The Garden of Knowledge

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

12 Rajab 1444/03 February 2023

All praise is due to Allah ﷻ, the Cherisher, Sustainer, Nourisher and Provider of the entire creation. May peace, blessings and salutations be upon our Beloved Prophet Muhammed ﷺ.

In sha Allah, this week we will explore the fourth and final set of verses pertaining to riba.

Allah ﷻ makes mention in Surah Al Baqarah, verse 275 – 281:

ٱلَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ ٱلَّذِى يَتَخَبَّطُهُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ مِنَ ٱلْمَسِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا ٱلْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ ۗ وَأَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ ۚ فَمَن جَآءَهُۥ مَوْعِظَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ فَٱنتَهَىٰ فَلَهُۥ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُۥٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ

“Those who consume interest will stand on Judgment Day like those driven to madness by Satan’s touch. That is because they say, “Trade is no different than interest.” But Allah ﷻ has permitted trading and forbidden interest. Whoever refrains—after having received warning from their Lord—may keep their previous gains, and their case is left to Allah ﷻ. As for those who persist, it is they who will be the residents of the Fire. They will be there forever.” [2,275]

يَمْحَقُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ وَيُرْبِى ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ أَثِيمٍ

“Allah ﷻ has made interest fruitless and charity fruitful. And Allah does not like any ungrateful evildoer.” [2,276]

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

“Indeed, those who believe, do good, establish prayer, and pay alms-tax will receive their reward from their Lord, and there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve.” [2,277]

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَذَرُوا۟ مَا بَقِىَ مِنَ ٱلرِّبَوٰٓا۟ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

“O believers! Fear Allah ﷻ, and give up outstanding interest if you are true believers.” [2,278]

فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا۟ فَأْذَنُوا۟ بِحَرْبٍۢ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ ۖ وَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَلَكُمْ رُءُوسُ أَمْوَٰلِكُمْ لَا تَظْلِمُونَ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ

“If you do not, then beware of a war with Allah ﷻ and His Messenger! But if you repent, you may retain your principal—neither inflicting nor suffering harm.” [2,279]

وَإِن كَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍۢ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَىٰ مَيْسَرَةٍۢ ۚ وَأَن تَصَدَّقُوا۟ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

“If it is difficult for someone to repay a debt, postpone it until a time of ease. And if you waive it as an act of charity, it will be better for you, if only you knew.” [2,280]

وَٱتَّقُوا۟ يَوْمًۭا تُرْجَعُونَ فِيهِ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ ثُمَّ تُوَفَّىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ مَّا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ

“Be mindful of the Day when you will all be returned to Allah ﷻ, then every soul will be paid in full for what it has done, and none will be wronged.” [2,281]

In the set of verses mentioned above we find the severity of the prohibition of riba elaborated in detail. With regards to the historical context and placement of this verse, scholars have mentioned that after the conquest of Makkah the Prophet Muhammed ﷺ declared all amounts due in terms of riba to be null and void which meant that no one could claim any interest on loans advanced by him.

The Prophet ﷺ proceeded to Taif, which at that staged could not be conquered however a group of people from the Banu Thaqif tribe embraced Islam and approached the Prophet ﷺ with a treaty to which they proposed that they will not forego interest owed to them and their creditors will forego their interest. The Prophet ﷺ responded with one sentence saying that the Banu Thaqif tribe will have the same rights as the Muslims. The Banu Thaqif tribe were under the impression that the treaty with it’s clauses were accepted by the Prophet Muhammed ﷺ and claimed interest due to them from the Banu Amr ibn Mughirah tribe, who in turn refused to pay on the grounds the riba was prohibited. When the matter was placed before the governor of Makkah, Attab ibn Aseed (R.), he referred the matter back to the Prophet Muhammed ﷺ, as to which the verse 278 and 279 of surah Baqarah were revealed (quoted above).

At this point, the Banu Thaqif tribe surrendered and declared they do not have the power to wage war against Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ.

From the above we can deduce that the Banu Thaqif tribe understood the severity if they engaged and dealt with riba and they were not prepared to put themselves in a position in which Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ wage war against them.

May Allah ﷻ accept our efforts from us and grant us understanding In Sha Allah!

References:

• Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani; The Historical Judgement on Interest
• Tafsir Ibn Kathir
• Tafsir An Nasafi
• Tafsir Qurtubi