The Ruling on the Statement: There Is No Economy Without Riba

Question:
He says: What is your opinion, Honorable Shaykhs, of the one who says, "There is no society, or no state, without an economy, and there is no economy without riba (usury or interest)"? What is your view of this statement? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
This is a false statement, a denial of the truth, and a fabrication against the religion of Islam. Islam has an economy, praise be to Allah, since Allah sent the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It is an honest economy free from riba. The Muslims have been trading since the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him); they trade and they prohibit riba, yet their economy does not decline. Rather, it is the disbelievers who do not believe in Allah and the Messenger who say, "There is no economy except in riba." As for the Muslims, they say, "Praise be to Allah, the economy exists, established upon the Book and the Sunnah." This exists, and trade in it is profitable, and the earnings in it are pure, praise be to Allah. The Muslims say, "Praise be to Allah, the economy exists, established upon the Book and the Sunnah." This exists, and trade in it is profitable, and the earnings in it are pure, praise be to Allah. And the merchants, from the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) until our present time, are Muslims who do not deal in riba, and their trade is great, praise be to Allah.
And the Shaykhs have responded to this speaker, praise be to Allah. Among the best to respond to him and print his response is now Shaykh Mahmud ibn 'Abdullah al-Suwajiri (may Allah preserve him), who responded to him with a refutation that leaves him speechless, praise be to Allah, and he invalidated this false claim.