Austerity and the economic Sunnah

THE PROHIBITION OF RIBA IN THE QUR’AN AND SUNNAH

AUSTERITY AND THE ECONOMIC SUNNAH

Muslims must be advised to adopt that life of moderation, simplicity and austerity which is the essence of the economic Sunnah, and which not only makes it possible to extricate themselves from debt and riba but also, makes savings possible. And so, a major element in the overall strategy against riba must be the inculcation of the economic Sunnah as it relates to simplicity, austerity and moderation in living. Such a lifestyle is not possible for those given to excessive consumption, an example of which is commonly found in overeating. And so the Qur’an warns, with language of great severity, against such:

Eat of the good (and wholesome) things which We have provided for your sustenance. but commit no excess therein, lest My wrath should justly descend on you; and those on whom My wrath descends surely perish.

(Qur’an; Ta Ha;-20:81)

... and eat and drink but do not be immoderate or intemperate: verily He does not love those who are immoderate or intemperate.

(Qur’an: al-'Araf-7:31)

Abu Hurairah reported Allah's Messenger as saying. My Lord has given me nine commands - 
to fear Allah in private and in public; 
to speak justly both when angry and when pleased; 
to show moderation both when poor and when rich; 
to reunite friendship with those who have broken it off with me; 
to give to him who refuses me; 
to forgive him who has wronged me; 
that my silence should be occupied with thought: 
that my utterance should be occupied with mention of Allah; 
that my looking should be an admonition; 
and that I should command what is good and virtuous.

(Razin)

The Prophet (s) is also reported to have said:

Each one of us does not need more, in this world, than the provisions which a traveler takes with him on a journey.

How much, we well may ask, did he, the Messenger of Allah the Most High, take with him during his journey of life?

Aisha said that Muhammad's family did not have enough barley-bread to satisfy them on two consecutive days up to the time when Allah's Messenger was taken in death.

(Bukhari, Muslim)

Sa'id al-Maqburi quoted Abu Hurairah to the effect that when he passed some people who had a roasted sheep in front of them and invited him to eat, he refused to do so, saying: Allah’s Messenger left this world without ever having had a full meal of barley bread.

(Bukhari)

Anas said that he took some barley bread and rancid fat to the Prophet who had given a coat-of-mail of his to a Jew in Madinah and received from him some barley for his family. The transmitter reported that he heard Anas say Muhammad's family had in the evening a sa of wheat or a sa of grain, yet he had nine wives.

(Bukhari)

Umar said that he went in to see Allah's Messenger and found him lying on a reed mat with no sheet between him and it, with marks of the mat on his side, and supporting himself on a leather cushion stuffed with palm fibers. I said: Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah to enrich your people, for He has enriched the Persians and the Byzantines, yet they do not worship Allah. He replied: Is that how you feel, Ibn Khattab? These people have been given their good things in advance in the present world. 
A version has: Are you not pleased that they should have the present world and we should have the next?

(Bukhari, Muslim)

Mu'adh bin Jabal said that when Allah's Messenger sent him to Yemen he Said Beware of living extravagantly (or sumptuously), far Allah's servants do not live extravagantly.

(Ahmad)

Ali reported Allah's Messenger as saying: If anyone is satisfied with small provisions from Allah, Allah will be satisfied with a few good deeds from him.

(Baihaqi)

Source: IMRAN N. HOSEIN

to be continued . . . . 

The Prohibition of Riba (Interest) by Imran Hosein

The Prohibition of Riba (Interest) (Q&A) by Imran Hosein

Qard hasana

THE PROHIBITION OF RIBA IN THE QUR’AN AND SUNNAH

QARD HASANA

Assisting someone to pay his or her debt can take two forms. The debtor can be assisted with a grant or a loan. Loans in turn, are of two kinds: dain i.e. a debt contracted with some definite term fixed for repayment (of principal sum without interest), and qard hasana i.e. a loan given without any fixed term for repayment (of principal sum without any interest).

The Qur’an makes mention of dain in the following:

Oh you who believe, when you contract a debt (dain) for a fixed period, put it in writing . . .So do not fail to put your debts (dain) in writing, be they small or big, together with the date of payment. This is more just in the sight of Allah. . .

(Qur 'an; al-Baqarah:-2:252)

The Qur’an also makes mention of qard hasana (a generous loan) in several verses. Although the reference is always to making a generous loan to Allah the Most High, (2:245) (5:12) (57:11) (57:18) (64:17) (72:20), the term qard hasana has been used to designate a loan which is given without any fixed term for repayment: it being also understood that if the debtor has difficulty in repaying the loan it will be written off: Qard hasana therefore constitutes a charitable loan.

Who will grant Allah a generous loan (qard hasana)? He will repay him many times over. It is Allah who enriches and makes poor and to Him shall all return.

(Qur’an: al-Baqarah :- 2:145)

A qard hasana which is extended to assist someone to pay a dain will still constitute a charitable loan and will thus bring a manifold reward from Allah the Most High!

ON SEEKING HELP AND ENTERING INTO DEBT

Even though one may be in great need, a Muslim should still hesitate to take a loan or to ask for help:

Ibn Abbas reported Allah's Messenger as saying: If anyone is hungry or in need and conceals it from others, it will be due from Allah Who is great and glorious to give him a year’s provision from what is lawful.

(Baihaqi)

Imran bin Husain reported Allah's Messenger as saying: Allah loves His poor believing servant who refrains from begging and yet has children. (I understand this to mean: who refrains from begging even though he has (hungry) children).

(Ibn Majah)

Abu Kabsha al-Anmari said that he heard Allah's Messenger say: There are three things which l swear to be true and I shall tell you something else so keep it in memory. The three things which I swear to be true are that a man's property does not become less on account of sadaqa, that when a man is wronged and bears it patiently Allah will give him greater honor on that account, and that when a man opens a door towards begging Allah opens for him a door towards poverty.

The thing I am going to tell you which you must keep in memory is this. The world has four types of people, 

• a man whom Allah provides with property and knowledge in which he fears his Lord and joins ties of relationship, acting in it towards Allah as is due to Him, this man being in the most excellent station; 
• a man whom Allah provides with knowledge but not with property, who says with sincere intention that if he had property he would act as so and so does, their reward being equal; 
• a man whom Allah provides with property but not with knowledge, in which he acts in a random manner ignorantly, not fearing his Lord respecting it or using it to join ties of relationship or dealing with it in a right way this man being in the worst station; 
• a man whom Allah provides with neither property nor knowledge, who says that if he had property he would deal with it as so and so does, (i.e. the third man) and has this Intention, the load they have to bear being equal.

(Trmidhi)

Source: IMRAN N. HOSEIN

to be continued . . . . 

The Prohibition of Riba (Interest) by Imran Hosein

The Prohibition of Riba (Interest) (Q&A) by Imran Hosein