Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Brother, i just read about your message on Usury and Interest. See i was using 3 credit cards and i run into problems with them, i had to do something about it otherwise i would be in much trouble with the law.. Thats why i got a huge loan so that i could close all 3 of them at one go alonge with other loans i had before... My question is, am i in trouble with the lord because of the loan? but owing to which i had no other choice but to take a lone to cover them.

 

Secondly, i have invested in a foreign insurance so that i can have pension later on in life, my question is they give out profits as well, and i want to close it down and get my money back coz i realise its a wrong but they say i have to keep paying for it for the next year to get my whole money back... and do that i have to keep paying till i could get my whole money back other i lose half of the money i invested in... So ill continue to pay and then close it after one year will i be punished by my lord for this act??

 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

 

Answer:

 

Intention to leave riba

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Your Question: My question is, am i in trouble with the lord because of the loan? but owing to which i had no other choice but to take a lone to cover them.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 274-276:

But those who devour ‘riba’ become like the one whom Shaitaan has bewitched and maddened by his touch.   They have been condemned to this condition because they say,  “Trade is just like ‘riba”,  whereas Allah has made trade halaal and ‘riba’ haraam.   Henceforth,  if one abstains from taking ‘riba’ after receiving this admonition from his Lord,  no legal action shall be taken against him regarding the ‘riba’ he had devoured before:  his case shall ultimately go to Allah.   But if one repeats the same crime even after this,  he shall go to Hell,  where he shall abide for ever!   Allah deprives ‘riba’ of all blessing and develops charity, and Allah does not like an ungrateful,  sinful person.

 

Allah says further in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 278:

O Believers!,  fear Allah and give up that ‘riba’ which is still due to you,  if you are true believers.   But if you do not do so,  then you are warned of the declaration of war against you by Allah and His Messenger!

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 30 Surah Rome verse 39:

39      That which ye lay out for ‘riba’ through the property of (other) people will have no increase with Allah: but that which ye lay out for charity seeking the Countenance of Allah (will increase): it is these who will get a recompense multiplied.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 276:

276    Allah will deprive ‘riba’ of all blessings, but He will give increase for deeds of charity: for He loveth not creatures ungrateful and wicked.

 

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2829        Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib

Ali said he heard Allah's Messenger (saws) invoke the curse of Allah on those who took ‘riba’, those who paid it, those who recorded it, and those who refused to give sadaqah.

 

One can only image the Wrath and the Anger of the Lord Most Majestic on those who indulge in the abomination of ‘riba’ that a war against Allah and His Messenger (saws) is declared upon them!!!

 

Respected brother in Islam, the first (three) transgression was indulging in using the available limits on the three credit cards whereby you had to pay ‘riba’ for its usage….the fourth error was to take an interest-bearing loan to clear the interest-bearing loans of the (three) unpaid credit cards!

 

Respected brother, if you, even now turn unto your Lord Most Gracious in ‘taubah’ and seek sincere forgiveness for your manifest transgressions; make a solemn covenant with your Lord that you will never ever indulge in the unlawful abomination of ‘riba’ again…..it is expected that you will find your Lord Forgiving and Merciful.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumur verses 53-54:

(O Prophet) say: “O My servants who have wronged their own souls….Do not despair of Allah’s Mercy!  Surely,  Allah forgives all sins.   He indeed is the All Forgiving,  All Merciful.   Return to your Lord and submit to Him before the scourge overtakes you;  for then you may get no help from anywhere.”

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imraan verse 135-136:

Allah likes such good people very much, who,  if ever they commit a base deed or wrong their own soul by the commission of a sin,  remember Allah instantly,  and ask for forgiveness from Him for their shortcomings.  For who,  but Allah,  can forgive sins?   (And Allah loves those) who do not knowingly persist in the wrongs they did.   These will be rewarded with forgiveness from Allah,  and with Gardens beneath which canals flow,  and they will reside therein forever!   How excellent is the reward of those who do good deeds!

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 54:

When those come to you who believe in Our Signs,  say: "Peace be on you!  Your Lord had inscribed for Himself (the rule of) Mercy.  Verily if any of you did evil in ignorance,  and thereafter repented and amended (his conduct),  Lo! He is Oft-Forgiving,  Most Merciful."

 

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2357        Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "He who repents of a sin is like him who has committed no sin."

 

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2338        Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "Allah accepts a servant's repentance (taubah) till he gives up his spirit in death."

 

Your Question: ... So ill continue to pay and then close it after one year will i be punished by my lord for this act??

If you have invested in an interest-based insurance company in ignorance of the Laws of Shariah in the past, you are well within your rights in Shariah to receive and utilize the lawful funds you have invested….not the interest-based returns they offer you which is over and above your invested amount.

 

If the company will not cancel your policy and return back your invested amount until you pay them the balance premiums for one year, and you have the means to bear the loss….then it would be best and purest that you immediately put a stop to such indulgence in ‘riba’ based investments.

 

If you do not have the means to bear the loss which you would incur if you put an immediate stop to your insurance policy, and in your efforts to recover your invested amount you have to pay your premiums for another year, there is no harm….as long as you take for yourself only what you have lawfully invested and make a solemn covenant with your Lord that you will never ever indulge in the abomination of ‘riba’ again….it is expected that you will find your Lord Forgiving and Merciful, Insha Allah.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan