2-274 Those who spend their wealth by night and day, privately and publicly, their reward is with their Lord; and they have no fear, nor shall they grieve.
ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَٲلَهُم بِٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ سِرًّ۬ا وَعَلَانِيَةً۬ فَلَهُمۡ أَجۡرُهُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ (٢٧٤)
2-274a: Comparison of charity and usury: The real subject of this section is prohibition of usury, but in this first verse of the section, a summary of charity is given, because charity is an activity in which the rich give to the poor while usury is an activity in which the poor pay to the rich capitalists. In the light of this negative relationship, at the start of a discussion on usury, charity is mentioned as a reminder that philanthropic activity is the real principle on which the welfare of humanity depends because without an equitable distribution of wealth, there can be no lasting prosperity. Charitable giving and prohibition of usury are two aspects of obtaining economic equity.
2-275 Those who swallow usury cannot arise except as he arises whom the devil prostrates by (his) touch.a That is because they say, Trading is only like usury. And Allah has allowed trading and forbidden usury. To whomsoever then the admonition has come from his Lord, and he desists, he shall have what has already passed. And his affair is in the hands of Allah. And whoever returns (to it) — these are the companions of the Fire: therein they will abide.b
ٱلَّذِينَ يَأۡڪُلُونَ ٱلرِّبَوٰاْ لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ ٱلَّذِى يَتَخَبَّطُهُ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ مِنَ ٱلۡمَسِّۚ ذَٲلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّمَا ٱلۡبَيۡعُ مِثۡلُ ٱلرِّبَوٰاْۗ وَأَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡبَيۡعَ وَحَرَّمَ ٱلرِّبَوٰاْۚ فَمَن جَآءَهُ ۥ مَوۡعِظَةٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ فَٱنتَهَىٰ فَلَهُ ۥ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمۡرُهُ ۥۤ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۖ وَمَنۡ عَادَ فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ أَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِۖ هُمۡ فِيہَا خَـٰلِدُونَ (٢٧٥)
2-275a: يَأۡڪُلُونَ – Its primary meaning is to eat. Then by extension it is used for spending money because food is the largest item for which a person needs money. Other use of this word in the Quran are: وَلَا تَأۡكُلُوٓاْ أَمۡوَٲلَكُم بَيۡنَكُم بِٱلۡبَـٰطِلِ (And swallow not up your property among yourselves by false means) (2:188), إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَأۡڪُلُونَ أَمۡوَٲلَ ٱلۡيَتَـٰمَىٰ ظُلۡمً (Those who swallow the property of orphans unjustly.) (4:10). اکل المال بالباطل means to spend in a way that is detrimental to truth, and: يَأۡڪُلُونَ فِى بُطُونِهِمۡ نَارً۬ا (4:11), (literally eating fire) means they swallow only fire into their bellies.
ٱلرِّبَوٰاْ – رَبَا الشئُ means a thing increased and it developed (R). The word رَبَتۡ (22:5) has been used in the Quran for the growth of vegetation, and in a similar fashion for growth of wealth: لِّيَرۡبُوَاْ فِىٓ أَمۡوَٲلِ ٱلنَّاسِ فَلَا يَرۡبُواْ عِندَ ٱللَّ (…so that it may increase in the property of men, it increases not with Allah) (30:39). And رِبَوٰ is the increase in amount more than the principal amount, but in shariah the word has been used for a special type of increase (R). According to Abu Ishaq, رِبَوٰ which is prohibited is a loan that requires a repayment greater than the amount lent, or requires some other benefit in addition to the repayment of the amount lent. And what is not prohibited is that a person gifts something while desiring that he gets something greater in return (AI). Ibn Jarir has cited Mujahid that in the Days of Ignorance (Pre-Islamic period), it was a custom that a lender would prolong the repayment if the borrower agreed to pay the lender an amount greater than the initially agreed upon repayment. Qatadah states that رِبَوٰ of the Days of Ignorance was that a person would contract to buy or sell something at a future date. When the date arrived and the promised payment was not made, the payment amount was increased and the payment date was extended.
