Usury in Interfaith (1)

It is clear that usury is forbidden in the eyes of those who believe in Islam. Considering that Islam clearly prohibits usury without the slightest ambiguity. Everything has been explained through the postulates of God’s revelation Story revealed to His Prophet or through the arguments conveyed from the mouth of His Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam.

Allah Story is the only one Rabb The Most Just and Wise. All forms of cruelty are prohibited by Allah. Therefore, His laws are so beautiful and include all kinds of benefits that restore happiness to servants in this world and in the afterlife. Among the forms of benefit and elimination of evil is that Allah has prohibited usury for all mankind.

Riba across religions

A reality that we cannot close our eyes to is that the Shari’a or religions that Allah revealed generally prohibit usury. So what you need to know is that usury is not only prohibited for the Islamic religion, but for all humans. Remembering that usury is a hidden injustice that can destroy everything.

Getting to know usury in other religions can at least provide insight into the dangers of usury and its enormous impact on the economy of individuals, families, communities and even countries. Not a few blessings are eroded or even uprooted due to usury which is too “addictive” for most people. Without exception, Muslims also indulge in these kinds of practices.

There is an interesting hadith from a friend of Ka’ab bin ‘Ujrah, one day the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said to Ka’ab,

O Ka’b bin Ujrah, no flesh grows from haram actions except hell which deserves it more.

“O Ka’ab bin ‘Ujrah, indeed there is no flesh growing (on the body) that is haram, except hell which is more appropriate for it.” (HR. At-Tirmidhi and assessed authentic by Sheikh Al-Albani)

This means that hell is faster for a body that grows from unclean flesh, and is sought from unlawful wealth, including usury. What is clear is that in Islam this is prohibited. What about other religions?

Usury in Judaism

Considering usury is something bad and among the forms of injustice, Allah has forbidden usury for the Jews. This has been explained in Old Testament (Al-Ahd Al-Qadim) as follows,

“If you lend money to one of my people, namely the poor among you, then do not be a debt collector against him, nor charge him interest.” (Book of Exodus, 22:25)

And in another part it says, “If you lend money to your brother, do not take interest or profit from it.” (Leviticus, 25:35) [1]

Legally, Jews were forbidden by God Story from consuming usury or making usury transactions. But in practice, they don’t do that.

Sheikh Dr. Said bin Wahf Al-Qahtani God bless said, “It cannot be denied that the Jews have many tricks and tricks. With this they carry out deception and deceive their Prophet ‘alaihimussalam. [2]

Then he brought the word of God Knocking,

Because of the injustice of the Jews, We made unlawful to them the good things that were lawful for them, and because many of them deviated from the path of Allah, and usury seized them. And they have forbidden them to consume their wealth unjustly, and We have prepared for the disbelievers among them a painful punishment.

“Because of the injustice of the Jews, We have forbidden them (food) which was lawful for them (previously). Also because they often hinder (other people) from the path of Allah, committing usury, even though it has been forbidden for them; and eating people’s property in a way that is haram (badil). We have prepared for the disbelievers among them a very painful punishment.” (QS. An-Nisa: 160-161)

Al-Imam Ibn Kathir God bless said interpreting the verse above,

Indeed, Allah has forbidden them – namely the Jews – from usury, so they embraced it, took it, and deceived it with all kinds of tricks and all kinds of suspicion. And they eat people’s money unfairly.

“Indeed, Allah Ta’ala has forbidden them (the Jews) from usury. But they still do it, take it, and get around it with various kinds of deceit and various doubts, and consume people’s wealth in false ways.” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Please note that one of the tricks or tricks of the Jews is to say that usury is forbidden only when talking to fellow Jews. Meanwhile, for non-Jews, usury is permitted. This is one of the doubts that took root in their hearts, so they dared to change the law that God had established.

This is as quoted by Sheikh Dr. Umar bin Abdul Aziz Al-Mitrak God bless in his book,

“In the Book of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy), chapter 23 verses 20-21, attributed to Moses, states:

“Do not take usury from your brother, whether usury in money, usury in silver, usury in food, or usury in something lent ususily. Meanwhile, foreigners are allowed to lend using usury; but to your brothers, do not lend usury, so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything you do in the land into which you will enter to possess it.”

Then he said, “This text clearly shows that it is permissible to take usury from foreigners. However, Islam views this verse as an deleted verse (mansūkh).” [3]

He also reads ta’liq (commentary) from Sheikh Muhammad Rasyid Ridha God bless in the text above. He says, “This text cannot be accepted if it is said to come from the Torah written by the Prophet Musa ‘alaihissalam. Considering that the text is no longer based on the agreement of the Jews and Christians. As for the Torah that exists today, it was written after the exile (Babylonia), and has been proven to have undergone changes with a lot of concrete evidence and indications.” [4]

So it is not true to say that the Shari’a or the Prophet Moses allows us to take usury as long as it is not from fellow Jews. Because it turns out the writing had been changed by their own hands! To make lawful what Allah has made forbidden.

God bless.

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Depok, 28 Jumadal Akhirah 1447/ 18 December 2025

Writer: Muhammad Zia Abdurrofi

Article Muslim.or.id

Footnote:

[1] Sheikh Dr. ‘Umar bin Abdul Aziz Al-Mitrak, Ar-Riba wal Mu’amalat Al-Mashrifiyah, matter. 13.

[2] Sheikh Dr. Said bin Wahf Al-Qahtani, Ar-Riba, matter. 8.

[3] Sheikh Dr. ‘Umar bin Abdul Aziz Al-Mitrak, Ar-Riba wal Mu’amalat Al-Mashrifiyah, matter. 14

[4] Sheikh Dr. ‘Umar bin Abdul Aziz Al-Mitrak, Ar-Riba wal Mu’amalat Al-Mashrifiyah, matter. 14 (footnote).

Reference:

Al-Mitrak, ʿUmar bin ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz. Ar-Ribā wa al-Muʿāmalāt al-Maṣrifiyyah. Research: Bakr bin ‘Abdillah Abu Zayd. Cet. 2nd. Riyadh: Dar al-ʿĀsimah.

Al-Qaḥṭānī, Saʿīd bin Wahf. Ar-Ribā Ḍararuhu wa Āthāruhu fī Ḍhawʾ al-Kitab wa as-SunnahRiyadh: Sapphire,