Saturday 28 November 2020

THE QUR’ANIC METHOD OF DEALING WITH RIBA




THE QUR’ANIC METHOD OF DEALING WITH RIBA

A significant aspect of the movement from stage to stage, in the process of dealing with riba, is that while the first and second stages were initiated or promulgated by the Qur’anic revelation itself the third stage was launched by the Prophet (s), in the Khutbah al-Wida (sermon at the farewell hajj), which he delivered from Arafat . It was after that sermon was delivered that Allah the Most High, revealed the verse announcing the perfection of Islam. The action which he took in that sermon concerning riba was subsequently confirmed by Allah the Most High, in the very last revelation of the Qur’an to reach the Prophet (s) shortly before his death!

On the authority of ahadith received from both Ibn Abbas (ra) and from Umar (ra) we know that the last-revelation received by the blessed Prophet (s), shortly before his death, was the passage in Surah al-Baqarah (Qur’an:- 2:278-281) which dealt with riba:

Umar bin al-Khattab said: The last verse to be revealed was on riba, but Allah’s Messenger was taken without having expounded it to us; so give up not only riba (usury) but also reebah (whatever raises doubts in the mind about its rightfulness).
(Ibn Majah Darimi)

Oh you who believe! Fear Allah and give up what remains (due to you) from riba (from now onwards) if you are indeed believers . . . (up to) And none shall be dealt with unjustly (Qur’an:- 2:278-289) Ibn Abbas said: This was the last verse revealed to the Prophet.
(Bukhari)

It appears to us that such a last revelation, coming after the pronouncement of the perfection of the revealed religion and the completion of the divine favor, could only be used to reiterate something which lay at the very heart of the divine guidance. Alternatively it could be used to direct attention to that part of the divine guidance in which the faith of the believers would be most vulnerable to a future attack by enemies of Islam.

The choice of the subject of riba as the last revelation, the fact that Allah the Most High, returned to the subject of riba after announcing the perfection of revealed religion and the fact that He sent the last revelation shortly before the death of the Prophet (s) - all of this appears to us to constitute the most dire of all warnings that riba will pose the gravest of all threats to the faith, freedom and power of the believers. This then, is the importance of the subject that herein lies the potential for the most dangerous, destructive and devastating attack on the faith of the believers and the integrity and power of the Ummah of the prophet (s)!

Why did Allah the Most High, choose to allow the Prophet (s) to promulgate the third stage of the process for the eradication of riba? Our understanding is that this event, which occurred at the very end of the mission of the Prophet (s) was meant to demonstrate to Muslims, in the most dramatic way possible, that obedience of the Prophet (s) is equivalent to obedience of Allah the Most High! And Allah the Most High knows best. Hence in all matters generally, but in particular, in respect of the subject of riba, the word of the Prophet (s) is absolutely binding on the believers.

A study of the Qur’anic treatment of the subject of riba reveals the priority of tazkiyah (purification of the self) and zikrullah (remembrance of Allah the Most High) over fikr (contemplation). The heart must be purified before nur (divine light) can illuminate it and bestow understanding of that which, otherwise may not be understood. For this reason the word ‘riba’ did not appear, in the chronological sequence of the Qur’anic revelation, until some 6 - 7 years after the commencement of revelation of the Qur’an. The first mention of riba appeared in verse 39 of Surah al-Rum of the Qur’an (chapter 30).

Riba in the Qur’an, is essentially the lending of money on interest and the attack on riba about to be launched, was directed towards the realization and preservation of social and economic justice and stability and the unity and fraternity of society. The lesson from the divine delay in directly addressing-the subject of the prohibition of riba in the Qur’anic revelation appears to be riba as a system of economic (or political) injustice, exploitation and oppression may not be readily discernible, even to scholars, businessmen and people in public affairs, and even more so to the masses, unless a prior awakening of the moral and spiritual consciousness of the individual and the society has been effected, - unless the individual has first been so purified that the veils before his eyes are removed. When veils (ghishawa) are removed then the light of truth (nur) can enter and with that light it would be possible to see and understand that which otherwise could never be understood.

