Theme: The Dangers and Prohibitions of Riba
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“There is no one that will have more (gain/increase in wealth) from Riba dealings except that the person will end up with less (despair/decrease in wealth).”
- Narrated by Ibn Mas’ud رضي الله عنهما
(Source: Ibn Majah, No.2279)
In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) reinforces Allah’s words in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 276: “Allah will deprive Riba of all blessing, but will give increase for deeds of charity; For He loveth not creatures ungrateful and wicked.”
Both the hadith and the verse highlight that wealth accumulated through Riba (usury or interest) is devoid of Allah’s blessings and ultimately leads to despair and loss, both in this world and the hereafter.
Imam Ghazali, in his seminal work “Ihya’ Ulum al-Din” (Revival of Religious Sciences), emphasizes that the root of continuous sinful behavior lies in negligence and unchecked desires. He asserts that the only way to counter negligence is through knowledge, and the only way to combat desire is through patience in avoiding the means that fuel it. He further advises that one of the key methods to break free from sinful acts is to consistently recall the warnings and punishments mentioned in the Quran and Hadith concerning such dangers.
