Thus, the usurer is seized by a present feeling of safety and self-delusion, unaware of what has been stored up for him in the future, and that Allah will unite against him the punishments of this world and the Hereafter—unless he repents and returns. If he does repent, then whatever has accrued before his repentance remains his.
With respect to current contracts, any surplus is unlawful (1). He must reduce the claim to the principal only, as Allah the Exalted says: “But if you repent, then you are entitled to your principals—do not wrong” by taking any increase, “and you shall not be wronged” by being forced to forfeit part of your principals (al-Baqarah 2:279).
Among the varieties of ribā is a loan that brings a benefit. A loan is meant to be an act of kindness and mutual assistance; but when it is turned into a quid-pro-quo and the lender stipulates that the borrower return something better in quality or greater in amount, or stipulates any advantage or preferential treatment in another transaction, this is ribā. In reality it is money for deferred money, and the stipulated gain is the profit.
Allah, exalted be He, has exhorted the believers to avoid every form of ribā, to abstain from dealing in it, and to content themselves with wholesome earnings that carry blessing and secure the welfare of both religion and worldly life. Such earnings refine character, engender reflection, promote fair dealing, truthfulness, justice, the fulfillment of rights, and freedom from every liability.
Another hazard in transactions is the hazard of maysir (gambling) and gharar (excessive uncertainty). Allah has forbidden maysir in His Book, paired it with intoxicants, and highlighted its harms and corruptions. Maysir permeates financial dealings just as it does games of chance: just as betting, wagering, and their offshoots are maysir, so too sales that involve uncertainty, risk, and ignorance fall under maysir. For this reason the Prophet ﷺ made a comprehensive statement: “He forbade sales involving gharar” (2). Included under this prohibition are: