Riba

Hazrat Abdullah Bin Hanzalah (Radiyallaahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: "A dirham (a coin) of Riba (interest) that a person consumes in a state of awareness, is more serious than committing 36 times Zina (adultery)." (Musnad Ahmad / Darqutni)

It is very grave that a person commits a sin. And this Hadith refers to a sin that has been committed knowingly.

But if a person has committed it by negligence also, its gravity is not less. Because he committed it due to carelessness. Similarly, a person who did not make any effort to know and learn will also be guilty by Allah Ta'ala. Many people believe that it is better that they do not know so that they may have an excuse and a way out. But this is a mistake. This is not enough to spare us from the gravity of a sin.

This sin has been considered more serious than adultery because interest transactions represent a declaration of war against Allah Ta'ala. So, its gravity is evident. But at the same time we should know that the sanction of Zina in Dunya is more serious. Its punishment for a bachelor is 100 lashes. Yet we should not minimize the seriousness of Zina. It is extremely serious in itself but interest is even more serious than Zina in certain aspects. So, at no time should we use this comparison to fall in the baseness of Zina. On the contrary, we should use this comparison to know the gravity of Riba. Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) mentioned this comparison in order to give us a clearer idea of ​​the seriousness of Riba. So, he compared it to Zina whose gravity is visible and tangible.

The level of baseness of Riba is evident from the fact that according to a Hadith reported by Hazrat Abu Hurairah (Radiyallaahu Anhu), Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: "There are 70 degrees of Riba. The least serious/lightest degree is like a person who commits adultery with his mother."

This gives us an idea of ​​what may be its most serious degree. Imagine for a moment how will the 70th degree be if its minimum itself is hard to hear.

Borrowing 100 rupees and claiming 110 rupees. We all know that this is interest. There are certain things that we consider normal and simple and yet it is interest. Demanding a service from someone whom you borrowed money is also counted as interest according to the Shariah. For example, you borrowed money to a merchant. Now, you wish to get an exaggerated concession for goods that you buy from him. And you were not used to getting such concession before. So, according to the Shariah, in reality you wish to acquire interest. So, all the benefits or services that you wish to have by lending money to someone, is Riba (interest).

[English version of "Riba" – Al Jamiat – Vol.7 No.14]