq, 38)
[8] Al-Baqara; 2:279.
[9] For more details about interest see İsmail Özsoy, “Faiz” Diyanet İslâm Ansiklopedisi, XII, 110-126; ibid, Faiz ve Problemleri, İzmir 1993.
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