Chapter 6
Riba and its types.
Definition of Riba or Interest
The word "Riba" means excess, increase or addition, which correctly interpreted according to Shariah terminology, implies any excess compensation without due consideration (consideration does not include time value of money).
This definition of Riba is derived from the Quran and is unanimously accepted by all Islamic scholars. There are two types of Riba, identified to date by these scholars namely 'Riba An Nasiyah' and 'Riba Al Fadl'.
'Riba An Nasiyah' is defined as excess, which results from predetermined interest (sood) which a lender receives over and above the principle (Ras ul Maal)
'Riba Al Fadl' is defined as excess compensation without any consideration resulting from a sale of goods. 'Riba Al Fadl' will be covered in greater detail later.
During the dark ages, only the first form (Riba An Nasiyah) was considered to be Riba. However the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) falso classified the second form (Riba Al Fadl) as Riba.
The meaning of Riba has been clarified in the following verses of Quran:
"O those who believe, fear Allah and give up what still remains of the Riba if you are believers. But if you do not do so, then be warned of war from Allah and His Messenger. If you repent even now, you have the right of the return of your capital; neither will you do wrong nor will you be wronged." Al Baqarah 2:278-9
These verses clearly indicate that the term Riba means any excess compensation over and above the principal which is without due consideration. However, the Quran has not altogether forbidden all types of excess; as it is present in trade as well, which is permissible. The excess that has been rendered haram in Quran is a special type termed as Riba.In the dark ages, the Arabs used to accept Riba as a type of sale, which unfortunately is also being understood at the present times. Islam has categorically made a clear distinction between the excess in capital resulting from sale and excess resulting from interest. The first type of excess is permissible but the second type is forbidden and rendered Haram.
“Seized in this state they say: ‘Buying and selling is but a kind of interest’, even though Allah has made buying and selling lawful, and interest unlawful.” Al Baqarah 2:275
Classification of Riba- The first and primary type is called Riba An Nasiyah or Riba Al Jahiliya.
- The second type is called Riba Al Fadl, Riba An Naqd or Riba Al Bai.
Since the first type was specified in the Quranic verses before the sayings of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) , this type was termed as Riba al Quran. However the second type was not understood by the Quranic verses alone but also had to be explained by the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) , it is also called Riba al Hadees.
Riba An Nasiyah
This is the real and primary form of Riba. Since the verses of Quran has directly rendered this type of Riba as haram, it is called Riba Al Quran. Similarly since only this type was considered Riba in the dark ages, it has earned the name of Riba Al Jahiliya. Imam Abu Bakr Hassas Razi has outlined a complete and prohibiting legal definition of Riba An Nasiyah in the following words:
“That kind of loan where specified repayment period and an amount in excess of capital is predetermined.”
One of the ahadith quoted by Ali ibn at Talib (RAA) has defined Riba An Nasiyah in similar words. The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said:
“Every loan that draws interest is Riba.”
The famous Sahabi Fazala Bin Obaid has also defined Riba in similar words:
“Every loan that draws profit is one of the forms of Riba”
The famous Arab scholar Abu Ishaq az Zajjaj also defines Riba in the following words:
“Every loan that draws more than its actual amount”
Riba An Nasiyah refers to the addition of the premium which is paid to the lender in return for his waiting as a condition for the loan and is technically the same as interest. The prohibition of Riba An Nasiyah is one of those issues which have been confirmed in the revealed laws of all Prophets (AS). Some of the old testaments has rendered Riba as haram (See Exodus 22:25, Leviticus 25:35-36, Deutronomy 23:20, Psalms 15:5, Proverbs 28:8, Nehemiah 5:7 and Ezakhiel 18:8,13,17 & 22:12). The Quran has also stated the prohibition of Riba in various verses, has warned those who persist in practicing it of a war which is certain to be declared on them by Allah Himself and His messenger and has seriously threatened those engaged as writer, witness and dealer in Riba transactions. These verses and ahadith will be discussed at length in a separate chapter called “The prohibition of Riba in the light of Quran and hadith”.
According to the above definition of Riba An Nasiyah, the giving and taking of any excess amount in exchange of a loan at an agreed rate is included in interest irrespective whether at a high or low rate. It has been proven through ahadith that the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) paid excess at the loan repayment time but since this excess was not paid through an agreed rate, it cannot be called interest. This clarifies that the word “draws” in the hadith definition“ The loan that draws interest is Riba.” has been used to highlight the giving and taking of excess amount through an agreed rate in the loan contract. Due to this, Imam Abu Bakr Hasas has added the word “condition” to the definition.
The fact that Riba An Nasiyah is categorically haram has never been disputed in the Muslim community.
