بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم
We know that the whole concept of the rulings related transactions is so that we keep away from Haraam, and stay within the territory of Halal. And the head of Haraam, as far as transactions are concerned, is Riba. And this is something that has seeped into many of the modern deals; and 100% of the businesses in the Western World which operate on the system of coventional banking and business system always owe money to the bank. It's a very serious matter which needs to be tackled.
We are guided in each and every point in our lives by the Qur'an and Sunnah: What to buy, how to buy, how much to pay, how you can bargain, how you can be a businessman, how you can run a bank, how can you buy a house, how you can be a partner in a business, what kind of businesses you are allowed to run, what you are allowed to buy and sell, etc.
In [2:275]:
Allah decrees for the person who deals with Riba, that he won't stand from his grave on the Day of Judgement, except like a person who stands being beaten by the Shaytan into insanity. This means he won't be able to stand properly; like an epileptic at the time of paroxysm of epilepsy.
Whoever returns to dealing in interest, after Allah has warned them of the dangers, will remain in the Hellfire.
And it's very difficult to claim that none of the Muslim houses are free from it nowadays, especially in Western societies. We try our best to avoid it, but we have to keep our money, make drafts, transfer money, etc. in conventional banking systems.
The Haraam is never going to be Halal, except for the person who is just about to die and has no food to eat except intoxicants, and no food except swine flesh. In this case the person is allowed to eat what will sustain him until he finds the Halal. Same applies to Riba - but when is that? Do you think that a person will give you money on interest when you're dying? They need security from you before they part with money. They aren't there to help you, but to squeeze every dollar from you. They aren't there to support you, they are there to wean each and every gain. They are not there to see you growing big, they are there to make sure they stay big. It's very important for us as individuals to understand what's right and wrong.
And it's not just been Haraam on us. It's been Haraam since forever. The People of the Book used to deal with Riba, although they had been prohibited from it. You find heaps of verses in the New and Old Testament prohibiting these kind of dealings. And in [4:160-161]:
There are many with the concept that there's nothing which binds between old ways of transactions and modern day transactions. There are 1000+ quotes in the Bible itself which deals with financial issues.
Allah says in [2:276]:
This means that Allah will destroy all the بركة from the money mingled with interest - even if the person who deals with it becomes richer and richer. His money will result in bad consequences, he'll be weary in this life, and on top of that will face the punishment in the hereafter. It will be of no avail to him.
Allah tells us in this verse that He doesn't love those deal with Riba; which affirms the opposite - being hated and detested by Allah. And He calls the person who deals with it a كافر, which may be interpreted according to two meanings:
1) One who is exceedingly ungrateful to Allah. He shows ungratefulness to Allah's favours, but he doesn't disbelieve in Allah. It doesn't mean he's no longer considered a Muslim.
2) It may refer to becoming an actual believer; one who is no longer Muslim. And this applies when a person deals with it believing that it's something lawful.
And Allah describes the person who deals with Riba "أثيم" as he is immersed in and enjoying the material benefits gained out of it while causing harm to others.
And Allah and His Messenger ﷺ have declared war against the dealer in Riba. He's an enemy of Allah. In [2:278-279]:
And the Prophet ﷺ said, "Riba is like committing adultery thirty six times after the advent of Islam" [Ahmed]
And he ﷺ said, "Riba is seventy two degrees (of evil), the least of which resembles (in sinfulness) committing adultery with ones mother" [Ibn Majah]
Ibn Taymiya said that Riba is stronger in degree of sinfulness than gambling, because the usurer unlawful takes an increase from one in need, whereas the gambler may gain the increase or lose it - and the poor may gain money from the rich, or the gamblers may be equal in richness. Riba is injustice. And injustice upon the needy as in the case of Riba, is graver than injustice on those not in need.
A Scholar is of the opinion that due to need, you may buy a house on interest. But this Fatwa is weak, and many scholars have refuted this.
A persons daughter was married and she left a bit of money when she died. The father saw a dream where he saw his daughter swimming in a river of blood. He had bought a house based on Riba previously and his daughters name was in the system. And in an excerpt of a longer Hadith by the Prophet ﷺ:
قَالَ فَانْطَلَقْنَا فَأَتَيْنَا عَلَى نَهَرٍ ـ حَسِبْتُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ ـ أَحْمَرَ مِثْلِ الدَّمِ، وَإِذَا فِي النَّهَرِ رَجُلٌ سَابِحٌ يَسْبَحُ، وَإِذَا عَلَى شَطِّ النَّهَرِ رَجُلٌ قَدْ جَمَعَ عِنْدَهُ حِجَارَةً كَثِيرَةً، وَإِذَا ذَلِكَ السَّابِحُ يَسْبَحُ مَا يَسْبَحُ، ثُمَّ يَأْتِي ذَلِكَ الَّذِي قَدْ جَمَعَ عِنْدَهُ الْحِجَارَةَ فَيَفْغَرُ لَهُ فَاهُ فَيُلْقِمُهُ حَجَرًا فَيَنْطَلِقُ يَسْبَحُ، ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِ، كُلَّمَا رَجَعَ إِلَيْهِ فَغَرَ لَهُ فَاهُ فَأَلْقَمَهُ حَجَرًا ـ قَالَ ـ قُلْتُ لَهُمَا مَا هَذَانِ قَالَ قَالاَ لِي انْطَلِقِ انْطَلِقْ.
"....And so we proceeded and came across a river." I think he said, ".... red like blood." The Prophet ﷺ added, "And behold, in the river there was a man swimming, and on the bank there was a man who had collected many stones.
Behold, while the other man was swimming, he went near him. The former opened his mouth and the latter (on the bank) threw a stone into his mouth whereupon he went swimming again. He returned and every time the performance was repeated. I asked my two companions, 'Who are these (two) persons?'
They replied, 'Proceed! Proceed!'...."
Then at the end of the Hadith:
وَأَمَّا الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي أَتَيْتَ عَلَيْهِ يَسْبَحُ فِي النَّهَرِ وَيُلْقَمُ الْحَجَرَ، فَإِنَّهُ آكِلُ الرِّبَا
"..And the man whom you saw swimming in the river and given a stone to swallow, is the eater of usury (Riba).."
The Wisdom Behind Prohibiting Riba
-> It involves consuming peoples wealth unjustly. The usurer takes Riba from people in need without giving them anything of benefit in return.
-> It prevents favours and kind treatment amongst people
-> It blocks good loans, and overburdens the needy borrower.
-> It results in stopping gains, professions, and crafts, without which other people's interests would not be set right because the one who gains money through Riba wouldn't seek a livelihood through elsewhere.
When you raise your hands and ask Allah, Allah will grant you the best in this world and in the hereafter. If you're not able to afford a house islamically, Allah knows what's best for you. He said in [65:2-3]:
"....وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا...."
"وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ ۚ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْرًا"
You don't know what Allah will open for you of doors. Approach things in the proper manner, and Allah will handle the rest for you. We need to wake up. What is written for you will never go to someone else. What is not written for you will never come to you.
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