Rule about Unlawful Interest

دِرْهَمٌ رِبًا أَشَدُّ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ زَنْيَةً كُلُّهَا بِذَاتِ مَحْرَمٍ.

“The sin of receiving one dirham of [unlawful] interest is more serious than having seventy carnal relations with one’s mahrams."

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ آكِلُ الرِّبَا وَ مُؤْكِلُهُ وَ كَاتِبُهُ وَ شَاهِدُهُ فِيهِ سَوَاءٌ.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu Najran from ‘Asim ibn Hamid from m h ibn Qays, who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that Amir al-Mu’minin, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘One who consumes Riba’, one who feeds Riba ’ and one who documents it, are all the same

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَأْكُلُ الرِّبَا وَ هُوَ يَرَى أَنَّهُ لَهُ حَرَامٌ قَالَ لَا يَضُرُّهُ حَتَّى يُصِيبَهُ مُتَعَمِّداً فَإِذَا أَصَابَهُ مُتَعَمِّداً فَهُوَ بِالْمَنْزِلَةِ الَّتِي قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌[1].

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who consumes Riba ’ and he considers it lawful. He (the Imam) replied, ‘It does not harm him as long as he does not consume it knowing that it is unlawful, in which case he will face the condition of one who is mentioned in the words

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ كُلُّ رِبًا أَكَلَهُ النَّاسُ بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ تَابُوا فَإِنَّهُ يُقْبَلُ مِنْهُمْ إِذَا عُرِفَ مِنْهُمُ التَّوْبَةُ وَ قَالَ لَوْ أَنَّ رَجُلًا وَرِثَ مِنْ أَبِيهِ مَالًا وَ قَدْ عَرَفَ أَنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ الْمَالِ رِبًا وَ لَكِنْ قَدِ اخْتَلَطَ فِي التِّجَارَةِ بِغَيْرِهِ حَلَالٍ‌[2] كَانَ حَلَالًا طَيِّباً فَلْيَأْكُلْهُ وَ إِنْ عَرَفَ مِنْهُ شَيْئاً[3] أَنَّهُ رِبًا فَلْيَأْخُذْ رَأْسَ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Any kind of Riba ’ people have consumed in ignorance then repented, such repentance is accepted if such repentance is found in them.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘If a man inherits goods, from his father and knows that there is Riba ’ in it but is mixed in trade with other lawful goods i

أَتَى رَجُلٌ أَبِي فَقَالَ إِنِّي وَرِثْتُ مَالًا وَ قَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ صَاحِبَهُ الَّذِي وَرِثْتُهُ مِنْهُ قَدْ كَانَ يَرْبُو وَ قَدْ أَعْرِفُ أَنَّ فِيهِ رِبًا وَ أَسْتَيْقِنُ ذَلِكَ وَ لَيْسَ يَطِيبُ لِي حَلَالُهُ لِحَالِ عِلْمِي‌[5] فِيهِ وَ قَدْ سَأَلْتُ فُقَهَاءَ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ وَ أَهْلِ الْحِجَازِ فَقَالُوا لَا يَحِلُّ أَكْلُهُ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ بِأَنَّ فِيهِ مَالًا مَعْرُوفاً ر

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that once a man came to my father and said, ‘I have inherited a certain amount of property and I knew the owner from whom I inherited received Raba’ and I know with certainty there is Riba’ in it and I do not feel happy to consume it because of my knowledge about it. I asked the scholar

الرِّبَا رِبَاءَانِ رِبًا يُؤْكَلُ وَ رِبًا لَا يُؤْكَلُ فَأَمَّا الَّذِي يُؤْكَلُ فَهَدِيَّتُكَ إِلَى الرَّجُلِ تَطْلُبُ مِنْهُ الثَّوَابَ أَفْضَلَ مِنْهَا فَذَلِكَ الرِّبَا الَّذِي يُؤْكَلُ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُهُ‌ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ ما آتَيْتُمْ مِنْ رِباً لِيَرْبُوَا فِي أَمْوالِ النَّاسِ فَلا يَرْبُوا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ‌[1] وَ أَمَّا الَّذِي لَا يُؤْكَلُ فَهُوَ الرِّبَا الَّذِي نَهَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَنْهُ وَ أَوْعَ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that Riba’ is of two kinds: One kind is that which is consumed and the other kind is not consumed. The gift that one presents to someone in order to receive Thawab (rewards from Allah) is better. Of this kind is the Riba’ which is consumed as it is mentioned in the words of Allah, most

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى قَدْ ذَكَرَ الرِّبَا فِي غَيْرِ آيَةٍ وَ كَرَّرَهُ فَقَالَ أَ وَ تَدْرِي لِمَ ذَاكَ قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ لِئَلَّا يَمْتَنِعَ النَّاسُ مِنِ اصْطِنَاعِ الْمَعْرُوفِ‌[2].

“I once said to abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I have noticed that Allah, most High, has mentioned Riba’ in more than one passages of the Holy Quran. He (the Imam) asked, ’Do you know why He has done so?’ I (the narrator) replied, ’No, I do not know.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is because He wants people not to deny performing g

إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الرِّبَا لِكَيْلَا يَمْتَنِعَ النَّاسُ مِنِ اصْطِنَاعِ الْمَعْرُوفِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has prohibited receiving Riba’ so that people do not deny acts of benevolence and compassion.”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع- عَنْ رَجُلٍ أَرْبَى بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَتْرُكَهُ فَقَالَ أَمَّا مَا مَضَى فَلَهُ وَ لْيَتْرُكْهُ فِيمَا يَسْتَقْبِلُ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ رَجُلًا أَتَى أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع فَقَالَ إِنِّي قَدْ وَرِثْتُ مَالًا وَ قَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ صَاحِبَهُ كَانَ يَرْبُو وَ قَدْ سَأَلْتُ فُقَهَاءَ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ وَ فُقَهَاءَ أَهْلِ الْحِجَازِ فَذَكَرُوا أَنَّهُ لَا يَحِلُّ أَكْلُهُ فَقَالَ أ

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who received Riba’ in ignorance, then he wanted to stay away from Riba’. He (the Imam) said ’What is passed is for him and he must stay away in the coming times.’ He (the Imam) then said, ’Once a man visited abu Ja’far (a.s.), and sai

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ لَا يَكُونُ الرِّبَا إِلَّا فِيمَا يُكَالُ أَوْ يُوزَنُ‌[4].

“I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘Riba’ comes in existence only in what is measured or is weighed.”

بَلَغَ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ رَجُلٍ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَأْكُلُ الرِّبَا وَ يُسَمِّيهِ اللِّبَأَ فَقَالَ لَئِنْ أَمْكَنَنِي اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ [مِنْهُ‌] لَأَضْرِبَنَّ عُنُقَهُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was informed about a man who consumed Riba ’ and called it fresh milk. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘Had Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, made it possible for me I most certainly would strike his neck.’”

أَخْبَثُ الْمَكَاسِبِ كَسْبُ الرِّبَا.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘The filthiest earning is earning by means of Riba , . ,,,