In short, the Riba of today which is supposed to be the pivot of human economy and features in discussions on the problem of interest is nothing but this Riba, the unlawfulness of which stands proved on the authority of the seven verses of the Quran, of more than forty ahadith and of the consensus of the Muslim community.
Wisdom behind the prohibition of Riba An Nasiyah
First of all, we should realize that there is nothing in the entire creation of the world, which has no goodness or utility at all. But it is commonly recognized in every religion and community that things which have more benefits and less harms are called beneficial and useful. Conversely, things that cause more harm and less benefit are taken to be harmful and useless. Even the noble Quran, while declaring liquor and gambling to be haram, proclaimed that they do hold some benefits for people but the curse of sins they generate is far greater than the benefits they yield. Therefore, these cannot be called good or useful; on the contrary, taking these to be acutely harmful and destructive, it is necessary that they be avoided.
The case of Riba An Nasiyah is not different. Here the consumer of Riba does have some casual and transitory profits apparently coming to him, but its curse in this world and in the Hereafter is much too severe as compared to this benefit. The Riba consumer suffers such a spiritual and moral loss that it virtually takes away the great quality of being ‘human’ from him. An intelligent person who compares things in terms of their profit and loss, harm and benefit can hardly include things of casual benefit with an everlasting loss in the list of useful things. Similarly no sane and just person will say that personal and individual gain which causes loss to the whole community or group is useful. In theft and robbery for example, the gain of the gangster and the take of the thief is all too obvious but it is certainly harmful for the entire community since it ruins its peace and sense of security.
Riba Al Fadl
The second classification of Riba is Riba Al Fadl. Since the prohibition of this Riba has been established on Sunnah, it is also called Riba Al Hadees.
Riba Al Fadl actually means that excess which is taken in exchange of specific homogenous commodities and encountered in their hand-to-hand purchase & sale as explained in the famous hadith:
The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said, "Sell gold in exchange of equivalent gold, sell silver in exchange of equivalent silver, sell dates in exchange of equivalent dates, sell wheat in exchange of equivalent wheat, sell salt in exchange of equivalent salt, sell barley in exchange of equivalent barley, but if a person transacts in excess, it will be usury (Riba). However, sell gold for silver anyway you please on the condition it is hand-to-hand (spot) and sell barley for date anyway you please on the condition it is hand-to-hand (spot).”
This hadith enumerates 6 different commodities namely:
1) Gold
2) Silver
3) Dates
4) Wheat
5) Salt
6) Barley
These six commodities can only be bought and sold in equal quantities and on spot. An unequal sale or a deferred sale of these commodities will constitute Riba. These six commodities in fiqh terminology are called “Amwal-e-Ribawiya”. Does this hadith apply only to the items mentioned in it? Does it concern sales of barley or wheat but not rice? Of dates but not raisins? A complete legal definition differs in every fiqh. Scholars such as Taoos and Qatada hold that Riba Al Fadl includes these specified types only, however a majority of Islamic scholars believe that some other commodities should also be included. In order to answer the question, which other commodities should be included, some fiqhs hold that the characteristics which are common amongst these items can be used as basis (illat) for Riba Al Fadl. An illat is the attribute of an event that entails a particular divine ruling in all cases possessing that attribute; it is the basis for applying analogy. Ribawi goods are therefore goods that exhibit one of the efficient causes occasioning application of Riba rules. Various schools define these causes differently:
Imam Abu Hanifa
Imam Abu Hanifa sees only two common characteristics namely:
1) Weight
2) Volume
Meaning all these six goods are sold by either weight or volume. Therefore all those commodities, which have weight or volume and are being exchanged, with the same commodity will fall under the rules of Riba Al Fadl.
Imam Shafi
The two characteristics observed by Imam Shafi are:
1) Medium of Exchange or
2) Eatable
Therefore this law will apply on everything edible or having the natural ability of becoming a medium of exchange (currency).
Imam Maalik
Imam Maalik identified the following two characteristics:
1) Eatables and
2) Preservable
Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal
Three citations have been related to him:
i) First citation conforms to the opinion of Imam Abu Hanifa.
ii) Second citation conforms to the opinion of Imam Shafai.
iii) Third citation includes three characteristics at the same time namely edible, weight and volume.
Chapter 7
Commercial interest and usury
In the 17th century, two new technical terms of interest emerged after the establishment of banking system, namely:
1. Tijarti Sood (Commercial Interest): Interest paid on loafn taken for productive & profitable purposes.
2. Sarfi Sood (Usury): Interest paid on loan taken for personal need and expenses.
THE BACKGROUND OF BOTH TYPES:
The present day banking system, which has given interest the moral and legal license, is the backbone of the prevalent capitalism.
