Discussion of some issues of riba.
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The Shaykh : I plant it, then I harvest it, and I divide the harvest into three parts: one part I return to the land, one part I spend on myself and my family, and one part I give in charity to my neighbors and the poor.
The questioner : Allahu Akbar.
The Shaykh : He said, "That is it. We started as believers in this faith until our Lord, Mighty and Majestic, provides us with a way out. Our way out is in the interest-based banks. This is what has become the case today, and may Allah protect us from it. We ask Allah, Mighty and Majestic, first to inspire the Muslims to understand their religion, because as He the Exalted said:[Al-A'raf 7:187] And second, to act upon their religion, because many of them are described by His saying, the Exalted: [As-Saf 61:2-3] So perhaps Allah will make us among His pious servants. Do you allow us, Abu Ahmad, to leave?"
The questioner : ... The problem is that ... a merchant in this country, may Allah have mercy on him, passed away. I was sitting with the manager of one of the banks ... and then he passed away ... he came ... merchants, but long ago, I mean ... yes, this is what happened. He came in a panic, angry, and said, "What have you done to me with riba ...?" He used to open credit lines and put money into credit ... because our friend did not know, I mean, he put in his father's guarantee ... .
The Shaykh : There is no difference between it and the British bank except in name; it may even be worse than the British one.
The questioner : No, but ... .
The Shaykh : Two people, each of whom disobeys Allah, Mighty and Majestic, with a single sin. For example, one steals, and the other steals. One of them considers stealing permissible and says, "This theft is allowed." The other admits that this is theft and that it is forbidden. May Allah accept the repentance of both; both are criminals and sinners. But the second one has doubled ... the one who thinks that this is theft and that it is allowed has two sins. Why? Because his first sin is an action that contradicts the Shari'ah in practice, and the second sin is a contradiction of the Shari'ah in thought. And so you can apply this to all the rulings of the Shari'ah. One person eats riba and says, "May Allah accept my repentance." The other tells you, "No, there is nothing wrong with this," and he finds many interpretations for you. He tells you, "Times have changed, and this is not possible now ... and so on." That means this one is worse than that one. The first step in returning to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, is to know the ruling of the Shari'ah. The second step is to believe that this is the ruling, with no ambiguity. The third and final step is to apply this ruling as much as one is able. Today, an Islamic bank is ink on paper. What is an Islamic bank? You go there to buy a car or a machine, and they bring it for you from Europe, and so on. They tell you, "This costs so many dinars from Europe to here. We want a murabahah of five percent, ten percent, up to six months." I said to him, "If I tell you that I cannot manage in six months, I need a year, it will double." This is the same riba. This is the same riba. But the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said: What is the meaning of this hadith? The Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said that the Jews were cursed. Why? He said, "Because Allah, Mighty and Majestic, forbade them the fats." The fats of the animals whose meat is eaten—camels, cows, sheep—they slaughter them and eat them, except for the fat. He the Exalted said in the Noble Qur'an: [An-Nisa 4:160] [An-Nisa 4:160] From these good things, the fat ... all the grease. The Jew’s soul goes after the money that is being wasted, and he endured and waited. Then they turned and twisted, just as some Muslims do today. What did they do? The Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Sunan an-Nasa'i 4257Sahih (Darussalam) Meaning they took it, put it in the large pots, and lit the fire underneath it until it melted. They clarified it, meaning they melted it, meaning they changed its form. So changing the form for the sake of eating, when it is fat, is still fat. And so, in a cycle and a turn, they make the haram money permissible. Yes, we ask Allah.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Yes, Abu Ahmad, please.
The questioner : Allahu Akbar.
The Shaykh : He said, "That is it. We started as believers in this faith until our Lord, Mighty and Majestic, provides us with a way out. Our way out is in the interest-based banks. This is what has become the case today, and may Allah protect us from it. We ask Allah, Mighty and Majestic, first to inspire the Muslims to understand their religion, because as He the Exalted said:
but most of the people do not know."
ولكن أكثر الناس لا يعلمون(2) O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do? (3) Great is hatred in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do.
يا أيها الذين آمنوا لم تقولون ما لا تفعلون كبر مقتا عند الله أن تقولوا ما لا تفعلونThe questioner : ... The problem is that ... a merchant in this country, may Allah have mercy on him, passed away. I was sitting with the manager of one of the banks ... and then he passed away ... he came ... merchants, but long ago, I mean ... yes, this is what happened. He came in a panic, angry, and said, "What have you done to me with riba ...?" He used to open credit lines and put money into credit ... because our friend did not know, I mean, he put in his father's guarantee ... .
The Shaykh : There is no difference between it and the British bank except in name; it may even be worse than the British one.
The questioner : No, but ... .
The Shaykh : Two people, each of whom disobeys Allah, Mighty and Majestic, with a single sin. For example, one steals, and the other steals. One of them considers stealing permissible and says, "This theft is allowed." The other admits that this is theft and that it is forbidden. May Allah accept the repentance of both; both are criminals and sinners. But the second one has doubled ... the one who thinks that this is theft and that it is allowed has two sins. Why? Because his first sin is an action that contradicts the Shari'ah in practice, and the second sin is a contradiction of the Shari'ah in thought. And so you can apply this to all the rulings of the Shari'ah. One person eats riba and says, "May Allah accept my repentance." The other tells you, "No, there is nothing wrong with this," and he finds many interpretations for you. He tells you, "Times have changed, and this is not possible now ... and so on." That means this one is worse than that one. The first step in returning to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, is to know the ruling of the Shari'ah. The second step is to believe that this is the ruling, with no ambiguity. The third and final step is to apply this ruling as much as one is able. Today, an Islamic bank is ink on paper. What is an Islamic bank? You go there to buy a car or a machine, and they bring it for you from Europe, and so on. They tell you, "This costs so many dinars from Europe to here. We want a murabahah of five percent, ten percent, up to six months." I said to him, "If I tell you that I cannot manage in six months, I need a year, it will double." This is the same riba. This is the same riba. But the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
Allah has cursed the Jews. The fats were forbidden to them, so they melted them and then sold them and ate their price. And indeed, when Allah forbids the eating of something, He forbids its price.
لعن الله اليهود حرمت عليهم الشحوم فجملوها ثم باعوها وأكلوا أثمانها وإن الله إذا حرم أكل شيء حرم ثمنهFor wrongdoing on the part of the Jews, We made unlawful for them [certain] good foods which had been lawful to them
فبظلم من الذين هادوا حرمنا عليهم طيبات أحلت لهمWe made unlawful for them [certain] good foods which had been lawful to them
حرمنا عليهم طيبات أحلت لهمfor animal fat was forbidden to them, but they rendered it
حرمت عليهم الشحوم فجملوهاThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Yes, Abu Ahmad, please.