References from Quran and Hadith regarding the paying of Interest

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

The prohibition of interest has been explicitly mentioned in the Quran and Hadith.

Allah says:

﴿يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ وَذَرُواْ مَا بَقِىَ مِنَ الرِّبَواْ إِن كُنتُمْ مُّؤْمِنِينَ ﴾

فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُواْ فَأْذَنُواْ بِحَرْبٍ مّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ 

Translation: 

O you who believe! Fear Allah and give up what remains (due to you) from Riba, if you are (really) believers. And if you do not do it, then take a notice of war from Allah and His Messenger. [1]

In reference to the above quoted verse: Imam Bukhari (رحمه الله) has specifically highlighted the prohibition of paying of interest as follows and from the following hadith:

باب موكل الربا

Chapter pertaining to (the prohibition) of the payer of interest

عَنْ عَوْنِ بْنِ أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ، قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَبِي اشْتَرَى عَبْدًا حَجَّامًا، فَسَأَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ نَهَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ ثَمَنِ الْكَلْبِ، وَثَمَنِ الدَّمِ، وَنَهَى عَنِ الْوَاشِمَةِ وَالْمَوْشُومَةِ، وَآكِلِ الرِّبَا، وَمُوكِلِهِ، وَلَعَنَ الْمُصَوِّرَ‏.‏

Translation:

It has been narrated by `Aun bin Abu Juhaifa:

My father bought a slave who practiced the profession of cupping. (My father broke the slave’s instruments of cupping). I asked my father why he had done so. 

He replied, “Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) forbade the acceptance of the price of a dog or blood, and also forbade the profession of tattooing, getting tattooed and receiving or giving Riba, (usury), and cursed the picture-makers.”[2]

The purpose of highlighting the prohibition of payer of interest was to indicate to the fact that the payer is facilitating the haram transaction of interest and assisting in sin which is prohibited.[3]

Allah سبحانه و تعالى (Glory be to him) says in the Quran:

"وتعاونوا على البر والتقوى, ولا تعاونوا على الاثم و العدوان"

“Cooperate with one another in righteousness and piety, and do not cooperate in sin and transgression”[4]

It has also been recorded in Sahih Muslim:

عَنْ جَابِرٍ(رضي الله عنه)، قَالَ لَعَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم آكِلَ الرِّبَا وَمُوكِلَهُ وَكَاتِبَهُ وَشَاهِدَيْهِ وَقَالَ هُمْ سَوَاءٌ .[5]‏

Translation:

Jabir (رضي الله عنه) said that Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) cursed the:

1.     accepter of interest  

2.     and it’s payer, 

3.     and one who records it, 

4.     and its two witnesses, 

and he said: They are all equal. 

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best 

Shaheed Rashid Shaikh

Student Darul Iftaa
New Jersey, USA

Checked and Approved by, 
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.