Mozaik Islam

Menjaga Akidah Islam dan Menghargai Kebhinekaan demi Masyarakat yang Harmonis dan Sejahtera dalam Bingkai NKRI

Allah permitted the Salam Transaction

We should add by stating that the writer gains no benefit from allowing the current types of Riba transactions by comparing them to as-Salam transactions. As-Salam type of transactions was allowed because Allah allowed it, a fact that demonstrates the greatness of the Islamic legislation that aims to benefit the Muslim Ummah at large. Further, Allah restricted the Salam type of transactions in a way that made it different from the disallowed types of business transactions.

As-Salam entails the promise of delivering a certain good with known characteristics on a certain future date, but the profit is paid on the spot. Both the seller and the buyer share in the benefit of As-Salam: the seller benefits from the price to spend on his current needs, and the buyer benefits from the Salam when he receives it since he bought it for a lesser price. Hence, both parties to the Salam transaction gain a benefit, none of them is harmed in any way, as there is no Riba (usury, addition, or interest) in this case, and finally, no goods with an unknown quality are being sold. As for the Riba transactions, they involve a certain addition to the principal with the payment differed, or bartering goods for a larger amount of the same type of good. Allah, the Most Wise, Who legislates what brings all types of benefits to Muslims, made Riba transactions a major sin.

[Allah, the Exalted, the Most Honored, said,

 الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا لاَ يَقُومُونَ إِلاَّ كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا الْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ الرِّبَا وَأَحَلَّ اللَّهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا فَمَنْ جَاءَهُ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِ فَانْتَهَى فَلَهُ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُولَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ 

{Those who eat Ribâ will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaitân (Satan) leading him to insanity. That is because they say: “Trading is only like Ribâ,” whereas Allâh has permitted trading and forbidden Ribâ. So whosoever receives an admonition from his Lord and stops eating Ribâ, shall not be punished for the past; his case is for Allâh (to judge); but whoever returns (to Ribâ), such are the dwellers of the Fire — they will abide therein}[2:275]. Al-Bukhari reported, without a chain of narration, that `Abdullah ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the last Ayah to be revealed to Allah’s Messenger, salla allahu `alaihi wa-sallam, was this Ayah,

 يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا فَأْذَنُوا بِحَرْبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَإِنْ تُبْتُمْ فَلَكُمْ رُءُوسُ أَمْوَالِكُمْ لاَ تَظْلِمُونَ وَلاَ تُظْلَمُونَ وَإِنْ كَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَى مَيْسَرَةٍ وَأَنْ تَصَدَّقُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ وَاتَّقُوا يَوْمًا تُرْجَعُونَ فِيهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ ثُمَّ تُوَفَّى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لاَ يُظْلَمُونَ 

{O, you who believe! Be afraid of Allâh and give up what remains (due to you) from Ribâ (from now onward) if you are (really) believers. And if you do not do it, then take a notice of war from Allâh and His Messenger but if you repent, you shall have your capital sums. Deal not unjustly (by asking more than your capital sums), and you shall not be dealt with unjustly (by receiving less than your capital sums)}[2:278-279]. Further, al-Bukhari and Muslim reported that Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

“اجْتَنِبُوا السَّبْعَ الْمُوبِقَاتِ” قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا هُنَّ قَالَ: “الشِّرْكُ بِاللَّهِ وَالسِّحْرُ وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَكْلُ الرِّبَا وَأَكْلُ مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ وَالتَّوَلِّي يَوْمَ الزَّحْفِ وَقَذْفُ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ الْغَافِلاَتِ”.

“Allah’s Messenger salla allahu `alaihi wa-sallam said, ‘Avoid the seven great destructive sins.’ The people inquired, ‘O, Allah’s Apostle! What are they?’ He said, ‘To join others in worship along with Allah, to practice sorcery, to kill the life which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause (according to Islamic Law), to eat up Riba (usury), to eat up an orphan’s wealth, to give back to the enemy and fleeing from the battlefield at the time of fighting, and to accuse, chaste women, who never even think of anything touching chastity and are good believers.’” Also, ibn Majah narrated that Abu Hurairah,may Allah be pleased with him, reported that Allah’s Apostle, peace be upon him, said,

“الرِّبَا سَبْعُونَ حُوبًا أَيْسَرُهَا أَنْ يَنْكِحَ الرَّجُلُ أُمَّهُ”.

Riba is seventy types, the least of which equals one having sexual intercourse wit his own mother!”]

Consequently, the needy will be saved from incurring huge interests, while encouraging the wealthy not to rely on Riba. Also, Riba leads to abandoning establishing various beneficial projects and industries.

[High interest rates tighten the money supply and slows the economy, while lower interest rates loosen money supply and reinvigorates the economy. This is why the United States Federal Reserve lowered interest rates several times during the year 2001, so that the slowing economy recovers momentum through increased availability of money supplies, which translate into more hiring and spending on economic expansion, new plants and higher customer demand. Even Mr. Riba himself knows this fact, which amazingly escapes the attention of many Muslims who are fascinated by the calls to incorporate interest into Muslim Economies.]

Afterwards, the writer uttered a baseless, false claim that, “People need banks and various banking transactions, as their livelihood depends on them…”

By: Shaikh: Abdul ‘Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz