- Interpretation Of Quran / The long version
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- (002) Al Bakara
The summary of the last lesson
Brother in faith, this is the 90th lesson on surat al-Baqarah, and it deals with the ayah number 275, in which Allah the Almighty says:
"Those who eat riba (usury) will not stand except as stands one whom the shaytan by his touch has driven to madness."
Dear brother! I mentioned in the last lesson that money is the lifeblood of existence. If it increases by way of trade, it circulates among people, and this is something natural, something Allah the Almighty wants. Such situation brings about well-being; people "eat and drink". On the other hand, if money makes money, it only circulates among the rich, leading to class differences, which means that millions have not even a dirham, while a single man has millions. This gives rise to delinquency, theft, fraud and moral deviation.
I also mentioned that the wrongness of an action is measured by the amount of harm it causes. For example, somebody who drinks alcohol harms himself, while those who commit adultery hurt themselves, both men and women. However, those who practise usury hurt the whole society. Therefore, on no other sin has Allah declared war in the Holy Quran except usury. This is because it may make the whole community go hungry and lead it to suffering on account of some people who make a lot of money in this way.
I also mentioned that when you invest money in commerce, many benefit from it, that is they have their share in it. In fact, unemployment has become one of the greatest problems on earth, so the more money you deposit in a bank, the more unemployment you generate. And the more you invest, the more you reduce unemployment, this being sound and correct.
I also mentioned that usury results in high prices and fewer can benefit from the available production. When that happens, prices go up again as merchants try to secure their profit, so that it comes to be a never-ending story, a vicious circle. On the other hand, when money is generated by way of trade only, capital and large quantities of money are distributed among all people. This is the summary of our last lesson.
Whoever takes usury glories in it at the expense of the sh3er
Let us ponder now over the details of these ayaat. Allah the Almighty says:
"Those who eat riba (usury")
The word "eat" means here "gain", and it contains an indication that the need for food and drink in a human being is uppermost, the most prominent one, so when somebody gains their money in an illicit way, it is in order to eat. Moreover, Allah the Almighty said that the prophets:
"Were all (men) who ate food and walked through the markets."
This ayah clearly points to the following facts: A prophet is a human being who is in need of food and drink in order to live. He is also in need of acquiring this food, therefore he must walk through the markets to be able to do so –such is his human condition. He needs food and he needs to buy this food. He must eat and drink, therefore he must work. In fact, we are forced to work. We work in order to eat, in order to get married, in order to safeguard our existence. So whoever takes usury glories in it at the expense of the sh3er, hoards wealth at the expense of other people's poverty, and gets puffed up in pride at the expense of bringing down other people. However, on the Day of Judgment, on the Day of Justice, on the Day of the Right, on the Day of Recompense, on the Day when each person will be paid in full what they have earned, and nobody will be dealt with unjustly, all facts will get revealed for us:"Now We have removed your veil, and sharp is your sight this Day!"
Those who engage in usury earn what they have no right to possess
Being heedless of the purpose of their existence in this world, such people are as if asleep. The moment they die, they will become well aware of the Reality; all their desires will be removed from them. Allah the Almighty says:
"And a barrier will be placed between them and that which they desire."
After death there will be no desire for food, or sex, or power on earth. Man will face the Truth. The veil will be lifted and he will perceive that he has made other people miserable in order to enrich himself. He ate and didn't care about their starving. He amassed money, became rich, and little did it matter that sh3er were in utter poverty. In fact, dear brother, as I have already mentioned, man goes from the stage at which his main concern is earning money to a stage where his main concern is hoarding and accumulating it, and for that reason Allah the Almighty says:
"And mercy from Allah is far better than all that they amass (of worldly wealth)."
So those who take usury obtain what they have no right to, that is, when they lend money, they impose a condition that the amount lent is to be paid back with an additional payment, which means –increased by usury. This addition is due to the passage of time. There is also a differential-pay usury, which implies selling things of the same kind for a double quantity, for example, selling half a bushel for a bushel of the same kind, which is acute injustice. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
"Gold, silver, wheat, barley, dates and raisins are sold from hand to hand, in the same quantities."
(Explanation of Musnad Abi Hanifa)
Difference between giving money to someone to invest it and depositing it in a bank
Of course, the in-depth discussion of usury, its various types and the reasons for its prohibition need to be discussed in a lesson on fiqh; and those who
"eat riba (usury) will not stand"
before their Lord on the Day of Resurrection
"except as stands one whom the shaytan by his touch has driven to madness."