We now live in that age described by the Prophet (s) as the age which will witness the greatest evil from the time of Adam (s) to the last day. The most powerful and most dangerous attack ever has been launched upon mankind. The release of ya'jooj and ma'jooj (Gog and Magog) has commenced transcendentally (i.e. in al-ghaib) and they have been spearheading that attack. Al-Masih al-Dajjal (the Anti-Christ) has also been released transcendentally and the prevalence of riba in the world today represents the success of his attack. It is an attack which is taking place by deception, not readily discernible. The prerequisite for penetrating that deception of Dajjal is spiritual illumination (baseerah) which is a gift from Allah the Most High, Without that spiritual illumination scholarship is confined to the understanding of mere appearances. Musa (s) was taught a tremendously important lesson by Khidhr (s) in Surah al-Kahf. Unless one penetrates to the reality of a matter, one’s judgement can always be mistaken. And reality is spiritual.

Riba is a form of exploitation and oppression which is sometimes concealed in the ultimate disguise. It operates with such deception that it may not be readily discernible, even by those who consider themselves to be experts. And so it was only after the Muslim community had completed some seven years of struggle in the cause of Truth, and had experienced that prolonged moral and spiritual awakening and mobilization, that the first revelation concerning riba was sent down.

There is a profound lesson in this for today's Muslims. The lesson is that there will be many secularized Muslims - educated professionals occupying positions of prestige in contemporary Muslim society, who will not be able to recognize the evil presence of riba in the world today. Many of them will argue, as did Abdullah Yusuf Ali, that bank interest is not riba. Indeed there will be some who will argue that interest-based banking is the secret of the economic strength of Europe’s capitalist economy and hence, it’s most magnificent achievement. In arriving at this understanding such people reveal their total incapacity to perceive the fact that the modem euro-capitalist economy, which is based on riba, has been engaged in massive economic exploitation of all of mankind to the extent that it is literally sucking the blood of mankind.

The lesson for today’s Muslims is that it will not be possible for misguided Muslims to perceive the universal presence of riba in the world today, unless and until the moral and spiritual consciousness can be penetrated. When veils are removed then such misguided Muslims will eventually be able to see that which they otherwise will never be able to see.


The penetration of the moral and spiritual consciousness is an immensely difficult task to accomplish. It needs specialized training - intellectual as well as spiritual. It also requires grace from Allah the Most High, The authentic sufi Shaikh of old was the true specialist in that field. Wherever we find him in the world today he still remains the true specialist. Today's institutions of higher Islamic learning do not provide that spiritual initiation training and education which can produce such luminaries.

to be continued . . . . 

The Prohibition of Riba (Interest) by Imran Hosein



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



Saturday 21 November 2020

The Prohibition of Riba in the Qur'an





CHAPTER THREE

THE PROHIBITION OF RIBA IN THE QUR’AN

The Divine wisdom established, through the process of the gradual revelation of the Qur’an, a stage-by-stage method for dealing with the subject of the prohibition of riba. It consisted of three distinct stages:

Stage 1 - Education concerning the evil of riba, but with no legislation prohibiting riba; the language which is used is mild, not fearsome and its basic purpose is to teach;

Stage 2 - Legislation prohibiting riba while yet refraining from a retro-active enforcement of the legislation; - process of education also continued; the language which is now used is more graphic, - the believers are expected to be able to recognize the rip off that is riba;

Stage 3 - Retro-active enforcement of the legislation prohibiting riba;
- Sanction for waging war to eradicate riba;
- Debt relief;
- Process of education continued

In fact there was much similarity between this and the divine method employed for prohibiting the consumption of intoxicants, for prohibiting gambling and for dealing with the institution of slavery. As a consequence, a study of the methods employed in the Qur’an for prohibiting intoxicants and gambling, and for dealing with slavery, would yield very useful knowledge for an understanding, of the method used by the Qur’an for the prohibition and eradication of riba.

It is important that the Islamic Movement pay serious attention to this stage-by-stage divine method of dealing with riba. If Pakistan were to embark on an effort to eradicate riba from the economy, the effort would easily end in failure if it does not commence with a massive campaign of skillfully designed public education. 
to be continued . . . . 

The Prohibition of Riba (Interest) by Imran Hosein



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