Al Baqarah

الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا لاَ يَقُومُونَ إِلاَّ كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُواْ إِنَّمَا الْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ الرِّبَا وَأَحَلَّ اللّهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا فَمَن جَاءهُ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ فَانتَهَىَ فَلَهُ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُ إِلَى اللّهِ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ

275. "Those who devour usury will not rise up save like such the one whom Satan has confounded with the touch of madness. That is because they say: 'Bargaining is just like usury', whereas Allah has permitted bargaining and forbidden usury. Hence, whoever receives an admonition from his Lord, then desists, for him shall be what has already passed, and his affair rests with Allah. And whoever reverts (to usury) -then they are the inhabitants of the Fire, wherein shall they abide forever."

In Arabic philology, the word /riba/ (usury) means 'an excess, an addition'. Usurers have been likened to the persons whom Satan has driven them mad. On the Day of Judgement, usurers will be raised like mad ones, because they have such an unjust manner in this world. Mammonism makes their eyes of intellect blind. By their action, they produce difference of levels in the society, because they do not even think of sympathy, emotions and humanitarianism. They go so far that poverty and hatred cause a burst in the society so that the principle of possession becomes unstable, too.

Another point is that: to some persons, usury seems a principle, too. Hence, they say that bargaining and usury are the same. As the verse says:

Explanations

1. The usurers are deprived from equilibrium and, consequently, they disturb the economical equilibrium of the society.

2. The justification of sin pave the way for more committing sins.

3. It can be spared for those who are not aware of it, but not at all for those who know it and persist on doing it.

Objecting on usury began through verses of the Qur'an revealed from before the Prophet's Emigration. For example, in Surah Ar-Rum, which was revealed in Mecca, a verse about usury says:

Then, in Surah 'Al-i-'Imran, No.3 Allah commands:

which means usury is prohibited. Thus the most criticism and prohibition have occurred in these verses of Surah Al-Baqarah. By the way, the Qur'an through the statement:

announces that usury had been forbidden in the Jewish religion, too. This prohibition is stated in Turah manifestly. ⁵ In Surah Al-Baqarah, the verses of usury have occurred next to the verses of charity in order to state the two aspects of good and evil which may come forth by means of wealth. Charity is a 'giving' without recompense, but usury is a 'taking' without recompense. In contrast to the good effects that charity has in the society, usury creates evil effects therein. That is why the Qur'an, in the next verse, says:

The threats that are cited in the Qur'an against taking interest in usury and accepting the dominance of illegitimate rulers are such that they are not cited against even murder, oppression, drinking wine, gambling, and fornication. Therefore the prohibition of usury has been decidedly considered as a great sin by all Islamic parties.

It is narrated in a tradition that when Imam Sadiq (as) was informed that so and so was a usurer, he said:

"If I were allowed by Allah I would behead him. " ⁷

It happened that Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (as) met a usurer. He (as) wanted him to repent from his action. When he repented Ali (as) let him go and told him:

"The usurer must be made repent from his action just like that a person is made repent from polytheism ".

It is narrated from Imam Baqir (as) who said:

"The worst income is (the interest of) usury." ⁸

The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

"When Allah wills to destroy a town, usury appears therein." ⁹ "And, Allah has cursed usurer, his agent, and the writer of usury." ¹⁰

Shaykh Mufid has cited in his book:¹¹ "Whoever considers usury lawful, should be beheaded." Imam Sadiq (as), stating the reason of repetition of the verses of usury in the Qur'an, says:

"It is for making the rich prepared to do works of benevolence and spending charities; because, on one hand, usury is unlawful (haram), and, on the other hand, compiling wealth as a file is also unlawful. Then, there remains no remedy for the rich but charity and productive useful jobs." ¹²

Also, upon the motive of the prohibition of usury, it is said that since usury is a kind of hinder for money to be used in the way of production and works of public utility, and, instead of effort and endeavour, only the interest of money is enjoyed, then usury has become forbidden. Again, it is narrated from Imam Sadiq (as) who has said: "If usury were permitted (halal), people would leave their businesses and trade."¹³ It is also narrated from Imam Rida (as) who said: "If usury becomes prevalent, the loan giving will disappear."¹⁴

At the end of the verse, it says:

The word /ada/ 'returns', here, means that those who do not return from usury and commit again devouring interest, will be the inhabitants of the Fire of Hell and they will remain there for ever.

The Disadvantages of Usury

Taking additional money, without performing any useful work, is unjust and it is overburdening, which causes hatred and enmity. The giver of interest sometimes has to fail and, as a result of debts that increase progressively, accepts kinds of disgrace and captivity. Usury disturbs the equilibrium of the society and causes it to be divided into two poles: the oppressors and the oppressed. Usury is the reason of prayers to be invalid. Regarding these destructive causes, not only in the religion of Islam, but also in all heavenly religions, usury has been forbidden. But, clinging to few pretexts, some worldly people try to justify usury or try to find a way of fly.

Yet, usury has certainly its own destructive effects, though some social groups have accepted it in their own economical system. Usury is an injustice and its disadvantages encompass those who apply it. The progress of the western communities is because of their attentiveness to science and industry, not because of usury. By the way, usurers should be aware of the warnings of the Qur'an. (Applying to legal tricks, like the Jews who did for going fishing on Saturday, is only a sort of game.). The Qur'an has not been heedless of such games and has criticized them.

Also, since economic affairs may attract people into the trap of usury, there is a tradition which says: "He who begins trading without knowing (the religious laws of trading), will be involved in usury".¹⁵