Written by: Imrān Ayyūb Lāhorī
The word ribā is derived from رَبَا – يَرْبُو and literally means “increase” or “excess.”
References: al-Qāmūs al-Muḥīṭ: p. 1158; al-Munjid: p. 276.
Qur’ānic usage:
① In transactions, to receive an excess amount when exchanging the same commodity; also applies to every unlawful sale.
[Fatḥ al-Bārī: 5/36; Subul al-Salām: 3/1112]
② An extra amount devoid of any Sharʿī counter-value, stipulated for one party in a transaction.
[al-Qāmūs al-Fiqhī: p. 143]
③ According to the Mālikiyyah and Ḥanafiyyah, every invalid sale is also a form of ribā.
From the Qur’ān:
From the Sunnah:
Consensus (Ijmaʿ):
The ummah unanimously agrees on the prohibition of ribā.
[Mawsūʿat al-Ijmāʿ: 1/429]
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Gold for gold, silver for silver, wheat for wheat, barley for barley, dates for dates, and salt for salt — equal for equal, hand to hand. Whoever gives or takes more has engaged in ribā, and the taker and giver are the same (in sin).”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1584)
① Ribā al-Faḍl: Exchange of the same commodity in unequal amounts.
② Ribā al-Nasīʾah: Delay in delivery in an exchange of commodities where equality and immediate exchange are required.
The stronger view is that ribā remains restricted to the six commodities mentioned in the ḥadīth unless there is clear evidence to extend it, as argued by the Ahl al-Ẓāhir.
Lexical Meaning of Ribā
The word ribā is derived from رَبَا – يَرْبُو and literally means “increase” or “excess.”
References: al-Qāmūs al-Muḥīṭ: p. 1158; al-Munjid: p. 276.
Qur’ānic usage:
- ﴿أَن تَكُونَ أُمَّةٌ هِيَ أَرْبَىٰ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ﴾ (al-Naḥl: 92) – “…that one group may be greater in number than another.”
- ﴿فَإِذَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا الْمَاءَ اهْتَزَّتْ وَرَبَتْ﴾ (al-Ḥajj: 5) – “…when We send down water upon it, it stirs and swells.”
Sharʿī Definition of Ribā
① In transactions, to receive an excess amount when exchanging the same commodity; also applies to every unlawful sale.
[Fatḥ al-Bārī: 5/36; Subul al-Salām: 3/1112]
② An extra amount devoid of any Sharʿī counter-value, stipulated for one party in a transaction.
[al-Qāmūs al-Fiqhī: p. 143]
③ According to the Mālikiyyah and Ḥanafiyyah, every invalid sale is also a form of ribā.
Evidences for the Prohibition of Ribā
From the Qur’ān:
- ﴿وَأَحَلَّ اللَّهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا﴾ (al-Baqarah: 275)
– “Allāh has permitted trade and prohibited ribā.” - ﴿الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ﴾ (al-Baqarah: 275)
- ﴿وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا فَأْذَنُوا بِحَرْبٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ﴾ (al-Baqarah: 278–279)
From the Sunnah:
- The Prophet ﷺ cursed the one who consumes ribā, gives it, writes the contract, and witnesses it, saying: “They are all equal (in sin).”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1598; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2086) - “Ribā has seventy-three levels; the least of them is like a man marrying his own mother.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Mājah: 1845) - “A single dirham of ribā knowingly consumed is worse than committing fornication thirty-six times.”
(Aḥmad: 5/225) - Ribā is among the “seven destructive sins” (al-mubīqāt).
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 6857) - “When fornication and ribā become widespread in a nation, they bring upon themselves the punishment of Allāh.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb: 1860)
Consensus (Ijmaʿ):
The ummah unanimously agrees on the prohibition of ribā.
[Mawsūʿat al-Ijmāʿ: 1/429]
The Six Commodities Mentioned in the Ḥadīth
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Gold for gold, silver for silver, wheat for wheat, barley for barley, dates for dates, and salt for salt — equal for equal, hand to hand. Whoever gives or takes more has engaged in ribā, and the taker and giver are the same (in sin).”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1584)
Types of Ribā in Trade (Jumhūr View)
① Ribā al-Faḍl: Exchange of the same commodity in unequal amounts.
② Ribā al-Nasīʾah: Delay in delivery in an exchange of commodities where equality and immediate exchange are required.
Special Cases and Clarifications
- If the commodities are of the same type, they must be equal in measure/weight and hand to hand.
- If they are of different types, exchange may be in any proportion but must be hand to hand.
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1587)
Major Scholarly Opinions on the Scope of Ribā
- Ahl al-Ẓāhir & Ibn Ḥazm: Ribā applies only to the six commodities mentioned in the ḥadīth.
- Jumhūr (Abū Ḥanīfah, Aḥmad): Applies to all items sharing the same effective cause (ʿillah) as the six commodities.
- Mālik: Restricts prohibition to all edible items.
Preferred (Rājiḥ) Opinion:
The stronger view is that ribā remains restricted to the six commodities mentioned in the ḥadīth unless there is clear evidence to extend it, as argued by the Ahl al-Ẓāhir.
