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:

AS-SALAM-ALAIKUM.

I HAVE A QUESTION.WHAT ABOUT THE PARENTS WHO FORCES THEIR CHILDREN TO TAKE A LOAN ON INTEREST AND WHEN ANYONE TELLS THEM NOT TO THEY SAY WE ARE SALARIED PEOPLE WE CAN`T AFFORD TO BUY SUCH AND SUCH THING IN OUR LIVES.THE PARENTS PREACH ISLAM TO OTHERS BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THEM IT IS A MATTER OF CONVINIENCE.I HAVE TOLD THEM IT IS HARAM BUT THEY FAIL TO UNDERSTAND.THEY SAY IT`S JUST FOR AN INVESTMENT.HOW CAN WE CONVINCE THEM?I HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR THEM.PLEASE ADVISE.

JAZAK-ALLAH KHAIR. 

 

(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:

 

Parents force to take loan

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 no one (no idol, no person,  no grave, no prophet,  no imam,  no dai,  nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Bani Israel verses 23-24:

Your Lord has enjoined the following: You should not worship anyone but Him Alone!  Treat your parents with great kindness;  if either or both of them attain old age, do not even say ‘uff’ to them;  nor rebuke them;  but speak to them kind words.  Treat them with humility and tenderness and pray, “O our Lord,  be merciful to them, just as they brought me up with kindness and affection in my childhood.”

 

Such is the rank and status the Lord Most High has accorded to parents in Islam that only after the rights due to Allah Subhanah and His Messenger (saws), the biggest rights in all mankind is due to one’s parents.  Thus it is absolutely obligatory upon the believers who sincerely fear Allah and the Last Day to be devoutly obedient to each and every lawful wish and command of their parents….the only, and we reiterate only, time a believer is permitted to disobey the command or wish of their parents is if they ask their off-spring to do anything which is clearly against the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws).

 

Al-Tirmidhi HadithHadith 3696         Narrated by An-Nawwas ibn Sam'an

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "A creature is not to be obeyed when it involves disobedience to the Creator."

 

There is absolutely no doubt that Allah and His Messenger (saws) have declared the concept of ‘riba’ absolutely forbidden and ‘haraam’ in Islam, thus even if one’s parents command their off-spring to indulge in ‘riba’, the children are not to fulfill this unlawful command or wish of their parents.  But even when the off-spring are to disobey this unlawful command of their parents, they must do so humbly, politely, and with absolute tenderness and try to calmly explain the Command of Allah and His Messenger (saws) regarding the prohibition of indulging in any transaction which involves ‘riba’.  Under no circumstances are the believing off-spring allowed to demean, ridicule, abuse or use stern language with their parents even if they are unable to fulfill this or any other unlawful wish or command of their parents.

 

Your Question: HOW CAN WE CONVINCE 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 4 Surah Nisa verse 161:

That they took ‘riba’,  although they were forbidden.  And that they devoured men’s substance wrongfully.   We have prepared for those among them who reject faith a grievous punishment (of Hell Fire)!

 

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2827        Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "Even though usury be much, it leads in the end to penury."

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.28 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet (saws) said, "Avoid the seven great destructive sins. “The people enquired, "O Allah's Apostle! What are they? "He said,

"1. To join others in worship along with Allah,

 2. to practice sorcery,

 3. to kill the life which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause, (according to Islamic law),

 4.  to eat up riba (usury),

 5. to eat up an orphan's wealth,

 6. to give back to the enemy, fleeing from the battlefield at the time of fighting, and

 7. to accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything touching chastity and are good believers.”  

(The Prophet (saws) included ‘riba’ in one of the ‘Seven Destructive Sins’.   If we read the other sins which accompany the list, one can imagine what is the magnitude of the sin of ‘riba’)

 

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 usury, those who paid it, those who recorded it, and those who refused to give sadaqah.

 

Beloved brother in Islam, politely present and put forth the above Commands and Guidance of Allah and His Messenger (saws) regarding the prohibition and sin of indulging in the practice of ‘riba’ to your parents and inspire them to fear Allah Subhanah and His Day of Accounting; if they indeed fear Allah and the Last Day, this evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah should be enough to inspire them to abstain from indulging in the evil concept and crime of ‘riba’.  

 

But regardless of whether they accept or reject the evidence, under no circumstances would it be legal or lawful for you to indulge in the crime of ‘riba’ if indeed you fear Allah and the Last Day.  Even if at their insistence were you to (Allah forbid) indulge in ‘riba’ for them, you too along with them will be held accountable for the transgression of the Laws of Allah on that Tumultuous and Inevitable Day of Judgment.

 

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