إن الحمد لله، نحمده ونستعينه ونستغفره، ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا.

All praise is due to Allāh, we praise Him and we seek His aid and forgiveness. And we seek refuge with Allāh from the evils of ourselves and the evils of our actions.

من يهده الله فلا مضل له، ومن يضلل فلا هادي له.

Whoever Allāh guides none can misguide, and whoever Allāh leads astray (due to a deviation in their heart) none can guide.

وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، وأشهد أن محمدا عبده ورسوله.

And I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allāh Alone, without any partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is His slave and Messenger.

أما بعد: فإن أصدق الحديث كتاب الله، وخير الهدي هدي محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، وشر الأمور محدثاتها، وكل محدثة بدعة، وكل بدعة ضلالة، وكل ضلالة في النار.

To proceed: Indeed the most truthful speech is the Book of Allāh, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم), and the worst affairs are the newly invented matters, and every newly invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is a misguidance, and every misguidance leads to the Fire.

Dear brothers:

Allāh (عز وجل) has commanded us with a comprehensive and all-encompassing command in His Book when He said:

وَاتَّقُونِ يَا أُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ

“So fear Me, O men of understanding!”

[Qur’ān: Sūrah al-Baqarah, verse no.197]

Having Taqwā of Allāh means that you seek a protection for yourself from the punishment of Allāh, by acting upon His commands, and staying away from His prohibitions, staying away from that which is Harām, especially the major destructive sins.

And from the major destructive sins that Allāh commanded us to fear Him and keep away from is: Ribā usury, dealing with interest.

Allāh The Most High said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا الله وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

“O you who believe, fear Allāh and leave/abandon what remains of Riba if you are true believers.”

[Qur’ān: Sūrah al-Baqarah, verse no.278]

And on the authority of Abū Huraira (رضي الله عنه) he said: the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

اجتنبوا السبع الموبقات…

“Avoid/keep away from the seven destructive sins…”

وذكر منها: أكل الربا.

And he mentioned from them: the consumption of Ribā.

[Saheeh al-Bukhārī no.6857 and Saheeh Muslim no.89]

From the greatest of major sins that Allāh warned us against is dealing with Ribā (usury/interest), due to the fact that it is a great oppression and injustice, and it is an exploitation of the poor and the needy, which leads to wealth being accumulated by a tiny minority whilst poor people are left in debt, worry and grief.

That is why there is a severe punishment in the Hereafter for those who consume Ribā, as Allāh The Most High mentioned:

الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ

“Those who consume Ribā will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaytān, leading him to insanity.”

[Qur’ān: Sūrah al-Baqarah, verse no.275]

‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (رضي الله عنهما) said:

آكل الربا يبعث يوم القيامة مجنونا يخنق

“On the Day of Resurrection, the one who consumes interest will be resurrected (from his grave) while insane and suffering from seizures.”

[Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

And from the things that also indicate the severity and dangerous nature of Ribā is that Allāh declares war upon the one who persists in dealing with interest and consuming interest after the admonition has reached him.

Allāh (عز وجل) said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا الله وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

“O you who believe, fear Allāh and leave and abandon what remains of Ribā if you are true believers.”

فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا فَأْذَنُوا بِحَرْبٍ مِّنَ الله وَرَسُولِهِ

“And if you do not, then be warned of a declarartion of war from Allāh and His Messenger.”

[Qur’ān: Sūrah al-Baqarah, verses no.278-279]

In these verses Allāh is addressing the believers, and is commanding them to fear Him and leave and abandon interest-based dealings, and whatever remains of owed interest, and that if they do not then they are engaging in war against Allāh and His Messenger, والعياذ بالله, and we seek protection from Allāh.

When these verses were revealed the Muslims said: we repent to Allāh and we abandon what remains of Ribā, and so they left it all. They stopped dealing with interest immediately, and this is how the Muslim should hasten to repentance to Allāh from dealing with interest.

And it is not only the consumption of Ribā that is forbidden, as some might think. Every action that contributes towards the consumption of Ribā is also harām (prohibited)

On the authority of Jābir (رضي الله عنهما) he said: the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

” لعن الله آكل الربا، وموكله، وكاتبه، وشاهديه. “

“May Allāh curse the one who consumes Ribā (usury/interest) , the one who pays it, the one who writes it (i.e the contract containing interest), and the two who are witnesses to it.”

وقال: هم فيه سواء.

And he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “They are equal in it.”

Meaning: they are equally sinful.

[Saheeh Muslim no.1598]

Dear brothers:

Dealing with interest has so many evil consequences, really grave consequences, that can impact one’s life and wealth.

In addition to the severe punishment in the Hereafter, there is also the threat of punishment in the Dunyā (in the life of this world).

On the authority of ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbaas (رضي الله عنهما) he said: the messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

إذا ظهر الزنا والربا في قرية فقد أحلوا بأنفسهم عذاب الله

“When adultery and usury become prevalent among a people, the punishment of Allāh is justified against them.”

[Reported by Tabaranī and al-Haakim, and authenticated by al-Albaanī in Saheeh at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb no.1859]

From its evil consequences is that dealing with interest leads to loss in business, increase in poverty and unemployment, destabilisation of economies, and the removal of blessings from wealth.

‘Abdullāh bn Mas’ood (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

الربا وإن كثر، فإن عاقبته تصير إلى قُلّ.

“Ribā (usury), even if it leads to the gathering of much wealth, in the end it leads to penury/deficiency.”

[Reported by al-Haakim, and authenticated by al-Albaanī in Saheeh al-Jaami’ no.3542]

This hadeeth means that even though in the short term dealing with interest may temporarily increase wealth, in the long term it makes it decrease, due to debts and the removal of the blessings.

Allāh (سبحانه وتعالى) mentioned in His Book:

يَمْحَقُ الله الرِّبَا وَيُرْبِي الصَّدَقَاتِ

“Allāh destroys Ribā (makes it fruitless), but will give increase for deeds of charity.”

[Qur’ān: Sūrah al-Baqarah, verse no.276]

The one who deals with interest will be deprived of the blessings of his wealth, and therefore he will not truly benefit from it, rather it will be a punishment for him in this life as well as in the Hereafter. Whereas spending in the way of Allāh increases wealth and blesses it, contrary to what some people think, that consuming interest or dealing with interest can be a means of increasing wealth, and that giving in charity decreases it.

This is far from reality, because wealth and provision are all from Allāh alone, and are obtained through obedience of Allāh.

أقول قولي هذا وأستغفر الله لي ولكم.

****

الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله، وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين.

Dear brothers:

From the evil consequences of dealing with interest, which can be witnessed in society, is the breakdown of homes and families, marital discord, disputes and problems in the home, loss of assets, business failures, hatred and enmity between people, only to name a few.

Why would the Muslim put himself into such harms and hardships? And above all the anger and wrath of Allāh!

The Muslim should be content with what Allāh has blessed him with from halāl wealth, and must never seek the harām, as there is no good and no barakah (blessing) in the harām.

The Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said in an authentic hadeeth:

… وارض بما قسم الله لك تكن أغنى الناس…

“…And be pleased and content with what Allāh has apportioned for you, and you will be the most satisfied and content of people.”

[Silsilah al-Ahadeeth as-Saheehah, no.930]

And he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

… ومن يستعفف يعفه الله، ومن يستغن يغنه الله…

“… And whoever abstains from asking others Allāh will make him content, and whoever tries to be self-content, Allāh will make him self-content… “

[Saheeh al-Bukhārī no.1469]

And he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

ليس الغنى عن كثرة العرَض، ولكن الغنى غنى النفس.

“Richness is not the abundance of wealth, rather it is self-contentment.”

[Saheeh al-Bukhārī no.6446 and Saheeg Muslim no.1051]

It is القناعة, contentment, that we need to have, as well as being moderate and economical in the way we spend our money, as some people may be excessive in spending, they may tend to overspend, and buy things that are not needed, and when they fail to make ends meet they start borrowing with interest, and start going into overdraft! والعياذ بالله, and refuge is sought with Allāh.

Allāh (عز وجل) said:

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَنفَقُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ قَوَامًا

“And those who, when they spend are neither wasteful nor stingy, but they spend moderately in between.”

[Qur’ān: Sūrah al-Furqān, verse no.67]

And from modern-day forms of dealing with interest is to take a loan from a bank, as loans taken from banks are all interest-based, and this includes going into overdraft.

It is not permissible to even have an overdraft facility, as Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (رحمه الله) and other scholars have mentioned, because it involves the agreement to pay interest, even if you think that you will not go into overdraft, the mere fact that you have agreed to pay interest is harām.

Also from dealing with interest is to take a mortgage, and beware of what is called halāl mortgages as there is no such thing – to my knowledge. They use trickery and deception to find ways around Ribā.

