If you give a person a sum of money, for example five thousand riyals, and then tell him after a year to return it as seven thousand riyals, is this permissible or not?
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The questioner : May your eminence, what is the ruling if I give a person a sum of money, for example five thousand riyals, and then tell him: after a year, return it as seven thousand riyals? Is this permissible or not? Please inform us about this, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. This questioner asks: What is the ruling if I give a person a thousand riyals? He says a thousand, or is it a hundred?
The questioner : Five thousand.
The Shaykh : Five thousand riyals, and he returns it to me after a year as seven thousand riyals. Is this permissible or not? The answer to that is that this is not permissible; rather, this is riba (usury or interest). It is a riba that combines riba al-fadl (usury of excess in a like-for-like exchange) and riba al-nasi'ah (usury of deferment). It is riba al-fadl due to the increase that occurred, and riba al-nasi'ah due to the delay in taking possession. It is forbidden (haram). The danger of riba is great, and its punishment is severe. The Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him), meaning Ibn Taymiyyah, said that no warning in the texts is like the warning issued regarding riba for a sin other than shirk (associating partners with Allah). That is, it is the greatest warning issued for anything other than shirk. Among this is the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He:[Ali 'Imran 3:130-131] This verse indicates that whoever engages in riba in multiplied amounts, his warning is the Fire.
It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he cursed the one who eats riba, the one who gives it, the two witnesses, and the scribe. He said: meaning in the curse, because they are cooperating in it. The texts on this matter are numerous and varied. Do not be deceived, O believing brother, by the negligence of people in this matter and their prevalence in it, for Allah the Exalted says in His Book: [Al-An'am 6:116] And you must follow the two revelations, the Book and the Sunnah, and follow the Salaf (the earliest generations) of the Ummah, for this is the truth.
And it should be known that the increase obtained from riba is, in reality, a decrease in the religion of the servant and a decrease in the blessing of the servant's wealth, and it is a sin and a punishment for the servant. As for it being a decrease in his religion, it is because sins decrease faith and tear it, and perhaps tear it to pieces, may Allah protect us. For sins, especially major sins like eating riba, are a precursor to kufr (disbelief), as the scholars of knowledge have said. This is because a sin affects the heart, so when another comes, the effect increases, and so on, until the heart is sealed, and good does not reach it, especially major sins like riba.
As for it being a decrease in the servant's wealth, it is because unlawful earnings, even if they increase the quantity of wealth, decrease its quality. The blessing is removed from it, and stinginess is cast into the heart of its owner until he does not benefit from his wealth, may Allah protect us. He leaves it to those after him, and it becomes a loss for him and a profit for others. This is observed. Therefore, you will find that most people who are stingy and hold back are those who receive what they call profits in a forbidden manner. Listen to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Ar-Rum 30:39]
As for it being a punishment and sins, it is because of what you have heard, O believing brother, of the noble verses and Prophetic hadiths. It is obligatory for you to repent to Allah and abandon riba. Do not be deceived by what people say about this benefiting the country economically and being in the interest of the taker and the giver. By Allah, even if it increases the country economically in terms of quantity, it increases it in evil and corruption in terms of effects and punishments. And a little of lawful money is better than multiples of multiples of unlawful money. In the hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), it is stated that whoever earns money from what is forbidden, if he spends it, he will not be blessed in it; if he gives it in charity, it will not be accepted from him; and if he leaves it, it will be his provision to the Fire.
Let the one who eats riba, or anything else that Allah has forbidden, beware of what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said about it. It is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he said: إن الله طيب لا يقبل إلا طيبا وإن الله أمر المؤمنين بما أمر به المرسلين فقال تعالى: يَا أَيُّهَا الرُّسُلُ كُلُوا مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَاعْمَلُوا صَالِحًا وقال تعالى: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءامَنُوا كُلُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِلَّهِ ثم ذكر الرجل يُطيل السفر أشعث أغبر يمد يديه إلى السماء: يا رب! يا رب! ومطعمه حرام، وملبسه حرام، وغذي بالحرام، فأنى يُستجاب لذلك؟ Indeed, Allah is Pure and does not accept except that which is pure. And Allah commanded the believers with what He commanded the messengers, saying: "O messengers! Eat from the good things and do righteous deeds." And He said: "O you who believe! Eat from the good things We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah." Then he mentioned the man who lengthens his journey, disheveled and covered in dust, extending his hands to the sky: "O Lord! O Lord!" while his food is forbidden, his clothing is forbidden, and he is nourished with what is forbidden. So how will he be answered? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) considered it unlikely that the supplication of the one who eats what is forbidden would be answered. Are you willing to extend your hands to your Lord, saying "O Lord! O Lord!" and then it not be accepted from you because of a morsel you ate that Allah has forbidden for you, because you nourished yourself with what is forbidden? It is your food and drink and your dwelling. So fear Allah, O my Muslim brother. Deal in permissible transactions, and Allah will bring you blessing in your earnings and your provision. Fear Allah and be moderate in your seeking, for no soul will die until it completes its provision and its term. We ask Allah to protect us and our brothers from what angers Him against us.
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : And to grant us uprightness in our religion and rectitude in our religion and our worldly affairs.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. This questioner says: May your eminence,
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. This questioner asks: What is the ruling if I give a person a thousand riyals? He says a thousand, or is it a hundred?
