Theme: The Dangers and Prohibitions of Riba

The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“There are seventy-three doors of Riba, and the lowest [of these doors] is [the like of] a man marrying his own mother. And the severest of Riba is [tantamount to the violation of ] the honor of a Muslim”.

– Narrated by ‘Abdullah Bin Mas’ud رضي الله عنهما
(Source: Al-Mustadrak of Al-Hakim No.2259)

The hadith above serves to enjoin the people in the time of the Prophet (ﷺ), as most of them were practicing Riba and were doubtful of its prohibition.

The hadith illustrates that the sin of Riba is of seventy-three levels. The lowest level is such of the sin of a man marrying his own mother, and the gravest level is such of going to great lengths in talking unjustly against a Muslim’s honor.

This implies that Riba, as a sin, is much more severe than committing adultery or slandering. Wallahu a’lam.

Imam Ghazali, in his book titled “Ihya’ Ulum al-Din” (Revival of Religious Sciences), mentions that: “there is no reason to the perpetual act of sin.. except for negligence and desire, and there is no (way) opposing negligence.. except knowledge, and there is no (way) opposing desire.. except patience in stopping the means for the desire”.  He then further mentioned several ways to break one’s act of sin, and one is to remember what the Quran and Hadiths have injuncted and warned on the danger and punishment of those sinful acts.