يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَأْكُلُوا۟ ٱلرِّبَوٰٓا۟ أَضْعَـٰفًا مُّضَـٰعَفَةً ۖ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ 130
Translations
O you who have believed, do not consume usury, doubled and multiplied, but fear Allāh that you may be successful.
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha alladhina amanu la ta'kulu al-riba aḍ'āfan muḍā'afah wa-ittaqū Allāh la'allakum tuflihūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah explicitly prohibits Muslims from consuming riba (usury/interest), particularly emphasizing the multiplied forms of riba that were practiced during the pre-Islamic period where debts would compound many times over. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi note that while this verse specifically addresses excessive riba, the prohibition extends to all forms of riba regardless of amount, as confirmed by later Quranic passages and the Prophet's traditions. The ayah concludes with an encouragement to fear Allah as the means to attaining success (falah) in both worlds.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in Madinah during the period when Islamic legislation was being established for the Muslim community. It addresses a practice deeply embedded in pre-Islamic Arab commerce where creditors would multiply debts if debtors could not pay on time. The context of Surah Ali 'Imran deals with establishing Islamic principles of justice and righteous conduct among believers.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The greatest sin is to associate partners with Allah, then to disobey parents, then to bear false witness, and the sin of riba (usury).' (Reported in various hadith collections). Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet cursed 'the one who consumes riba, the one who gives it, the one who writes it down, and the one who witnesses it,' stating they are all equal in sin.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that economic dealings must be rooted in justice and God-consciousness rather than exploitation; modern Muslims should understand that Islamic finance principles exist to protect the vulnerable and build a community based on equity rather than profit maximization at others' expense.
Related Ayahs
قُلْ يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لِمَ تَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ تَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا وَأَنتُمْ شُهَدَآءُ ۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
Say, "O People of the Scripture, why do you avert from the way of Allāh those who believe, seeking to make it [seem] deviant, while you are witnesses [to the truth]? And Allāh is not unaware of what you do."
وَلَئِن مُّتُّمْ أَوْ قُتِلْتُمْ لَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ تُحْشَرُونَ
And whether you die or are killed, unto Allāh you will be gathered.
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِيثَـٰقَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ لَمَآ ءَاتَيْتُكُم مِّن كِتَـٰبٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِۦ وَلَتَنصُرُنَّهُۥ ۚ قَالَ ءَأَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكُمْ إِصْرِى ۖ قَالُوٓا۟ أَقْرَرْنَا ۚ قَالَ فَٱشْهَدُوا۟ وَأَنَا۠ مَعَكُم مِّنَ ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ
And [recall, O People of the Scripture], when Allāh took the covenant of the prophets, [saying], "Whatever I give you of the Scripture and wisdom and then there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you, you [must] believe in him and support him." [Allāh] said, "Have you acknowledged and taken upon that My commitment?" They said, "We have acknowledged it." He said, "Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses."
وَلَئِن قُتِلْتُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْ مُتُّمْ لَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَحْمَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ
And if you are killed in the cause of Allāh or die - then forgiveness from Allāh and mercy are better than whatever they accumulate [in this world].