This document contains summaries of hadiths and statements from Islamic religious figures regarding the prohibition of interest (riba) in Islam. Some key points made in the document include: 1) The Prophet Muhammad cursed those who charge, pay, document, keep accounts of, or witness interest-based transactions. He said they are all equally guilty of the crime. 2) Consuming even a small amount of interest is considered worse than committing adultery 36 times, and interest has severely harmful effects. 3) When interest and adultery become commonplace in a society, they have invited Allah's wrath and punishment upon themselves in the form of drought, food shortages, and living in constant fear.

1. Mufti Ibrahim Essa
Chairman Shriah Board
Sindh Bank
Islamic Banking Division
Islamic Banking

3. “ Those who devour interest become like the one whom Satan has
bewitched and maddened by his touch. They have been condemned
to this condition because they say trade is just like interest, whereas
Allah has made trade lawful and interest unlawful. Henceforth, if
one abstains from taking interest after receiving this admonition
from his Lord, no legal action will be taken against him regarding
the interest he had devoured before; his case shall ultimately go to
Allah. But if one repeats the same crime even after this, he shall go
to Hell, where he shall abide forever”.

4. “ O believers fear Allah and give up that interest
which is still due to you if you are true believers;
but if you do not do so then you are warned of the
declaration of war against you by Allah and His
Messenger. If, however, you repent even now (and
forgo interest), you are entitled to your principal; do
not wrong, and no wrong will be done to you”.

5. 1. It has been reported by Hazrat Abu Hurairah (‘) on the authority of the Prophet (]), that the
Prophet (]) said, “Refrain from seven things which are deadly”. The companions asked him
(]) what are these? He (]) said (i) to associate partners with Allah, (ii) to case spell, (iii) to kill
someone without a reason valid in the eye of Allah, (iv) to devour interest, (v) to devour the
properly wealth of an orphan, (vi) to runaway from the battle field, and (vii) to falsely
implicate innocent and chaste women of vulgarity”. This saying has been reported by
Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood and Nisai.
Associating partners with Allah can be in two different manners, i.e., to consider more
than one entities as God or to consider that certain attributes of Allah are shared by other
deities. For example someone may consider an object (animate or inanimate) worthily of
worship and submission like Allah, or may offer charity in his name or consider that
someone’s knowledge or powers are equal to those of Allah or perform acts of worship like
prostration, bowing, circling (tawaf) for anyone other than Allah. The Holy Qur’an has
clearly pronounced that one who associates partners with Allah and dies a death in this state
of belief without offering repentance, would never be pardoned by Allah.

6. 4. Hazrat Jabir Ibn-e-Abdullah (‘) has reported
the Prophet (]) to have cursed those who
charge interest, those who pay it, those who
write documents pertaining thereto, those who
keep the accounts of such matters and those
who sign as witness. He (]) said that they are
all equal in this crime.

7. 6. Hazrat Aun bin Juhaifah (‘) reports on the authority of his
father (‘) that the Prophet (]) cursed the women who get
themselves tattooed, those who perform this act, those who
charge and pay interest. He (]) stopped his (]) followers
from earnings obtained through the sale of dogs and the
earnings of a prostitute. He (]) has also cursed the artists.
This has been reported by Imam Bukhari and Abu
Dawood.

8. 8. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (‘) has reported the Prophet (]) to have said, “four
categories of people are such that Allah has made it binding upon Himself to
refuse them admission to the paradise or to let them enjoy is goodies. The
first is the one who is a habitual drinker of alcoholic drinks. The second is
the one who devours interest, the third is the one who devours the wealth
belonging to an orphan, without any justification therefore, and the fourth is
the one who is disobedient to his parents. This has been reported by Hakim
on the authority of Ibrahim bin Khathim bin Irak and he (Ibrahim) reported
it on the authority of his father (Khathim) and he (Khathim) reported it on
the authority of Hazrat Abu Hurairah (‘) Hakim has classified it as an
authentic saying.”

9. 9. Hazrat Abdullah Ibn-e-Masood (‘) has reported that
the Prophet (]) said, “The ill affects of interest are of 73
kinds, the last intense of these is like someone
committing adultery with his mother. This has been
reported by Hakim and considered by him authentic
based on the criteria laid down by Imam Bukhari and
Imam Muslim.”