When Muslim countries became subjugated to west in their economic field, some westernized Muslims in the 19th century, on one side, saw the increasing progress of the west in trade and industry and on the other side saw the shattering economic condition of fellow Muslims states. They also became conscious of the fact that banking is inevitable in the field of trade and industry not only on national level but also internationally. This prompted them to say that only usury is haram (illegal) but not commercial interest because rendering commercial interest haram would pose irresolvable problems to their way up to industrialization and economic progress. They only included usury in the term "Riba" as categorically prohibited in Qura'n and sunnah and freed commercial interest from it calling it totally different from the western concept of interest. Therefore, it was concluded that the prohibition of Riba was restricted to usury while commercial interest was perfectly Islamic.
There are two schools of thought on this issue. A detailed analysis of their arguments is discussed as under:
1. First School:
This school presents two arguments to support their point that only usury (not commercial interest) is prohibited in Islam:
Argument 1
"Riba as practiced during the days of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)
was only Usury"
Counter argument
This claim is groundless, since Islam when prohibiting something does not only prohibit one form of it that is prevalent, but all forms that might erupt in future. The changed state does not change the ruling for eg. Qura'n has prohibited the following:
a) Liquor (Khamar): During the time of Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) its form and the way of production was totally different from that of the present day liquor but the ruling remains unchanged even though the form has changed.
b) Pork (Khinzeer): Irrespective how clean the present day breeding of pigs in high class farms may be, pork will stay prohibited and cannot be rendered halal (legal).
c) Corruption/Immorality (Al Fahsha): Although a lot of sophisticated ways have been developed of this evil from the time of Qura'nic revelations prohibiting it, the ruling stands forever.
The same applies to interest and gambling. By claiming that it was in a different form during Prophet's (Peace Be Upon Him) time does not change its ruling. It remains unchanged just as in case of Khamar, Khinzeer and Al Fahsha.
Argument 2
"Commercial interest did not exist in the days of Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)
"
Counter argument
This claim is also wrong. If one glances through the Islamic and pre Islamic history of Arabia, it will be evident that the interest type at that time was not restricted to usury but loans were granted for commercial and profitable purposes. To quote some examples:
a) "The tribe of Umro bin Aamir used to take interest from the tribe of Mughairah. At the advent of Islam, Mughairah owed heavy interest to Umro bin Aamir." In this narration, the transaction of interest between 2 tribes of Arabia have been pointed out who actually operated as trading companies; both tribes were very wealthy. Could it be that 2 wealthy tribes transacted interest just for personal need and expenses? The interest was simply commercial!
b) History of the city of Ta'if tells us that it was only second to Makkah in trade (their main exports being liquor, raisins, currants, wheat, wood etc) and industry (major being leather and dyeing). The tribe of 'Saqeef'' (Jewish tribe) advanced cash on interest, not only to the natives of Ta'if, but the business community of Makkah as well eg. the tribe of Mughairah who were their permanent customer. This advancement, which was not only restricted to cash but also to commodities between wealthy tribes of Taif and Makkah who were usually traders and businessmen, was only for their commercial purposes and not for their consumption and personal needs. One of the ways of receiving interest was to double the principle amount plus interest in case of non payment of loan and this practice was applied to both cash as well as commodities. They had become accustomed to it.
At the time of signing the peace treaty with the people of Ta'if, the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) imposed conditions: i) Total elimination of interest based transactions. ii) Giving up of interest owed to and from them.
c) The practice of making 2 trade trips, one to Yemen in winters and the other to Syria in summer was started by the tribe of Quraish of Makkah. These trips proved to be very profitable especially since being custodians of Kaa'ba, Quraish were looked at with respect, granted special concessions and protected in transit which was a necessity at that time. This way business & trade became their only means of livelihood. Investment became the order of the day in which women also took part and its circulation flourished and multiplied. With this background in mind, one can easily visualize that the city of Makkah more or less became the clearing house or the banking city and accustomed to their related amenities. It was only natural that interest was one of them. Since they advanced cash for commercial purposes and charged compound interest incase of default by the traders, and this earning of interest was their trade, they argued when Qura'n rendered interest haram (illegal) that the transaction of interest based loans is a type of trade in which the return on capital can be earned as in the case of rent received from assets. They could not differentiate between excess in shape of profit during a trade and excess in the shape of interest at the time of repayment of loan.
d) Therefore in pre Islamic days, we see that Syedna Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib and Syedna Khalid bin Waleed formed a company with joint capital whose prime business was cash advancement on interest. Similarly Syedna Usman was one of the wealthy businessmen who lent money on interest. There were many other traders dealing full time in interest extending a network of interest based transactions.