And there are so many other forms of dealing with interest, and the Muslim should always ask and verify before entering into any contract or transaction suspected to include interest, we must not be complacent or take it lightly, this matter is very severe and has dire consequences.

Therefore, dear brothers, it is an obligation upon us all to hasten to repentance from dealing with Ribā, we must repent sincerely to Allāh The Most High, and leave any dealings that involve Ribā, and whoever leaves something for the sake of Allāh, Allāh will replace it for him with that which is better, purer, and more blessed, by the grace and bounty of Allāh The Mighty and Majestic.

As the Prophet ( صلى الله عليه وسلم) mentioned in an authentic hadeeth:

إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَدَعَ شَيْئًا لله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَّا بَدَّلَكَ الله بِهِ مَا هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْهُ

“Verily, you never leave anything for the sake of Allāh The Mighty and Majestic, except that Allāh will replace it with something better for you.”

[Al-Asbahānī in At-Targheeb, authentic upon the conditions of Imām Muslim, Silsilah al-Ahadeeth ad-D’aeefah no.5, vol.1, pg.62]

والله تعالى أعلم

May Allāh (عز وجل) guide us and enable us to act upon His commands, and to keep away from the forbidden matters, and we ask Him to bless us with القناعة, contentment.

والحمد لله رب العالمين.

وسبحانك اللهم وبحمدك، أشهد أن لا إله إلا أنت، أستغفرك وأتوب إليك.

Khutbah delivered by Abu ‘Abdur Rahmān Saleem, Imām at Markaz Mu’aadh bin Jabal, Slough.

Allāh, The Most High, says,

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا نُودِىَ لِلصَّلَوٰةِ مِن يَوۡمِ ٱلۡجُمُعَةِ فَٱسۡعَوۡاْ إِلَىٰ ذِكۡرِ ٱلله

“O you who believe, when the call to Prayer is given on Friday (Jumu’ah Prayer), then proceed to the remembrance of Allāh.” [Qur’ān 62:9]

Imām ‘Abdur Rahmān As-S’adi (رحمه الله) mentioned regarding the above verse,

The Most High commands His believing servants to attend and be present at the Jumu’ah Prayer. Quickly going to it when the call (adhān) is made and hastening towards it, and the meaning of hastening here is to have care and concern for it and to make it (the Jumu’ah) the most important of tasks (of the day), hastening does not mean you run, for indeed that has been prohibited when going to the Prayer.

[Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahmān fee tafseer kalaam al-Mannān, pg.1181, Dār al-Maiman print, 2nd edition]

Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said,

“People should indeed stop neglecting the Friday Prayers, or else Allāh will most certainly seal their hearts and they will indeed become from the heedless.”

[Saheeh Muslim, no.865]

Al-Qādī ‘Īyād (رحمه الله) mentioned, 

“A covering will be placed over it (the heart) and it will be prevented from guidance due to it, up until it will not recognise good and it will not renounce evil, and it will not understand and comprehend goodness.”

[Al-Bahr al-Muheet ath-Thajāj sharh Saheeh al-Imām Muslim bin al-Hajjāj, vol.17, pg.252, Dār ibn al-Jawzee print, 1st edition]

Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said,

“Whoever abandons three Jumu’ah Prayers due to negligence (having little concern for it) then Allāh will place a seal upon his heart.”

[Reported by Ahmad, Abū Dāwood, and others, Saheeh At-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb no.727]

Shaykh Muhammad bin Sālih al-‘Uthaymeen (رحمه الله) mentioned, 

“And what is apparent from the hadeeth is that this applies whether it be three consecutive Jumu’ahs or on (three) separate occasions.”

[At-T’aleeq ‘alā Saheeh Muslim, vol.4, pg.509]

‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (رضي الله عنهما) said,

“Whoever abandons three consecutive Jumu’ah Prayers has indeed thrown Islām behind his back.”

[Reported by Abū Y’alā, Saheeh at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb no.733]

Imām ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله) mentioned, 

…”From amongst the people are those who only come to the Jum’uah (Friday Prayer) towards the end and they hardly remember Allāh.”

[Al-Fawāid pg.213, Dār ‘Aalam al-Fawāid print, 2nd edition]

Allāh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said,

“Indeed a man may be from the people of Paradise, but due to him coming late to the Jumu’ah Prayer he will be delayed from entering Paradise, even though he is from its people.”

[Al-Haakim in Al-Mustadrak, Silsilah al-Ahadeeth as-Saheehah, under hadeeth no.365, vol.1, 2nd section, pgs.706-707]