2. Al-Baqara

(5) Verse 271: إِن تُبْدُوا الصَّدَقَاتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِيَ (الی قولہ) وَاللَّـهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِير : "If you give the alms openly, it is good enough, ... and Allah is All-Aware of what you do"

Obviously, this verse covers all types of charity, whether obligatory or supererogatory, and it is more preferable to perform all of them as secretly as possible. To observe secrecy in a charitable act has religious merits, because it is far from the possibility of riya' ریاء (show off), and more graceful for the receiver who can feel shy about receiving charity in public. It is also beneficial from an earthly point of view, because it does not disclose the amount of wealth one owns.

It should, however, be kept in mind that the preferability of observing secrecy is a matter of principle. There may be situations where it becomes more preferable to perform an act of charity openly for some external reasons, such as removing some accusation (of not paying زکاۃ Zakah, for instance) or to persuade others to follow the example. Such exceptional cases do not negate the basic principle in any way.

Immediately after the instruction of concealing the 'Sadaqat صداقات ', the holy verse says, وَيُكَفِّرُ‌ عَنكُم مِّن سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ (This will write off part of your sins). It does not mean that the expiation of evil-deeds is confined to the charity made in secret only. In fact, a charity made in public also carries the same benefit. But the reference to expiation here is in the context that even if someone feels a secret charity as useless in this world, he should not feel depressed, because Allah will forgive his sins, and that is a great gain for him.

(6) Verse 272: لَّيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَاهُمْ (الی قولہ) وَأَنتُمْ لَا تُظْلَمُونَ : "It is not for you to put them on the right path ... and you shall not be wronged."

It has been clarified in this verse that a صدقہ sadaqah given to a non-Muslim also carries a reward in the life to come. As the basic purpose of a Muslim in making a sadaqah صدقہ is to get that reward, he should not confine himself to giving it to the Muslims only and to avoid giving it to the poor non-Muslims in the hope that this attitude will persuade them towards Islam, because a Muslim is not charged with bringing non-Muslims to the right path. He should seek his own benefit (the reward in the Hereafter) which can also be achieved through giving sadaqah صدقہ to a non-Muslim.

Let us be clear at this point that sadaqah صدقہ referred to here is nafl نفل supererogatory or voluntary charity) which can be given to a dhimmi (a non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state) as well. The obligatory زکاۃ Zakah is not meant here since it is not permissible to give that to anyone except a Muslim (Mazhari). It is not permissible to give any kind of sadaqah صدقہ to a harbi (a non-Muslim citizen of a non-Muslim state) and, however, it is permissible to give the dhimmis ذمیوں all other types of sadaqat, obligatory or supererogatory. زکاۃ Zakah is not included in the verse.

(8). Verse 274: الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُم بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ‌ "Those who spend their

wealth night and day."

Presented in this verse is the great reward and excellence of those who are used to spending in the way of Allah. They are those who, under all conditions and circumstances, during the day and during the night, secretly and openly, keep spending in the way of Allah in all sorts of ways. By implication, it was also stated that there is no time fixed for charities, i.e., sadaqah صدقہ and khayrat خیرات . There is no restriction of night or day. Similarly, spending in the way of Allah, secretly and openly, is an act of thawab ثواب both ways, however, the condition is that it should be done with sincerity (ikhlas اخلاص ), and not to earn name and fame. The excellence of spending secretly is limited to a situation where there be no pressing need to spend out openly; and where such a need does exist, spending there openly is certainly better.

Based on the authority of Ibn ` Asakir, there is a report in Ruh al-Ma` ani which says that Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ spent forty thousand dinars in the way of Allah - making it ten thousand during the day, ten thousand during the night, ten thousand openly and ten thousand secretly. Some commentators have said that this very event related to Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ was the background of the revelation of this verse. There are other views also regarding the circumstances of its revelation.

The prohibition of ربا riba

From these verses begins the description of the forbiddance of riba ربا and the injunctions relating to its unlawfulness. This issue is very important from different angles. On the one hand, there are the severe warnings of the Qur'an and Sunnah and on the other, it has been taken today as an integral part of the world economy. The desired liberation from it seems to be infested with difficulties. The problem is very detail-oriented and has to be taken up in all possible aspects.

First of all we have to deliberate into the correct interpretation of these verses of the Qur'an and into what has been said in authentic ahadith and then determine what riba ربا is in the terminology of the Qur'an and Sunnah, what transactions it covers, what is the underlying wisdom behind its prohibition and what sort of harm it brings to society.

The second aspect of riba ربا is intellectual and economic. Is it true that ربا riba guarantees the economic development of the world, so much so, that its suspension will categorically result in the destruction of trade and general economic activity? Or, this whole evil cycle is nothing but the brain-child of those heedless of Allah Almighty and the Hereafter. Otherwise, all economic problems can be solved without it as well. Going a step further, we can even say that the economic peace in the world depends on the elimination of riba ربا ، let alone the resolution of its problems. Riba ربا is the greatest cause of the economic maladies of the world.

This second aspect involves the discussion of an economic problem under which come long debates which are not related to the interpretation of the Qur'an, therefore, we shall restrict ourselves to dealing with the first aspect only, which requires no less details either.

Here we have a total of six verses which state the prohibition of riba ربا and set forth related injunctions. Out of these, the first sentence of the first verse points out to the sad end of those involved in riba ربا transactions and to the disgraceful and disheveled nature of their rising on the day of resurrection. It is said that those who consume riba ربا do not stand except like a man who has been driven crazy by the embrace of some satan or jinn. It appears in hadith that the word, la yaqumuna or 'do not stand' means the rising of the dead from their graves on the day of resurrection in the sense that the dealer in riba ربا ، when he rises from his grave, will rise like the mad man who has been driven crazy by some satan شیطان or jinn.

The first thing we find out from this sentence is that a human being can faint or go mad under the influence of jinns and satans شیطان and the observations of those who have had such experience prove it. Hafiz Ibn Qaiyyim al-Jawziyyah (رح) has confirmed that physicians and philosophers have conceded that epilepsy, fainting or madness are caused by several different reasons, one of which, at times, could also be the input of jinns and satans شیطان . Those who reject this have no other argument in their favour except that obviously it is too far out to believe.

The second point to be noted here is that the Qur'an does not say that the …

Sayings Of The Holy Prophet ﷺ

About ربا riba or Interest:

عن النبی ﷺ قال : اجتنبوا السبع المبقات ، قالوا (سَٔلوا): یا رسول اللہ ﷺ ! قال : اَلشِّرک والسحر، وقتل النفس التی حرم اللہ الا بالحق ، واکل الربوا ، واکل مال الیتیم والتولی یوم الزحف ، وقذف المحصنات الغافلات (رواہ البخاری و مسلم و ابوداؤد والنسای)

"Abstain from the seven disasters." The people asked him: "What are they, 0 Messenger of Allah?" He replied: "To ascribe partners to Allah, to practice sorcery, to unjustly kill one whom Allah has declared inviolable, to take ربا riba (interest or usury), to exploit the property of an orphan, to escape at the time of war and to slander the chaste women who are believers, unwary."

قال النبی ﷺ : رءیت اللیلۃ رجلین آتیانی ، فاَخرجانی إلی ارض مقدسۃ فانطلقنا حتی اتینا علی نھر من دم فیہ رجل قایٔم و علی شط النھر رجل بین یدیہ حجارۃ، فأقبل الرجل الذی فی النھر، فاذا اراد ان یخرج رمی الرجل بحجر فی فیہ، فردہ ، حیث کان ، فجعل کلما جاء لیخرج رمی فی فیہ بحجر، فیرجع کما کان، فقلت : ماھذا الذی رأیتہ فی النھر ؟ قال : اکل الربا (رواہ البخاری، ھذا فی البیوع مختصراً )

This night I saw two men who came to me and brought me to a sacred land. We walked until we reached a river of blood, wherein a man was standing, and another man was standing on the bank of the river with some stones before him. Then the man who was standing in the river came forward, and when he intended to come out of the river, the other man threw a stone at his mouth, and turned him back to the place where he was earlier - thus he began to do the same with him whenever he tried to come out of the river by throwing a stone at him and turning him back. I asked him, "What is that which I have just seen going on?" He replied, "He is the one who used to take ربا riba (interest or usury).

لعن الرسول اللہ ﷺ اکل الربا موکلہ و کاتبۃ، و شاھدیۃ، و قال : ھم سواء (رواہ مسلم وغیرہ)

The Messenger of Allah cursed the one who accepts ربا riba (interest or usury), the one who pays it, the one who writes it and the persons who gives witness to it, and said, "They are all alike."

