the lectures of Nekounam, may his sanctity be preserved (Session 897)
Verses 130 to 132 of Surah Al-Imran in the Holy Qur'an shine like a gem amidst Quranic discourses, addressing the issues of usury, piety, and obedience to God and His Messenger with a clear and explicit articulation. These verses, situated among those related to the Battles of Badr and Uhud, act like a gentle breeze, turning attention towards economic and ethical matters and emphasising the reform of social and financial conduct. This discourse, by deeply examining the Quranic text and reflecting upon social anecdotes and experiences, elucidates these verses and conveys divine messages to hearts seeking truth in an eloquent and dignified language. The objective is not merely a precise understanding of the verses but also to connect them to real-life challenges in ethics and economics, so they may serve as guiding lights for both action and thought.
Verses 130 to 138 of Surah Al-Imran, amidst verses related to the Battles of Badr and Uhud, serve as a spiritual island addressing subjects other than warfare. Prior to these verses, the Holy Qur'an describes scenes of battle and their faith-based lessons, and afterwards returns again to the theme of war. These verses, focusing on economic and ethical matters, demonstrate the comprehensiveness of the Quranic discourse, which alongside military issues, is concerned with reforming social and financial systems. This arrangement, like a thread linking diverse beads together, reveals the coherence and thematic diversity of the Holy Quran.
In the examination of verses pertaining to the Battles of Badr and Uhud, reliance on narrations and stories lacking authentic chains of transmission has been avoided. These narrations, sometimes prevalent as folkloric tales or mourning recitations in popular culture, hold little analytical value due to their absence of credible documentation. This approach, akin to selecting a pure gem from worthless stones, emphasises the primacy of the Quranic text, which like a clear spring, is protected from any distortion or ambiguity.
O you who have believed, do not consume usury, doubled and multiplied, and fear Allah that you may be successful.
This verse addresses the believers directly with an explicit prohibition against engaging in usury. The term "riba" denotes an unlawful increase or inflation, which, like a poisonous weed, dries the roots of economic justice. The phrase "doubled and multiplied" refers to a compounded and continuous form of usury that ensnares the debtor in an endless cycle of debt. "Doubled" implies multiple increments, and "multiplied" emphasises the perpetuity of this increase, as if the debt looms like a sinister shadow, growing heavier over the debtors head at every moment. The verse, by calling for piety, seeks the path of salvation through abstinence from this unethical practice.
And fear the Fire which has been prepared for the disbelievers.
This verse associates usury with disbelief and warns that such conduct serves as a bridge leading to the fire of Hell. The expression "has been prepared for the disbelievers" indicates that usury is an act incompatible with faith and may cause one to be led into the realm of disbelief. This warning acts as a clarion call, awakening the believer from heedlessness and inviting reflection on the consequences of ones deeds.
And obey Allah and the Messenger that you may receive mercy.
This verse invites obedience to God and His Messenger as the pathway to salvation and divine mercy. Obedience acts as the key that opens the doors to boundless divine compassion. The term "may receive mercy" refers to a comprehensive mercy bestowed not only by God but also by His creation, including humans and angels. This mercy is likened to rain that quenches the parched soil of hearts.
Usury is like a plague that dries the roots of justice and fairness within society. A past anecdote recounts an individual named "Sayyid Sharkhar" who, by taking usury, kept debt documents as if they were treasures in his house, yet his life was spent in spiritual poverty and solitude. This tale serves as a mirror, demonstrating that the apparent wealth of usurers is but a deceptive mirage compared to the emptiness of their hearts. In another story, a man named "Asghar Zoghali," a usurer, was killed by a debtor crushed under the weight of debt, which led to his public execution. This incident acts as a warning that usury not only causes economic exploitation but also disrupts human relationships and fosters violence.
Among some religious scholars, behaviours marked by insincerity and hypocrisy have been observed. For example, a scholar who ostensibly refuses to accept an extra eggplant, yet in practice exploits his position to amass wealth. This conduct acts as a mask concealing truth and weakens societal trust in religious scholars. This criticism stresses the necessity of honesty and sincerity in religious conduct, as if the light of truth shines only in the mirror of sincerity.
One Twelver Shia scholar, despite his high scientific and spiritual standing, had disciples who erred, including one who committed the murder of a usurer. This serves as a warning that religious knowledge without ethical nurture is like a rootless tree that bears no fruit. Religious scholars are akin to gardeners who must carefully cultivate the saplings of faith with care and guidance.
A narration states: "If the dust of usury settles upon a soul, it shall not prosper." This hadith acts like a light illuminating the path and shows that usury is like a poison depriving the heart and soul of the light of mysticism. Illegitimate wealth, especially usury, acts as a veil separating man from divine truth.
Consumption of lawful wealth is like pure water that nourishes the soul. Lawful sustenance, as a prerequisite for mysticism, emphasises purity in earning and spending wealth. Just as a machine halts without appropriate fuel, the human soul cannot ascend towards God when burdened with unlawful wealth. This principle is like a pillar that fortifies the foundation of mysticism.
Usury, like a widespread disease, has taken root in Islamic societies, and banking systems, particularly since the eighteenth century, have exacerbated its spread. Banks, initially established to protect assets, gradually transformed into centres of usury. This system is like a network entrapping individuals in webs of debt and endangering economic justice.
Attempts have been made to establish Islamic banking, such as Alavi and cooperative Islamic banks, yet these institutions have failed to entirely distance themselves from usury. This ineffectiveness is like an unfulfilled promise and reveals profound challenges in implementing Quranic rulings within financial systems.
Verse 132, with its emphasis on mercy, alludes to a comprehensive mercy bestowed not only by God but also by His creatures. A narration states: "Have mercy on the earth dwellers so that the heavenly dwellers have mercy on you." This hadith acts as a breeze inviting hearts to kindness, showing that mercy towards all creaturesfrom humans and animals to foes and friendsis a sign of profound faith.
Impartial mercy, in which no discrimination exists between friend and foe, pure and impure, is a divine station that brings man nearer to God. This mercy is like an ocean encompassing all and cleansing the heart from rancour. Through such mercy, a person attains a position whereby, like God, they look upon all creatures with compassion.
Verses 130 to 132 of Surah Al-Imran, like guiding lights along the path of guidance, forbid believers from usury and invite them to piety, obedience, and mercy. These verses equate usury with disbelief and warn that it leads to the fire of Hell. Simultaneously, by emphasising piety and obedience, they reveal the pathway to salvation and divine mercy. Reflection upon these verses demonstrates the necessity of reforming economic and social systems so that justice and fairness may flow like a pure stream throughout society. Impartial mercy, as a divine station, invites humanity to kindness towards all creatures, and this kindness is the key to salvation and proximity to God.