A person "touched by the shaytan" has been hit by him, and this is what is called "the touch of the demon", or the epilepsy. It is caused by severe disturbance, an overwhelming feeling of guilt and shame, as well as an intense fear of having to account. Such will be their condition on the Day of Judgment.
“As stands one whom the shaytan by his touch has driven to madness."
The cause of this severe disturbance, this panic and this fear is their having said:
"Trade is like usury."
Nowadays many say: What is the difference between depositing one's money with someone who will invest it, and give one one's profit at the end of the year, and putting it in a bank which will give one one's profit likewise? There is a big difference. When you deposit your money in a bank, you get a pre-fixed profit, while when you deposit it with someone who invests it, the profit you get is real. If the investor succeeds, you will obtain your profit. If he fails, you will get nothing. If he looses, you will share in his loss. Thus, in buying and selling there is cooperation; while in usury there is the one who exploits and the one who is being exploited. Allah the Almighty says:
"They say: Trade is like riba (usury)."
When we specify a payment due to the passage of time, it is usury
Rhetoricians say: "This is a reversed analogy. According to the rule it should be said: 'Usury is like trade.' For example, it is analogy to say: 'The Caliph's face is like the sun.' But the analogy becomes reversed when one says: 'The sunlight is like the Caliph's face.' It is more rhetoric." Yet, Allah the Almighty says:
"That is because they say: Trade is like usury."
Which means: They claim that what you consider usury is completely unlawful, just like trade.
"But Allah has permitted trade and forbidden riba (usury)."
In trade there is substitution. For instance, the price of a certain cup is 10 pounds. You give somebody 10 pounds and he gives you the cup. This is a substitution contract, while usury has no substitute, only the passage of time. Another example –you sell a book for 100 pounds. If it is hard cover you sell it for 150. The additional 50 pounds, the increase, is in the book. If it is gilded, you sell it for 200. This additional second 50 pounds is in the book. If there is a special dedication, you add another 50 pounds to its price, but this third increase is also in the book. However, if you add an extra 100 pounds on account of the time passed, this becomes the payment for time, and when that happens, the case is that of usury.
Originally, usury was to lend money to someone and say, when the time for payment came: "Either you pay it now, or the amount of your debt will increase.". Such was the basis for usury as lending is concerned. Then we have sales usury, which is an issue requiring a more detailed comment, and I have explained it in great detail in one of our Sunday's lessons, a lesson on installments. The usury as regards loans is mentioned in the Holy Quran, whereas sales usury is dealt with in the Prophetic Sunnah. The words of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, are Revelation from Allah but they are not reauthord (they are not written in the Holy Quran). Allah the Almighty says:
"And whatever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids, abstain (from it)."
The licit is that which is accepted by Islamic laws
Allah the Almighty says:
"That is because they say: Trade is like usury. But Allah has permitted trade and forbidden riba (usury)."
Basically, the lawful increase in the price may be due to compensation, given in return for some sort of effort. For example, you see a street vendor who offers you his merchandise. You see that he has brought it from a distant place, has cleaned it carefully and has taken great care of it, for which you afford him additional payment. This increase in price is legitimate, being in exchange for the vendor's effort. However, it is not allowed in a loan.
"But Allah has permitted trade and forbidden riba (usury)."
We have arrived at a fairly critical point: the only thing from which you benefit directly is money. So, a house is money because you live in it; a vehicle is money because you drive it; food is money because you eat it; beverage is money because you drink it. On the other hand, you do not benefit directly from money as such. Therefore, when you trade in money, you obtain illicit gain. Of course, if the profit comes from the exchange of currencies, this is another matter; yet, the conditions required for such operation are also strict. But when money makes money, the gain is unlawful.
I mentioned in our last lesson that prices have been rising and unemployment has been increasing, and also that the deeper your faith, the deeper your trust in the reason for a prohibition. That is, the reason for it is that it is something forbidden by Allah. When you go to an experienced doctor, from whom you obtain certain instructions, you do not dare, because of your trust in his knowledge and skill, ask him: "Why am I prohibited it?" Similarly, if you have great faith in Allah, you do not look for clarification, or explanation, or details concerning the reasons behind His orders. The reason for the command is that it is a command, and the reason for the prohibition is that it is a prohibition, that Allah the Almighty has prohibited it. He is the Immense Creator of the Universe, the Wise, the All-Knowing. Actually, when scholars explain the reasons behind prohibitions, it is a matter of fiqh, its purpose being that of clarifying things for the people as much as possible and not that of laying down the law because, basically, in Islam what Allah has forbidden, is forbidden, and for that reason our u'lama have said: "The licit is that which is accepted by fiqh and the illicit is that which is disapproved by fiqh."