عن النبی ﷺ قال : اَربع حق علی اللہ ان لا یدخلھم الجنۃ ولا یذیقھم نعیمھا : مد من الخمر، و اکل الربا و اکل مال الیتیم بغیر حق، والعاق لوالدیہ (رواہ الحاکم)

There are four kinds of people about whom Allah has decided not to admit them to Paradise and not to let them taste its bliss: The one who is addicted to wine, the one who takes the ربا riba , the one who exploits the property of an orphan and the man who is disobedient to his parents.mmmm18

عن رسول اللہ ﷺ قال : الدرھم یصیبہ الرجل من الربا اعظم عنداللہ من ثلاثۃ وثلثین زنبۃ یزنیھا فی اسلام (رواہ الطبرانی)

A dirham a man receives as ربا riba (interest or usury) is, in the sight of Allah, more serious than thirty three acts of fornication or adultery in Islam.

عن ابن عباس ؓ قال : نھی رسول اللہ ﷺ اَن تشتری الثمرہ حتی تطعم وقال : اِذا ظھرالزنا والربافی قریۃ فقد احلوا باَنفسھم عذاب اللہ (رواہ الحاکم)

The Holy Prophet ﷺ has forbidden the fruits to be sold or purchased before they are eatable, and said, "When zinc (adultery) and ربا riba (usury or interest) become rampant in the people of a town they themselves invite the punishment of Allah.

ما من قوم یظھر الربا الا اخذ وا بالسنۃ …

The third verse (277) mentions the great reward of peace and comfort that awaits the truly believing and practising Muslims, who are steadfast in Salah نماز and زکاۃ Zakah. Since, in the verse previous to this, the punishment of Hell and the disgrace the consumers of ربا riba will be facing was mentioned, so in accordance with the general style of the noble Qur'an, the merit - in آخرۃ Akhirah - of the believing-practising Muslims, those steadfast in Salah نماز and زکاۃ Zakah, was mentioned alongside.

The gist of the fourth verse (278): يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَذَرُ‌وا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّ‌بَا إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ those who believe, fear Allah and give up what still remains of the riba if you are believers" is that, after the revelation that prohibited riba, the giving and taking of the amount of ربا riba that remained due against anyone was also prohibited.

Explaining this, it can be said that ربا riba was rampant all over Arabia before it was prohibited by revelation. When verses earlier than the present one brought forth its prohibition, Muslims - following their Qur'an-oriented habit - abandoned all their ربا riba-related dealings. But some people had claims of unpaid ربا riba amounts on some others. In that connection, it so happened that Banu Thaqif and Banu Makhzum, two Arab tribes, had mutual ربا riba dealings and people from Banu Thaqif had claims of unpaid ربا riba amounts against Banu Makhznm. When Banu Makhzum became Muslims they, after having made their commitment to Islam, thought it to be impermissible to pay back the amount of ربا riba due. On the other side were Banu Thaqif; their people started pressing their claim. Since these people had become Muslims, but did have a mutual peace agreement, the people of Banu Makhzum told them that they had now entered the fold of Islam and had no intention of spending their Islamic earnings in paying off ربا riba.

This dispute rose in Makkah. That was a time after the conquest of Makkah. Sayyidna Muadh ؓ (according to another report, Sayyidna ` Attab ibn 'Asid ؓ was the Amir of Makkah, governor of the city, appointed by the Holy Prophet ﷺ . He reported this dispute in writing to him requesting his guidance. It was in this background that this verse of the Qur'an was revealed, the gist of which is that all previous dealings involving ربا riba should be terminated after entry into the fold of Islam, also no previous riba amount should be realized. The principal was all that could be taken.

When this Islamic law was enforced, the Muslims were already bound by it. The non-Muslim tribes who had accepted the Islamic law as party in peace treaties, they too, were bound by it. But, in spite of this, when the Holy Prophet ﷺ announced this law in his famous address of the Last Hajj (حجۃ الوداع), he made it a point to say that this law does not carry behind it the financial interest of any individual, or nation, or Muslims themselves. This has been brought into force to reconstruct, reform and better the whole humanity. Therefore, first of all, we let go large amounts of ربا riba owed by non-Muslims to Muslims. Now they too should have no excuse in leaving off the amount of ربا riba they claimed. As he said in his Address:

الا اَن کل ربا کان فی الجاھلیہ موضوع عنکم کلہ لکم رؤس اموالکم لا تظلمون ولا تظلمون و اول ربا موضوع ربا العباس بن عبد المطلب کلہ (ابن کثیر بحوالہ ابن ابی حاتم)

which means that the ربا riba content of all ربا riba dealings made in the age

of ignorance stood forsaken. Now everyone will get the principal and no one will get the extra amount of ربا riba. 'Neither shall you be able to do injustice to anyone by charging an increased amount, nor …

After that, in the fifth verse (279), severe warning has been given to those who act contrary to this injunction. They are told if they do not abandon ربا riba, they must face a declaration of war from Allah Almighty and His Messenger. So severe is this warning that any other warning of such severity does not appear anywhere in the Qur'an in relation to any other sin, no matter how great, except kufr (disbelief), of course. The verse then closes with the words: وَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَلَكُمْ رُؤسُ أَمْوَالِكُمْ that is, 'if you repent and resolve to leave off the remaining amount of ربا riba in future, you will get your principal. Neither will you be able to do injustice to anyone by extracting more than your principal, nor will anyone be able to do injustice to you by decreasing or delaying the return of your principal.' Here the receipt of the principal has been conditioned by saying that you repent, and resolve that you will abandon ربا riba in future, and only then, you shall get your principal.