The questioner : Five thousand.
The Shaykh : Five thousand riyals, and he returns it to me after a year as seven thousand riyals. Is this permissible or not? The answer to that is that this is not permissible; rather, this is riba (usury or interest). It is a riba that combines riba al-fadl (usury of excess in a like-for-like exchange) and riba al-nasi'ah (usury of deferment). It is riba al-fadl due to the increase that occurred, and riba al-nasi'ah due to the delay in taking possession. It is forbidden (haram). The danger of riba is great, and its punishment is severe. The Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him), meaning Ibn Taymiyyah, said that no warning in the texts is like the warning issued regarding riba for a sin other than shirk (associating partners with Allah). That is, it is the greatest warning issued for anything other than shirk. Among this is the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He:
(130) O you who have believed, do not consume usury, doubled and multiplied, but fear Allah that you may be successful. (131) And fear the Fire, which has been prepared for the disbelievers.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءامَنُوا لا تَأْكُلُوا الرِّبَا أَضْعَافًا مُضَاعَفَةً وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ * وَاتَّقُوا النَّارَ الَّتِي أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَافِرِينَIt is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he cursed the one who eats riba, the one who gives it, the two witnesses, and the scribe. He said:
They are all the same.
هم سواءAnd if you obey most of those upon the earth, they will mislead you from the way of Allah
وَإِنْ تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَنْ فِي الأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِAnd it should be known that the increase obtained from riba is, in reality, a decrease in the religion of the servant and a decrease in the blessing of the servant's wealth, and it is a sin and a punishment for the servant. As for it being a decrease in his religion, it is because sins decrease faith and tear it, and perhaps tear it to pieces, may Allah protect us. For sins, especially major sins like eating riba, are a precursor to kufr (disbelief), as the scholars of knowledge have said. This is because a sin affects the heart, so when another comes, the effect increases, and so on, until the heart is sealed, and good does not reach it, especially major sins like riba.
As for it being a decrease in the servant's wealth, it is because unlawful earnings, even if they increase the quantity of wealth, decrease its quality. The blessing is removed from it, and stinginess is cast into the heart of its owner until he does not benefit from his wealth, may Allah protect us. He leaves it to those after him, and it becomes a loss for him and a profit for others. This is observed. Therefore, you will find that most people who are stingy and hold back are those who receive what they call profits in a forbidden manner. Listen to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And whatever you give for interest to increase within the wealth of people will not increase with Allah. But what you give in zakah, desiring the countenance of Allah - those are the multipliers.
وَمَا ءاتَيْتُمْ مِنْ رِبًا لِيَرْبُوَ فِي أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ فَلا يَرْبُوا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَمَا ءاتَيْتُمْ مِنْ زَكَاةٍ تُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُضْعِفُونَAs for it being a punishment and sins, it is because of what you have heard, O believing brother, of the noble verses and Prophetic hadiths. It is obligatory for you to repent to Allah and abandon riba. Do not be deceived by what people say about this benefiting the country economically and being in the interest of the taker and the giver. By Allah, even if it increases the country economically in terms of quantity, it increases it in evil and corruption in terms of effects and punishments. And a little of lawful money is better than multiples of multiples of unlawful money. In the hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), it is stated that whoever earns money from what is forbidden, if he spends it, he will not be blessed in it; if he gives it in charity, it will not be accepted from him; and if he leaves it, it will be his provision to the Fire.
Let the one who eats riba, or anything else that Allah has forbidden, beware of what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said about it. It is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he said: إن الله طيب لا يقبل إلا طيبا وإن الله أمر المؤمنين بما أمر به المرسلين فقال تعالى: يَا أَيُّهَا الرُّسُلُ كُلُوا مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَاعْمَلُوا صَالِحًا وقال تعالى: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءامَنُوا كُلُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِلَّهِ ثم ذكر الرجل يُطيل السفر أشعث أغبر يمد يديه إلى السماء: يا رب! يا رب! ومطعمه حرام، وملبسه حرام، وغذي بالحرام، فأنى يُستجاب لذلك؟ Indeed, Allah is Pure and does not accept except that which is pure. And Allah commanded the believers with what He commanded the messengers, saying: "O messengers! Eat from the good things and do righteous deeds." And He said: "O you who believe! Eat from the good things We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah." Then he mentioned the man who lengthens his journey, disheveled and covered in dust, extending his hands to the sky: "O Lord! O Lord!" while his food is forbidden, his clothing is forbidden, and he is nourished with what is forbidden. So how will he be answered? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) considered it unlikely that the supplication of the one who eats what is forbidden would be answered. Are you willing to extend your hands to your Lord, saying "O Lord! O Lord!" and then it not be accepted from you because of a morsel you ate that Allah has forbidden for you, because you nourished yourself with what is forbidden? It is your food and drink and your dwelling. So fear Allah, O my Muslim brother. Deal in permissible transactions, and Allah will bring you blessing in your earnings and your provision. Fear Allah and be moderate in your seeking, for no soul will die until it completes its provision and its term. We ask Allah to protect us and our brothers from what angers Him against us.
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : And to grant us uprightness in our religion and rectitude in our religion and our worldly affairs.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. This questioner says: May your eminence,