The difference between trade and usury
Allah the Almighty says:
"That is because they say: Trade is like usury. But Allah has permitted trade and forbidden riba (usury)."
They mean that usury and trade are the same, but there is a huge difference between them. The increase which is usury is not compensation, while the increase brought about by trade is a compensation for an effort. For example, somebody bought certain goods expecting profit but also risking loss, brought those goods, classified and displayed them –this is a great effort which brought those goods next door to you, so the increase in their price is in return for this effort, while the increase which is usury is not in exchange for any effort. When there is an increase caused by trade, money is distributed among many people, unlike the increase which is usury. Allah the Almighty says:
"Those who after receiving admonition 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)."
Allah the Almighty says here that when those who believe do wrong being unaware of its consequences, and then find out the truth, they repent:
"When those come to you who believe in Our Signs, say: 'Peace be on you, your Lord has inscribed for Himself (the rule of) Mercy. Verily, if any of you did evil in ignorance, and then repented, and amended (his conduct) –surely He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
(al-An'am, 6:54)Which means that man may not know (that something is forbidden) but when he acquires the knowledge about it, he must desist from doing it.
Those who repent shall recover their capital only
Allah the Almighty says here:"Those who after receiving admonition from their Lord desist shall be pardoned for the past…"
And they will recover their capital.
"Their case is for Allah (to judge)."
As regards somebody's previous sins, Allah may forgive them if the remorse is sincere, and may not forgive them according to His wisdom. However, they have the right to recover their capital only.
"…shall be pardoned for the past; their case is for Allah (to judge); but those who repeat (the offence)…"
The offence of taking usury…
“are companions of the Fire –they will abide therein (for ever)."
This means that the wrongdoing called usury will be the cause of abiding eternally in Hell. Then Allah the Almighty says:
"Allah will destroy usury…"
Allah can destroy or increase wealth easily:
It is an aspect of Allah's Greatness that He can easily destroy somebody's wealth and as easily He can enrich them.The following ayah is extremely significant:
"Allah will destroy usury and will give increase to sadaqah (deeds of generosity)."
Considering the matter from the point of view of mathematics we may say that a loan of 100,000 pounds based on usury will yield 120,000 pounds. However, the same money lent without interest, when paid back, will bring back the same 100,000 pounds. Thus, usury makes money according to arithmetical calculations, while generosity rather than increase, decreases the amount of money. Thus, the ayah goes against arithmetical calculations.
"Allah will destroy usury and will give increase to sadaqah (deeds of generosity)."
What can be deduced from this? What can be inferred is that there are laws derived from life's events and then there are those other laws that are known to scholars only, those who have been granted knowledge. For example, somebody may earn millions by way of usury, and then lose all of it in some sort of a disaster. Such cases are common. Some people lose their money in a fire, other people's money gets destroyed, yet sh3er lose their most precious possessions or have it confiscated. Thus, there are laws derived from the events of life, and then there are special laws which are under the control of Allah the Almighty. So when you fear Allah and lend a zero-interest loan, and consequently have less money, then you are rewarded by receiving sustenance the origin of which you ignore.
"Allah will provide his believing servant from where he does not expect."
Furthermore, somebody who engages in usury will be destroyed under Allah's exceptional law, and it is an aspect of the Majesty of Allah the Almighty that it is simple for Him to destroy somebody's wealth and it is also simple for Him to enrich somebody.
"Allah will destroy usury and will give increase to sadaqah (deeds of generosity)."
When you read the Word of Allah, the Holy Quran, and say: "Allah has said the truth" you must firmly believe that usury will be destroyed by Allah, although perhaps not immediately, and that He will give increase to the deeds of generosity, although perhaps after a while. That is, the punishment never comes immediately after the wrongdoing. In the same way, the good reward never immediately follows an act of generosity, because if Allah acted in this way, the concept of choosing would get abolished. For example, if someone's wealth, obtained by means of usury, got destroyed within an hour, no-one would choose to engage in usury, not because of their love for or obedience to Allah, but due to the fear for their money. And if somebody did acts of generosity and then received a tenfold reward for them, all unbelievers and those who associate would do them constantly. Thus, if punishment and reward came directly after the deed, then the concept of choice would disappear. However, Allah wisely lets you do whatever you choose for a long period of time without being punished and wants you to enjoy complete freedom of choice, so the punishment or reward in this world cannot take place immediately.
The difference between usury and sadaqah (deeds of generosity)
Allah the Almighty says:
"Allah will destroy usury and will give increase to sadaqah (deeds of generosity)."