Evidently this indicates if repentance ( توبہ Taubah) was not done by resolving to give up ربا riba, receiving the principal will no more be in order. Here are the related details. Take the case of a person who just does not believe that ربا riba could be حرام haram and therefore, he does not repent and resolve that he will have nothing to do with ربا riba anymore - then this person goes out of the fold of Islam and becomes an apostate (: مرتد murtadd). The injunction governing an apostate is that his belongings go out of his possession. As a consequence, that which he has earned during the period he was a Muslim, goes to his Muslim inheritors, and that which he earns after involvement with کفر kufr is deposited in the Baytul-Mal (بیت المال : the Exchequer of an Islamic State). Therefore, should his non-repentance be because he considers ربا riba to be حلال halal , he will not be entitled to receive even his principal. And if he does not go to the limit of considering ربا riba as حلال halal but, nevertheless, in actual practice, does not stop getting involved with it and, on top of that, gangs up with his kind and stands in confrontation with the Islamic government, he then is a rebel. His belongings too, are confiscated and placed as trust in the Baytul-Mal بیت المال ، so that it could be given back to him when he repents. Perhaps, it is to point out to such details that it was said in the form of a condition وَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَلَكُمْ رُ‌ءُوسُ أَمْوَالِكُمْ which implies that, if you do not repent, even your principal will be held back.

After that there is the sixth verse (280) which, in comparison to the anti-human claim of ربا riba, has stressed upon pure moral behavior of showing lenience to the poor and the have-nots. It is said that, if your borrower is too poor to pay back your loan, the provision of Shari'ah is that he be given time until he has the means, and should you forgive him your loan, it is much better for you.

The general habit of ربا riba-consumers is that they, once they know that their borrower is poor and cannot pay the loan back at the appointed time, add up the ربا riba amount in the principal unleashing a vicious series of ربا riba over ربا riba, even increasing the rate of riba in that process.

Here Allah Almighty, the wisest of all law-givers, gave the law that a genuinely poor borrower who is unable to pay back his loan should not be harassed. Instead, he should be given respite until such time that he becomes capable of doing so. Along with it was given the inducement to forgive the loan which is more beneficial for the lender.

The word, صدقہ sadaqah has been used here by the Qur'an to mean the act of forgiving. The hint given is that this forgiveness will become an act of charity in your case and will bring forth great merit. As for the statement - 'if you forgive, that is better for you' - it can be said that this action was obviously a matter of total loss for them because they were not only being asked to surrender ربا riba but also were going to lose their own principal! Still, the Qur'an called it 'better' (khayr). There are two reasons for this:

1. This betterment will be witnessed soon after the transitory life of this world when, in lieu of this insignificant earning, one will get the eternal blessings of Paradise.

2. Perhaps there may be yet another hint towards the possibility that one will himself see how good comes out of his deeds. There will be بر کہ barakah (increase, bliss) in what one has. The essence of بر کہ barakah is that a little serves to take care of a lot more needs, even without a quantitative increase in what one has. As such, it is commonly witnessed that there is unlimited بر کہ barakah in the wealth of those who spend in صدقہ sadaqah and خیرات khayrat. The little they have serves to take care of so many needs which will never be liquidated with large amounts of money spent by those whose money is Haram (unlawful).

Then there is the wealth not blessed with بر کہ barakah. One never realizes the purpose for which it is spent. Or, it so happens that such rich people have to spend huge amounts of money on undesirable heads such as medicines, treatment and consultancy fees, which is something the poor do not face. First of all, Allah Almighty blesses them with health which frees them from spending on their treatment and, in case they do fall ill, ordinary treatment gives them their health back. Seen from this angle, forgiving the poor person the loan due to him, which is apparently a matter of loss, becomes under this Qur'anic teachings, a beneficial act.

This teaching of giving respite to a poor borrower has also been commended in authentic ahadith some of which are reproduced below.

According to a hadith, in the …