ON THE PROHIBITION OF USURY

There are many verses on the prohibition of usury. As for the Ahâdîth, they are as follows:

Imâm al-Bukhârî rahimahullâh and Imâm Abû Dâ’ûd rahimahullâhnarrate that the Messenger of Allâh cursed the person who tattoos, the person who asks to be tattood, and person who devours usury, and the person who delegates others for usury.

Al-Hâkim rahimahullâh narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “Allâh took it upon Himself that He will not admit four people into Paradise and not allow them to enjoy its bounties: (1) the one who is addicted to alcohol, (2) the one who devours usury (3) the one who unjustly devours the wealth of an orphan, (4) the one who is disobedient to his parents.”

Al-Hâkim rahimahullâh narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “Usury has 73 doors of evil, the least of which is like a person committing adultery with his mother.”

Al-Bazzâr rahimahullâh narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “Usury has over 70 branches and polytheism has the like number.”

Al-Bayhaqî rahimahullâh narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “Usury has seventy evils, the least of which is a person having intercourse with his mother.”

At-Tabarânî rahimahullâh narrates from ‘Abdullâh ibn Salâm that the Prophet said: “A single dirham which a person receives from usury is far more serious than 33 acts of adultery which a person commits in Islam.”

Ibn Abî ad-Dunyâ rahimahullâh, al-Baghawî rahimahullâh and others narrate from ‘Abdullâh that the Messenger of Allâh said: “Usury entails 72 evils, the least of which is like one who has intercourse with his mother in Islam. And a single dirham from usury is worse than 33 acts of adultery.” He said: “Allâh will permit obedient and sinful people to stand on the day of resurrection except he who devours usury, for he will not rise except as one whose senses Satan squandered by clinging [to him].”

Imâm Ahmad rahimahullâh narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “A single dirham of usury which a person devours knowingly is worse than 36 acts of adultery.”

Ibn Abî ad-Dunyâ rahimahullâh and al-Bayhaqî rahimahullâhnarrate: “The Messenger of Allâh addressed us and spoke about usury and its seriousness. He said: ‘A single dirham which a man receives as usury is a far more severe sin than 36 acts of adultery which a man commits.”

At-Tabarânî rahimahullâh narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “He who aids an oppressor in a wrong in order to forfeit a right is deprived of the covenant of protection of Allâh and of His Messenger . He who eats a single dirham of usury, then it is equal to 33 acts of adultery. He who nourishes his flesh with the unlawful, then the Hell-fire is more eligible for him.”

Imâm Ibn Mâjah rahimahullâh and al-Bayhaqî rahimahullâh narrate from Abû Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allâh said: “Usury entails 70 evils, the least of which is for a man to have intercourse with his mother.”

Al-Hâkim rahimahullâh narrates from Ibn ‘Abbâs that the Messenger of Allâh prohibited that fruit be bought till it is fully grown. He said: “When adultery and usury make their appearance in a place, they have most certainly invited the punishment of Allâh upon themselves.”

Abû Ya‘lâ rahimahullâh narrates from Ibn Mas‘ûd who related aHadîth from the Prophet in which he said: “No sooner adultery and usury make their appearance among a people, they have most certainly invited the punishment of Allâh upon themselves.”

Imâm Ahmad rahimahullâh narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “No sooner usury becomes rife among a people, they are seized by drought. No sooner bribery becomes rife among a people, they are seized by fear.”

Imâm Ahmad rahimahullâh, Imâm Ibn Mâjah rahimahullâh and al-Asbahânî rahimahullâh narrate that the Messenger of Allâh said: “The night when I was taken to the seven heavens [the night of Mi‘râj] and we reached the seventh heaven, I looked up and saw thunder, lightning and rumbling. I then came to some people whose stomachs were like houses. There were snakes inside which could be seen from outside their stomachs. I asked: ‘O Jibra’îl! Who are these people?’ He replied: ‘They are the devourers of usury.’”

Al-Asbahânî rahimahullâh narrates from Abû Sa‘îd al-Khudrî that the Messenger of Allâh said: “When I was taken up to the heavens, I looked at the lowest heaven and saw men whose stomachs were as big as huge houses. Their stomachs were bent over and they were arranged one on top of the other on the path of the family of Pharaoh, placed before the Hell-fire every morning and evening. They were constantly saying: ‘O our Sustainer! Don’t let the final hour take place.’ I asked: ‘O Jibra’îl! Who are these people?’ He replied: ‘These are the devourers of usury from your ummah. They will not rise except as one whose senses Satan squandered by clinging [to him].’”

In explaining the above, al-Asbahânî rahimahullâh said: “They will be heaped on top of each other, and the passers-by from the family of Pharaoh who will be presented to the Hell-fire every morning and evening will trample them.”

At-Tabarânî rahimahullâh narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “Adultery, usury and alcohol will become rife before the final hour.”

At-Tabarânî rahimahullâh narrates from al-Qâsim ibn ‘Abdillâh al-Warrâq who said: “I saw ‘Abdullâh ibn Abî Aufâ going to the market of money-exchangers. He addressed them saying: ‘O assembly of money-changers! Take glad tidings.’ They said: ‘May Allâh give you the glad tidings of Paradise, what glad tidings are you giving us, O Abû Muhammad?’ He replied: ‘The Messenger of Allâh said to the money-changers: ‘Take the glad tidings of the Hell-fire.’”

At-Tabarânî rahimahullâh narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “Beware of sins that are not forgiven: (1) Concealing [the spoils of war and other wealth in which others have a share]. He who conceals, it will be brought forward on the day of resurrection. (2) Devouring usury. He who devours usury will be raised as a mad-man on the day of resurrection.” He then recited this verse: “Those who devour usury will not rise except as one whose senses Satan squandered by clinging [to him]. [104] ”

Al-Asbahânî rahimahullâh narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “The devourer of usury will come like a mad-man on the day of resurrection, dragging himself on his side.” He then recited this verse: “will not rise except as one whose senses Satan squandered by clinging [to him].”

Imâm Ibn Mâjah rahimahullâh and al-Hâkim rahimahullâh narrate that the Messenger of Allâh said: “No person increases his share of usury without his eventual results being reduced.”

Al-Hâkim rahimahullâh narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “Although usury may increase profusely, it is bound towards decrease.”

Imâm Abû Dâ’ûd rahimahullâh and Imâm Ibn Mâjah rahimahullâhnarrate from Abû Hurayrah : “There will certainly come a time when there will not remain a single person who did not devour usury. He who does not devour it will get some of its dust [some effects of usury will afflict him].”

‘Abdullâh ibn Ahmad narrates in Zawâ’id al-Musnad that the Messenger of Allâh said: “I take an oath by that Being in whose control is my life, there will be people from my ummah who will sleep on arrogance, pride, play and amusement. The next morning they will wake up as monkeys and pigs for having considered the prohibitions to be lawful, for having taken singing women, for having consumed alcohol, for having devoured usury, and for having worn silk.”

Imâm Ahmad rahimahullâh and al-Bayhaqî rahimahullâh narrate that the Messenger of Allâh said: “People from this ummah will sleep the night after eating, drinking, playing and amusing themselves. They will wake up the next morning having themselves distorted into monkeys and pigs. The ground will swallow them up and rocks will be flung at them. People will get up in the morning and talk among themselves that such and such family or such and such residential area was swallowed up by the ground. Rocks from the sky will be flung at them as they were flung at the people of Lût . They will be flung at some tribes and some houses for their having drunk alcohol, worn silk, taken singing women, devoured usury, and severed ties of kinship.”