Quran Garden

Session 460

Chapter 3

Verse 130

A continuation

You who believe, do not consume usurious interest, doubled and redoubled.  Be mindful of God so that you may be successful.  (Chapter 3: Verse 130)

Usury is excess wealth, but can it be consumed or devoured?  Yes, because all financial matters, at their core, are for feeding one's family.  We say that a working man "puts food on the table." The rich eat, and the poor go hungry.  Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said, "Whoever among you gets up in the morning feeling secure among his tribe, healthy in his body, and has enough food for the day; it is as if the entire world has been gathered for him." 

Here we must take a few moments to study the phrase "usurious interest, doubled and redoubled."  The word "doubled" is translated from the Arabic origin (Di’f) ضعف, which means "weak" or "feeble." It describes the modern interest-based financial system.  With time, interest increases your money until the original deposit looks feeble compared to the new sum.  For example, if your initial capital was one hundred dollars and it earns ten percent interest annually, you would have $161.05 after five years.  This gain makes your original one hundred look feeble.  This is what is understood by (Di’f) ضعف or doubling.  What is meant by "redoubled"?  Now, your $161.05 will become the new capital, and when a year passes, interest will be earned on this amount as well, so the original increase has increased upon itself.  This is what we call compound interest, which God prohibited.  

Keep in mind that the interest you earn on your money is collected from other people's misery.  The bank takes your original deposit and lends it to a person in need at 15% interest.  The bank then gives you 10% and keeps 5% as profit.  All the while, the borrower is paying back the loan "doubled and redoubled." 

Some people argue that the Quran only forbids doubling and multiplying, which sounds like predatory lending with exuberant interest.  They falsely claim that a small amount of interest is permissible and point to the phrase "do not consume usurious interest, doubled and redoubled" as an excuse.  In other words, they can charge interest on loans as long as it is not outrageous.  We say to them: you are taking one phrase out of context to manufacture a loophole in God's teaching.  Why don't you study the Quran properly?  Look at all the verses that discuss lending and interest before you speak. God says in Surah Al-Baqarah:

O believers, fear God and forego the interest that is owed, if you really believe.  And, if you do not, then be warned of war from Allah and His Messenger.  If you repent, then you will have your principal, neither harming others nor suffering harm. (2:278, 279)

Take note that God did not allow any interest whatsoever.  He directed those who repent to get back their original capital and nothing more.  He did not allow them to keep any increase, even a small one.  In other words: no interest, small or big, simple or compounded, is halal.  This divine law protects the poor and disadvantaged from being exploited by the rich and powerful through interest-bearing and predatory loans.  The Quran came to set the scales of justice, stop exploitation, and give the rich back their capital without any increase.

Other people use the contract as an excuse to deal with interest and usury.  They falsely claim that the transaction is permissible since both parties agreed on the terms of a clear contract.  We answer that there is a higher authority directing our affairs than a piece of paper.  God's teachings overrule any contract you and I may concoct together.  Take the example of an unmarried man and woman agreeing to have sexual relations.  Does their agreement overrule God's teachings against adultery?  Of course not.  A contract where both parties agree is only valid on matters that do not contradict heavenly teachings.  Another paramount requirement of any contract is that the agreement should not cause harm to society at large.  A contract that involves usury and interest violates both conditions.

The verse ends with, "Be mindful of God so that you may be successful." Let's study each part of this statement.  First, to "Be mindful of God" means to protect yourself from God's attributes of grandeur, such as the Compeller and the Overpowering.  By avoiding sin, such as usury, you become closer to God and His attributes of beauty, such as the All-Merciful, the Grantor, and the Most Generous.  Second, we look at the meaning of "so that you may be successful." In Arabic, like in English, the word "success" has many synonyms, such as "winning," "victory," "triumph," and so on.  God chose to use the Arabic word for "success," مفلحون (Muflehoon), in this verse.  The linguistic root Fa La Ha means "to plow the land for sowing." God used this word to reference something tangible to us.  To reap fruits and crops, you must put in effort and time, dig into the soil, and plant seeds.  Allah put the appropriate amount of nutrients within each seed to allow for its survival and to support the growth of the root shoots when planted in fertile soil.  Similarly, God has placed within each of us what is needed for success and growth.  You must put in time and effort and surround yourself with a righteous environment to plant your good deeds.  Just as planting seeds in the winter reaps you great crops in the spring, doing good deeds in this world earns you immense rewards in the Hereafter.  God says:

The metaphor of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is that of a grain which produces seven ears; in every ear there are a hundred grains.  Allah gives such multiplies and increases to whomever He wills.  Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing. (2:261)

Let's take a moment to ponder the beauty of this verse.  If the earth –a creation of God– grants you many multiples for every single seed you plant, what kind of multiple do you think Allah –the Creator of the earth– will give you for each good deed you sow?  So follow the teachings of your Lord, even if they feel like a burden because they will provide you with much pleasure in the Hereafter.  This is the true meaning of success.