One meaning of the verse "Allah will destroy usury" is that Allah will use different means to destroy the illicit gain. This can be confiscation, fire, some sort of disaster or medical treatment. I know a man who gained a lot of money by illicit means and after a while he suffered from a heart problem which cost him several hundred thousand pounds. So the means by which Allah the Almighty destroys illicit gain may vary. It may also be, to give another example, having to compensate for unintentional accident which caused harm to somebody; it may get stolen, or this gain may in some way become annoyance to its owner. His children, for example, moved by greed, may scheme to get hold of it and cause misery to such man's life. This is the meaning of "Allah will destroy usury", and, let me say it again, that this destruction may not take place immediately. Rather, it will come with time.
"And will give increase to sadaqah (deeds of generosity)."
Allah will give increase to generosity, and the reward for it may come immediately or after a while, according to Allah's Will.
"They are on (true guidance) from their Lord."
Deeds of generosity increase the amount of money and fill the soul of the one who performs them with tranquility, and by turning him to Allah, to His reassurance and might, make him relaxed, and have a positive psychological influence on him. And after a while Allah the Almighty will compensate his generosity and increase his wealth manifold.
"Allah likes not the disbelievers, sinners."
Their being disbelievers means that they disbelieve in this Great Way and are sinners in that they violate and disobey it.
The Divine Guarantee lies in obedience to Allah and adherence to His Commands
Then we have an extremely subtle ayah. Allah the Almighty says:
"Truly those who believe"
Which means: believe in Allah as the Creator, the Compeller, the Lord, the One Self-Sufficient, the Absolutely Perfect, the One that Exists…
"Truly those who believe"
Acting in accordance with their faith they must
"do deeds of righteousness"
Such people follow Allah's orders firmly and are ready for any sacrifice for His sake.
"And perform as-salah (iqamat as-salah), and give zakah.
They turn to Him and spend of their money for His sake.
"They will have their reward with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor will they grieve."
This means that the Divine Guarantee lies not in the abundance of money that comes from usury but in obedience to Allah and adherence to His Order.
In fact, human being is weak.
"And man was created weak."
The weak need support, shelter, and protection. So the ignorant weak are under the illusion that it is money alone that can make them happy in their old age.
The reassurance of Allah to those who believe and perform deeds of righteousness
One of my students related to me once the story of a relative of his, the owner of a cinema, who used to import pornographic films which corrupted many young people. It happened in the 70s. He earned 10 million pounds, equivalent to 200 million pounds of today. As it turned out he had a fatal disease. His nephew visited him while he was on his deathbed. He began to cry and said: "I earned this money in order to have a pleasant and happy old age, and here I am, not yet old, suffering from this disease and unable to benefit in any way from my wealth." This is one case of destruction of money. However, your money can be taken from you by force, it can be stolen, and it may become the reason for your misery or a cause of a crime, because it was obtained unlawfully. Actually, lawful money is made use of; while unlawful money gets consumed together with its owner (it causes trouble to him).
[Whoever takes people's money intending to pay it back, Allah will enable him to pay it back, and whoever takes it intending to waste it, Allah will waste him.]
So those who believe…
"Truly those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and perform as-salah (iqamat as-salah), and give zakah, they will have their reward with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve."
Dear brother! By Allah, I do not get tired of repeating this promise.
"on them shall be no fear"
in the future…
"nor shall they grieve"
over what happened in the past.
Being strictly obedient to Allah in earning and spending our money
They are being reassured by Allah that they are under His protection and care. He guarantees them serenity, safety and good fortune. Wouldn't each of us like to deserve it?
They Allah the Almighty says, while providing His believing servants with guidance:
"O you who believe! Fear Allah, and give up what remains of your demand for usury, if you are indeed believers."
Which means –be strictly obedient to Allah the Almighty in earning and spending your money. Thus, the context of the ayah is financial.
"Fear Allah"
That is, fear the Wrath of Allah as regards the way you earn your money, but if there is a previous contract containing usury, then
"give up what remains of your demand for usury, if you are indeed believers"
You can recover your capital only, and there are some scholars who say: "When you repent sincerely, you can get back your money and take the increase on condition that you give it to the poor, without benefiting from it personally."
