Bank Interest, Soften Your Heart, Allah's Love
Issue 283 » July 16, 2004 - Jumada-al-Awwal 28, 1425
General
| Living the Quran |
Al-Baqara
(The Cattle)
Islam prohibited depositing one’s wealth and taking specified increase without the risk of either loss or profit making. Therefore, the type of investment allowed is where a person deposits money in an account and shares both the risk of making profit or losing. This is the definition of the Islamic investment method. The interest on bank accounts is unlawful or haram because such interest is an increase of money made without effort or trade. Interest is unlawful, so taking it and paying Zakah would not purify the money. Because it is unlawful, you should donate it to the poor or to charitable projects and organizations. Interest is not the property of either you or the bank. It is the property of the public and should be spent on public projects. This is the rule for unlawful money in Islam. We should not leave it for the bank. This will strengthen banks that deal with usury. Someone may say that the money deposited is at risk of being lost if the bank declares its bankruptcy. This situation does not invalidate the rule. Rules in Islam are not built on exceptions and this is an exception. Usually, whoever deposits his money makes money. They don’t lose. If they do one time, this is a deviance from the rule. Someone may also say that the bank trades with the deposited money. The answer is yes. However, when you deposited your money, have you entered a commercial contract with the bank? Of course not! If you entered in a partnership contract from the beginning and the bank lost and declared bankruptcy, then the rule is different. However, depositors usually demand their money when a bank loses and banks do not deny them that right. They usually pay it back even if they declare bankruptcy on the payment basis. Depositors usually do not look at themselves as responsible, as partners in the loss. They demand that their money, even if it has interest with it, be paid fully even though the bank has declared its bankruptcy. The repentance meant here is keeping original capital and refraining from taking any increase made without effort or joint investment. Source: |
| Understanding the Prophet's Life |
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Soften Your Heart The Sunnah (established tradition) of the Prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah (peace be upon him) is no less emphatic in establishing the functional imperative of Muslims addressing societal deprivation. In a hadith contained in the Musnad of Ahmed: Abu Hurairah reported that a man complained to Rasulullah about the hardness of his heart and he said, "Be benevolent to orphans and feed the poor." As the social indicators of the widening gap between the haves and the have nots scream out for redress, too many Muslims continue to imitate cattle by not being able to distinguish between legitimate and bogus cries for help in the land. The collective conscience of the Ummah in North America is too often soothed by checkbook taubah (repentance), as charitable donations are almost exclusively forwarded to overseas zip/postal codes; if at all. The almost 40 million identifiable impoverished persons in the US (40 percent of whom are children), coupled with the millions of homeless men, women and children (many sleeping on sidewalk heat grates in front of federal government buildings in the nation's capital), are potential witnesses against the Muslims on the Day of Judgment. Social obligations are not frivolous duties. Crimes against Allah may be forgiven in this world. But, social crimes and the usurpation of the rights of others will be settled in the Hereafter with Allah restoring the rights of the ill-treated. Source: |
| Cool Concepts! |
Ten Causes Resulting in Allah's Love First, reciting the Qur'an while pondering over its meanings and what is meant by it. Second, getting closer to Allah by performing voluntary deeds after completing obligatory deeds. This is as is stated in a Hadith Qudsi: "My slave continues getting closer to Me by performing voluntary deeds until I love him." [al-Bukhari] Third, continual remembrance of Allah under all circumstances, with one's tongue, heart and actions. The extent of one's love of Allah is determined by this. Fourth, giving precedence to what He loves over what you love when you are overtaken by your desires. Fifth, the heart being avid of Allah's Names, and Attributes and the heart roaming in that garden of knowledge. Sixth, observing Allah's kindness, goodness and bounties, both hidden and open. Seventh, and this is the most wonderful, the heart being soft, subdued and meek before Allah. Eighth, being alone with Allah during the time when the Lord descends during the last portion of the night while reading His Book and ending that by asking for forgiveness and repenting. Ninth, sitting with the beloved and sincere, benefiting from the most fruitful of their speech. And not to speak unless speaking is more beneficial and you know that it will improve your state and be beneficial to others. Tenth, remaining away from every cause that comes between the heart and Allah. These ten causes take the lovers to the station of true love and bring them to their Beloved. Source: |
