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| Olde Tyme Religion |
| An Imam Answers Moslems' Questions |
| 2005-01-30 |
| I am a bit confused as to why Muslims cannot use (give/get) interest. Living in a non-muslim country, it is almost impossible not to deal with interest. ..... Islamic foundations such as ISNA say that they will help pay your house, but they take money from people too, it's under a different title, but it's the same thing as interest. In the Torah (Old Testament) where intoxicants, fornication and the consumption of pork are declared unlawful interest is also prohibited. ..... But the Jews in their egoism and transgression revolted against this divine law with such intensity that they became proverbial USURERS and INTEREST EATERS. .... This accursed nation was continuously afflicted with punishments and calamities even up to the present day. Their empires and kingdoms were repeatedly overthrown and they wandered from door-to-door. This was in reality the consequences of their insatiable evil deed to consume interest and their insanity ..... When the Christian empire was established, one Jew deluded Christians by proclaiming that Jesus was the son of God, thereby distorting the reality of Christianity. .... Interest in the Holy Qur'an is referred to as 'Riba,'.derived from the word, 'Ribwun' which literally means 'increase'. This outward increase, in reality, is a loss. Allah most High sanctions in the Noble Qur'an: 'Allah has blighted Usury and made almsgiving fruitful' .... In the above verse, the word 'Yurbi' is used in its literal meaning which means increase and the word 'Riba' is used in its figurative meaning: that excess in a transaction, against which there is no value. If the above meanings are not observed, the correct translation of this verse will not be possible. This verse informs us that the apparent (outer) increase in Interest is in reality decrease and loss and the apparent (outer) decrease in charity is in reality expansion and increase. .... the prohibiting factor is also found in it i.e. decreasing and abolishing. These two realities i.e. prohibition and decreasing are original qualities of the very nature of interest and because the original properties can never be abandoned. From it, no portion of interest can be free from these two qualities. Consequently, each and every part of interest is forbidden and Haraam. The conclusion that little interest and single interest is lawful proves total ignorance of the reality of interest or is based upon false imputations. .... ===== Are student loans in the United Kingdom permissible? The loan works around a concept called inflation. What this means is that, as the value of the amount received will depreciate in the following years, an additional amount would be returned, not as interest, but to make up for the loss of the initial value. Therefore, even though (for example) £1000 was received and £1200 was returned, the same amount of gold (or any other item) is purchasable with both amounts. In reality there is no change in the value received and the value returned? The student loans as explained by you is interest and not permissible. ===== I am a university student and have taken out a loan to help me with my studies. Under what circumstances must I pay the loan back, the loan is taken from the kafir in their country (U.K)? At the outset, we wish to point out that it is not permissible to take out an interest bearing loan. If you did take a loan, it is compulsory to repay the loan even if it is from a non-Muslim in a non-Muslim country ===== |
| Posted by:Mike Sylwester |
| #9 Let's take this a step farther: In the Koran there are two expressions that could be translated as interest: Riba An-Nasia - Interest on lent money Riba Al-Fadl - Interest on things, e.g., you lent me a shovel when it snows, then you have to pay back a shovel and a broom. There are a number of verses in the Quran and many more in the Hadith and still more in the long discussions of the 4 schools of Islam about this. It is possible that, despite this, one could translate these terms as 'usury' rather than interest but its quite a stretch and it requires' basically ignoring huge numbers of legal precedents. In addition, the Quran and the Hadith specify some really, really nasty punishments. By contrast, Jews and Christians have translated the hebrew words, 'neshekh and mashsha' and the greek word 'tokos'are frequently translated as 'usury' and there is a long history of post Talmudic and Christian jurisprudence that could support such a translation. Finally, the Hebrew and Christian bibles are light on specifying punishment (in contrast to the Quran) |
| Posted by: mhw 2005-01-30 8:51:49 PM |
| #8 The difference, BH, is that the Koran disallows one, but not the other. When the Koran speaks, reason, logic, even common sense are shut out. When people ask about the Pharisees, tell them they are like Islam, but not so nit-picky. |
| Posted by: jackal 2005-01-30 7:54:55 PM |
| #7 Interest is a problem for Jews and Christians too because of Ex 22:25, Leviticus 25:36-37. Jews have a partial leniency from Deut 23:19-20 but there are numerous anti interest verses from the prophets. |
| Posted by: mhw 2005-01-30 7:47:21 PM |
| #6 I don't understand why interest is such a big deal. You rent my truck, you pay a fee. You rent my money, you pay a fee. What's the difference? |
| Posted by: BH 2005-01-30 6:18:25 PM |
| #5 JR - They pay / collect "fees" which are simply usury by another name. Wotta joke. Can you say Hypocrisy? Heh, I knew you could. ;-) |
| Posted by: .com 2005-01-30 5:46:57 PM |
| #4 I stand beside myself with amazement. Such a system, where things are so unclear that you must ask the Mullah if you can take a job . . . you cannot play soccer for a living? As a Mormon, we don't hold with drinking, gambling, etc., but if we go to work for someone it is not our responsibility for selling the stuff (owning the business is distinctly different). You have to use your heart and your head (working for an abortion clinic would cross that line, IMHO) in who you will work for. But not working for an institution which is in the business of providing captial in a way that no one else can? Even I can think of a multitude of simple methods around the strictures, which makes them meaningless. Have the bank buy the house, then charge you for it twice (look at your mortgage and this is what you are doing). |
| Posted by: Jame Retief 2005-01-30 5:35:44 PM |
| #3 Thanks, Mike. Bandwidth is like memory, the price just keeps falling. This should be put with the classics, in case any other Burgers have insomnia. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2005-01-30 4:53:21 PM |
| #2 fyi mushrik = polytheist dua = supplication shirk = setting up a god or demigod to worship along with allah |
| Posted by: mhw 2005-01-30 4:27:37 PM |
| #1 "Is it haram to make a living playing soccer or other sports? "Allah Taãla - the Creator of our Universe - declares in the Noble Qurãn, 'I have not created Man and Jinn except for (the purpose) of worship.' .... Rasulullah (Sallallaaahu Ãlayhi Wasallam) said, 'Every game of man is Haraam except three: a man plays with his wife, breaking (training) oneâs horse and archery.' Rasulullah (Sallallaaahu Ãlayhi Wasallam) said, 'Teach your children swimming and archery.' ... A sport/game which has no religious Or worldly benefit is not permissible. .... the sport/game should not resemble the sport/games specifically identified with other religious communities e.g. Yoga; which may have some worldly and/or religious benefit but includes an impermissible act e.g. wrestling (exposing the awrah). Due to the many evils in contemporary sports, it is not permissible to earn oneâs living through that." Good heavens! No golf, baseball, or shooting hoops! And what is the awrah? |
| Posted by: Korora 2005-01-30 4:12:16 PM |