The following ayah, 279, contains a terrifying warning:
"If you do not, take notice of war from Allah and His Messenger;"
Can we, being so weak, endure exposure to a war from Allah the Almighty? Sometimes a malfunction of the body turns human life into hell. For example, one simple cell in our body may go wrong causing havoc in the whole system. I once attended a meeting where I saw a man I did not know. He looked gloomy; he looked as if he was shouldering all the worries of this world. After the meeting ended, I drove him home. On our way there I tried to find out what the matter was, but he was not in the least responsive. I learned later on that he suffered from an incurable disease, indeed a fatal one –a malignant tumor. Such is the meaning of "Allah will destroy usury". We are at the Mercy of Allah the Almighty. He who dares accept illicit gain may destroy his life, his health, his happiness, his security and his tranquility.
"If you do not, take 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. If the debtor is in difficulty, grant him time till it is easy for him to repay."
This means: If the person who has been lent money cannot pay it back, then give them time until they are in a position to manage their affairs, and do not say to them: "You must either pay back the loan now, or pay it back later with an additional interest." Such was the behaviour of people in pre-Islamic times, ignorant people, and it is unacceptable as regards the believers in Islam.
A true believer always feels that he is under Allah's supervision
Allah the Almighty says:
"But if you remit it by way of sadaqah"
If you reduce the debt of the insolvent debtor…
"But if you remit it by way of sadaqah, that is better for you if you only knew. And fear the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah. Then shall every soul be paid what is earned, and none shall be dealt with unjustly."
You should know with absolute certainty that on the Day of Resurrection you will stand before Allah in order to account for every action of yours, every day of relax, every expense, and every action that you have carried out in this world. And this will be the Day of Judgment and the Day of Reward and Punishment, so whoever believes that he will be called to account, follows firmly Allah's Order in this world. Hadrat Umar said: "Judge yourself before Allah judges you, and weigh your deeds before they are weighed against you."
"And fear the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah. Then shall every soul be paid what is earned, and none shall be dealt with unjustly."
We are now in the abode of work, not of reward; and when we die, we shall leave the abode of work and go to the abode of reward. We are, at the same time, in the abode of truce. For example, school years is a period of truce, in which students work hard, or not. It is a fairly long period of time in which they sit for examinations whose function is to discriminate. Death puts a stop to this truce, to this period in which you are allowed to do what you want, and then you are called to account.
"Do what you will"
But the true believer never does a thing except with the feeling that he is under Allah's supervision. He probably says to himself: "If I do such and such thing, will Allah be satisfied with me or not? What shall I do? Should I do it or not?" So, he is always dialoguing with himself, and this ayah is one of the most subtle verses in the Book of Allah –the Holy Quran. It is said that it was the last ayah revealed.
"And fear the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah. Then shall every soul be paid what is earned, and none shall be dealt with unjustly."
There is a way out of every difficulty for those who asks Allah so
The issue of usury is indeed a deep one and gives rise to many questions.
First of all, it is a fact that what we have explained is according to the Law of Islam, and you may ask: "So what shall I do with my money?" This is, actually, another thing. There is balance in everything. This is the Way of Allah, but there are times when problems do arise. Nevertheless, usury does not solve them. Here, I always give the following example: If somebody gets badly wounded in his right cheek, and the cosmetic surgeon cures the wound by taking a piece of skin from the patient's left cheek and putting it on the right one, the patient has not benefited from such a solution at all, because the problem has been solved by creating another problem. Thus, despite the fact that we are talking about common financial problems, those cannot be solved by means of usury. They have another solution, and whoever asks Allah the Almighty for salvation, He will straighten their paths and procure a way out for them which they had not expected at all.
Once I heard about a farmer who had always worked for the rich land owners. Eventually, he received a patch of land and was filled with joy over it. He went to his Sheikh and told him about what had happened, but the Sheikh told him that he could no accept this land as it had been seized unlawfully according to the Law of Islam. On hearing this all his joy turned into sorrow. The farmer went to the previous owner, a rich landlord, and proposed to buy the land in question, saying that otherwise it could not become his in a lawful way. The landlord said: "By Allah, 400 dunums of land had been stolen from me (1 dunum amounts to 1000 sq.m), and yet nobody came to me or wondered whether the property they had received was licit or not. This land is yours. I give it to you as a gift." Thus, on account of his piety, his consultation with the Sheikh, and his following of what is right, Allah inspired the rich landlord to bestow this land on him as a gift so that he could cultivate it in peace and obedience to Allah.
[Whoever abandons something for the sake of Allah, Allah will recompense him with a better thing in his religion and his worldly affairs.]
By Allah! Never, and a thousand times never, will Allah fail to recompense you in case you abandon illicit gain for His sake. On the contrary, He will enrich you, since this is His way of dealing with His servants.
In the next lesson, insha-Allah, we shall talk about the ayaat on debt.
