This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Hafiz Mubashir Hussain Lahori's book Signs of the Day of Judgment in the Light of Authentic Hadiths.
Sign of the Day of Judgment: Usury and forbidden wealth will be consumed abundantly
عن أبى هريرة رضى الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ليأتين على الناس زمان لا يبالي المرء بما أخذ المال أمن حلال أم من حرام
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "A time will surely come upon the people when a person will not care at all whether the wealth he has acquired is lawful or unlawful."
Reference: Bukhari (2083), Nasai (4459), Ahmad (574/2 - 597 - 669), Darimi (2536), Al-Hilya (93/7), At-Targhib wa At-Tarhib (9/3)
وعن ابن مسعود رضى الله عنه عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال: بين يدي الساعة يظهر الربا
It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Before the Day of Judgment, usury (riba) will spread."
Reference: Bukhari (2083), Nasai (4459), Ahmad
Benefits
(1) The use of usury and unlawful wealth is a sign of the Day of Judgment.
(2) The mentioned sign of the Day of Judgment has been in effect for some time.
(3) Usury and unlawful wealth are forbidden in the sight of Islam.
❀ The Holy Quran states:
﴿ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَأْكُلُوا الرِّبَا ﴾
"O you who have believed! Do not consume usury."
Reference: (Al-Imran: 130)
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ ﴾
"Do not consume one another's wealth unjustly."
Reference: (Al-Baqarah: 188)
(4) In the present era, the disease of abundance of wealth has spread throughout the Muslim society like cancer. The scholars, too, are running in the race for acquiring wealth without distinguishing between lawful and unlawful, and in fulfilling this disgraceful goal, selling religion is not considered a fault. Meanwhile, the entire economic system of Islamic countries is dependent on usurious institutions like the I.M.F and the World Bank, although if all Islamic countries wanted to establish a pure Islamic economic system free from usury through mutual cooperation, there would be no difficulty if there is faith in the heart and soul. But it is very regrettable to say that the usury-free economic system has not progressed beyond mere verbal claims. In any case, this is a bad sign of the Day of Judgment which is destined to be fulfilled.
(5) We should set an example of complete avoidance of usury and unlawful consumption with our full sincerity and heart.