10. 10.The same companion (‘) has reported that the
Prophet (]) said, “the ills of interest are a little over
70 and it is as bad as associating partners with
Allah. This has been reported by Al Bazzar and he
said that all the persons in the reporting chain are
those who are considered reliable by Imam Bukhari
and Imam Muslim.

11. 13.It has been reported by Hazrat Hanzala bin
Abdullah (‘) (who was given a bath by the angels)
that the Prophet (]) said, “Devouring a dirham of
interest is worse than committing adultery 36 times,
provided one is aware that he is utilizing money
earned by way of interest”. This saying has been
reported by Imam Ahmed and Tibrani.

12. 14. Hazrat Anas bin Malik (‘) has reported that the Prophet
(]) gave a sermon in front of us. He (]) emphasized upon the
issue of interest and said, “devouring of one dirham of
interest is worse than committing adultery 36 times”. Then
he (]) said, “The worse from of devouring interest is to
attack the honor of a Muslim”. This saying has been
narrated by Beehqi and Ibn-e-Abi Al duniya.

13. 16.It has been reported by Hazrat Bara bin Azib (‘) that
the Prophet (]) said, “interest is divided into 72
sections. The last harmful is like one who commits
adultery with his mother. The worse from of interest is
to attack the honor of a Muslim”.

14. 18.Hazrat ibn-e-Abbas (‘) has reported that the Prophet
(]) instructed not to sell any edible fruits before they
are fully ripe. He (]) also said that when interest and
adultery come in vogue in any society then it is like
that they have invited Allah’s wrath on themselves.
This has been reported by Al-Hakim and he said that
the chain of reporting is reliable.

15. 19.Hazrat Ibn-e-Masood (‘) reporting a saying of the
Prophet (]) in which the Prophet (]) said, “When
adultery and interest become common place in a
people, then they have definitely asked for Allah’s
punishment for themselves”.

16. 20.It has been reported by Hazrat Amr bin Al Aas (‘) that the
heard the Prophet (]) say, “If interest based dealings become
common among the people, they surely start facing draught
and shortage of food. And when bribery becomes a norm
among a people, they live under constant fear of their
enemy”.

17. 22. It has been narrated by Hazrat Abdullah Ibn-e-Masud (‘) on the
authority of the Prophet (]) that he (]) said, “As the day of Judgment
comes closer, interest, adultery and consumption of liquors will become
very common.¹
1. The point to ponder is that we are witnessing an increase in interest (riba) as foretold
in this saying. But what kind of riba? Usurious rates of interest are now condemned even
by the money lenders. It can be surmised that the riba condemned by Qur’an and
prohibited by it includes all kinds of interest, compounded or simple, reasonable or
usurious.

18. 25. According to Hazrat Abdullah bin Masood (‘), the Prophet (]) said,
“whoever earns money/wealth through interest would find it reduced in the
end”. This has been reported by Ibn-e-Majah and Hakim and they said that
the reporting chain is authentic. Another version is that the Prophet (]) said,
“Howsoever much the interest may appear to be in quantum, the end result is
that it reduces (the wealth).
Note: Abdul Razzaq, who is considered an authority on Hadith, has reported from
Moammar that Moammar said to have heard that not 40 years lapse on business
involving interest and it suffers a loss or an accident which causes a loss.

19. 26. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (‘) said that he heard the Prophet (]) say, “A
time will come when, even if a person is able to abstain from interest,
he would still be indirectly affected by its evil”.
Note: The Point to ponder here is that this Hadith mentions about the practice of interest
becoming common to an extent that even the most pious of persons would find
himself involved in it, even through indirectly. Interest which is common to this
extent is commercial interest and not usurious or notional interst. This means and
proves that even commercial interest is prohibited.

20. 27. It has been reported by Hazrat Ibada Bin Samit (‘) that the
Prophet (]) said, “By him in whose authority my life is, some of
my followers would spend their night in a state of pride, a false
sense of greatness and self-conceit and in sports and pastime. In
the morning they will be turned into monkeys and swines. This
will befall them because they considered legitimate something,
which was prohibited, employed women to sing, consumed
liquor, devoured interest and wore fabrics made of silk.

21. 40.It has been stated by Hazrat Obai bin Ka’ab (‘) that if
someone who has borrowed from you sends you a gift,
then decline to accept it and seek the repayment of your
loan only.