Ibn Majah

Benefits and Issues:

➊
Usury (riba) is a major cause of the destruction of any society, and its economic and social harms have countless aspects. That is why it has been stated that this sin alone is equal to seventy other sins. And these sins are of various kinds.

➋
Adultery (zina) is a major sin, and its abhorrence has been acknowledged in every era by civilized societies. Similarly, the respect for female relatives, especially the mother and sister, is recognized in every civilized society. Therefore, establishing sexual relations with one’s mother is such an evil act that no sin more detestable than this can be imagined. However, usury is an even greater and more abhorrent crime than this.

➌
If the lightest of these sins is so evil and detestable, then one can estimate how grave the other sixty-nine types of sins must be.

➍
The most prominent characteristic of an Islamic society is compassion and goodwill, whereas usury is the complete opposite of this. What is needed is that if a debtor is unable to repay the loan, even the principal amount should be forgiven. But the usurer is not even willing to forgo the interest, let alone the principal. Even if the debtor does not gain the intended benefit from the loan—for example, if he takes a loan for trade but does not make a profit—the usurer still comes forward to collect his interest. In such a situation, the debtor deserves to be helped, not further distressed. Therefore, there is no room for usury in an Islamic society; rather, in the light of the Qur’an, such a society is an enemy of Islam.