e) The way Syedna Zubair bin Awwam, who was famous for his trustworthiness, operated was quite similar to that of modern banking system. People used to deposit with him their capital as Amanah (trust or security). However, Syedna Zubair used to make it clear to the depositors that he would accept the deposits as a 'loan' and not as 'security' (Amanah). Because he knew that he will not be fully liable according to Shariah in case these Amanahs got destroyed but in case of having them as a loan, he will be fully liable to pay them back. He was afraid that in case of losing any deposited amount, his image as the trustworthy caretaker would be damaged. He therefore used the term 'loan' for such deposits to ensure guaranteed payment so that he enjoys everyone's confidence in him. Another reason for using the word 'loan' was to legalize trading and earning profits on such deposits. Because if he got those deposits as Amanah, he could not utilize it for his business, as it is not permissible in Shariah to use Amanah. This clearly shows that borrowing in those days was not only for consumption purposes but for commercial purposes as well. Syedna Zubair left a will with his son Syedna Abdullah bin Zubair before he died to sell his property to repay the loan, if required. The total amount calculated after his death for repayment by his son was 22 lacs. It is obvious that a rich Sahaba such as Syedna Zubair did not owe this loan of 22 lacs out of any need; rather it was an investment of securities that was circulating in trade.
ANOTHER CLEAR ARGUMENT
Syedna Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said, "He who does not abandon Mokhabara, will be caught in a war against Allah & His Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) ."
In this narration Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) has rendered Mokhabara illegal just like riba and has declared a war against those who indulge in it just like riba.
What is Mokhabara?
Its actually a division of the crop by agreement between the landlord and cultivator in which the landlord gives his land to cultivator for cultivation purposes in order to get his pre-agreed amounts of the crop irrespective whether the production is low or high. For eg. "A" lends his land to 'B' for cultivation on the condition that he will get a predetermined portion on each crop eg. 5 mounds. Such a transaction is called Mokhabara.
Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) had called Mokhabara a form of riba. Now one should think over whether he referred to usury as the form of riba or he referred to commercial interest. It is similar to commercial interest as both Mokhabara and commercial interest are used for productive businesses. Whereas in the case of usury, the borrower uses the loan for personal use and not productive purposes.
To sum up, Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) included Mokhabara in riba that has no similarity with usury, rather with commercial interest. The fact that during Prophet's (Peace Be Upon Him) time, the dealing in commercial interest was common is proven and also that this form is prohibited.
2. Second School:
This group present two arguments justifying their point of view that are mentioned below:
Argument 1
The factor leading to prohibition of Riba (Interest) is that if a borrower faces a loss, he still has to pay an excess amount over the principal, which is basically an exploitation of his need whereas the lender on the other hand gets an increase on his surplus capital without any effort which is unjust. But this factor is not found in commercial interest since both the borrower as well as the lender gets profit; the borrower on the amount he has circulated in business and the lender in shape of interest over his principle amount. Therefore, no one faces unfairness or injustice in this transaction.
Counter argument
This argument is quite appealing and attractive at the face value, as it is based on the assumption that no one suffers in case of commercial interest. But after analysis, it is proven that Quran has not only prohibited that one party faces a loss and the other gets profit but has also prohibited one party getting confirmed profit and the other party unconfirmed profit from the same investment as we have studied above in the case of Mokhabara.
Argument 2
This argument is based on the Qura'nic verse "O believers do not devour one another's possession wrongfully; rather than that, let there be trading by mutual consent" (Al Nisa verse 29). In the above verse, Qura'n has prohibited "Wrongful devouring" which will only arise if the consent of one of the parties is absent and naturally the party who is devouring consents, the other party never consents; he only gives in since he has no other option. So we come to the conclusion that if the consent and satisfaction of both parties is present in a deal, it cannot be called "Wrongful devouring". According to this logic, commercial interest is permissible since the mutual consent is present of both parties whereas riba is prohibited only when one party is getting the excess out of his selfishness and the other party is encountering the loss, as he has no other alternative.
Counter argument:
This argument is of superficial nature. Mutual consent is not the criteria to render anything prohibited or not in Islam. Would the act of adultery be allowed if the condition of mutual consent is fulfilled? Similarly, there are many transactions in business, which are rendered illegal even with mutual consent. For reference see "Abwab ul Buyu al Batila" where Muhaqila and Talqi al Jalab being forms of Bai where the mutual consent and satisfaction is present and is prohibited by Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) . Similarly, mutual consent is present in commercial interest and gambling too but in spite of that, it has been prohibited. Therefore no such criteria exist in the legality of any transaction that both parties approve; rather the approval should be on the transaction, which has not been prohibited by Shariah. To quote the words of Qura'n "Except the legitimate business...."