Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “And to you is your capital”
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
This is another questioner who says: In the saying of Allah Mighty and Majestic:[Al-Baqarah 2:279], what is meant by “capital” in the verse? Is it the amount before the increase, or the amount before the repentance?
Answer:
The capital is the amount you paid to the city; this is your capital. That is, if you lend to a person, for example, and then you want him to repay, he repays only the amount he took from you, or whatever debt he has on him. When the due date arrives, if he is well-off, he is required to pay; if he is unable to pay, he must be given time, and the debt is not increased upon him as the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance (jahiliyyah) used to do. They would double the debt on the one who was unable to pay; every time he delayed, they would double it and increase it upon him. This is the case.
And the riba (usury or interest) of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, may Allah be protected from it. Allah the Exalted and Majestic commanded that the one who is unable to pay be given time or be excused, and this is better. The debt is not increased upon him every time he delays. They would say to him: “Either you pay the increase or you pay the debt.” This is the speech of the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. He is not required to be given time until Allah makes things easy for him and he pays the debt only. Yes.
This is another questioner who says: In the saying of Allah Mighty and Majestic:
But if you repent, you may have your principal - [thus] you do no wrong, nor are you wronged.
وَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَلَكُمْ رُءُوسُ أَمْوَالِكُمْ لَا تَظْلِمُونَ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَAnswer:
The capital is the amount you paid to the city; this is your capital. That is, if you lend to a person, for example, and then you want him to repay, he repays only the amount he took from you, or whatever debt he has on him. When the due date arrives, if he is well-off, he is required to pay; if he is unable to pay, he must be given time, and the debt is not increased upon him as the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance (jahiliyyah) used to do. They would double the debt on the one who was unable to pay; every time he delayed, they would double it and increase it upon him. This is the case.
And the riba (usury or interest) of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, may Allah be protected from it. Allah the Exalted and Majestic commanded that the one who is unable to pay be given time or be excused, and this is better. The debt is not increased upon him every time he delays. They would say to him: “Either you pay the increase or you pay the debt.” This is the speech of the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. He is not required to be given time until Allah makes things easy for him and he pays the debt only. Yes.
Source
نور على الدرب - الفوزان - 02/265 — archive.org (10:17)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.