يَتَخَبَّطُ – It is derived from خَبۡط which means to hit or strike severely (L) as, for example, striking a tree with a stick to make it shed its leaves. A hadith states: اعوذبِك یتخبطنی الشیطان and its meaning is: یصر عنی دیلعب بی (N) that is, to throw me down and to make a game of me.
مَسِّ – Its real meaning is to touch and by extension is used for any harmful thing that touches a person. مستہم الباساء is metaphorically used for a fit of frenzy or craziness (R). This is the correct interpretation here, as is validated by the adoption of this meaning by most commentators.
The negative relationship between charity and usury has been discussed in the previous note. Although the revelation of the verses regarding charity and usury took place at different times, but their juxtaposition in arrangement shows that the arrangement of verses was under the direction of Holy Prophet. In Bukhari, Ibn Abbas is narrated to have said: اٰخراٰیة نزلت علی النبی صلعم اٰیة ٱلرِّبَوٰاْ (The last verse that was revealed to the Holy Prophet was the verse regarding usury). This is not correct in the sense that the substantive portion of commands regarding usury had already been revealed by the time of the Farewell Pilgrimage (حجته الوداع) and the Holy Prophet addressed the subject in the Hajj sermon. The revelation of اکملت لکم دینکم (I have perfected for you your religion) during the Farewell Pilgrimage is well established. So, the revelation of this usury verse is necessarily prior to the revelation of اکملت لکم دینکم because no new mandatory order could come after that. Hence, the prohibition of usury cannot be اٰخراٰیة نزلت in the absolute sense, but it is possible that it may be the last revelation to be included in Surah Baqarah. A better interpretation of this hadith is the one in note 2-281a, namely that by revelation about usury is meant the last verse of this ruku (section) and Surah Al-Imran also reiterates: لَا تَأۡڪُلُواْ ٱلرِّبَوٰٓاْ أَضۡعَـٰفً۬ا مُّضَـٰعَفَةً۬ۖ (devour not usury, doubling and redoubling) (3:130). It is possible that the revelation regarding the prohibition of usury may have been revealed at a late date and it may be that the prohibition was enacted in stages like the prohibition of drinking. Thus, in Surah Al-Imran the prohibition is only on compound interest.
Detailed exposition of usury: A tradition in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal traced to Caliph Umar states that the Holy Prophet did not expound on the concept of usury. There are sundry other similar sayings. However usury ( ٱلرِّبَوٰاْ) was an established practice in the Days of Ignorance, so the meaning of the hadith is only that that Holy Prophet did not expound about practices that have some similarity with usury. This interpretation is given further credence by the fact that among these sayings there is a mention of seventy or seventy three doors of usury, and Caliph Umar’s advise: فدعوا الربا و الریبة (Leave usury and doubt) that is, shun those practices about which there is doubt because of their similarity to usury. Some of these practices like usury have found mention in hadith. For example, Mukhabarat (مخابرة)has been disallowed which is a practice where the landlord allows a tenant to cultivate his land for a fixed share of the crop. Similarly, Mazaniat (مزانیة) has been disallowed, that is buying fresh dates in their pods in return for dried dates, as too is Mahaqlat (محاقلة), which is buying grain that is still in its husk.
Prohibition of usury is general: Some people have said that only compound interest is prohibited and not interest generally, although interest is intrinsically a part of رِبَوٰ . Some have stated that the prohibition is only for Dar-us-Salam, but this will erode faith in all the laws revealed at Madinah in that people will think that these laws are only for Dar-us-Salam. Some hold that the rationale for prohibiting usury is to show sympathy with the poor as is manifested by juxtaposing the topics of usury and charity. However, regardless of the rationale, the prohibition is general, just as the rationale for prohibiting drinking is that it intoxicates and is harmful, but even so even a drop of an alcoholic beverage which will not intoxicate is prohibited because the prohibition is general. It is possible that there may be circumstances under which a person may be compelled to pay interest because without such payment he may not be able to survive.
Interest on bank deposits: One of the question that arises is whether it is permissible to take interest on money that is kept in banks for safekeeping. There is no doubt that one of the requirement of رِبَوٰ is that money is loaned to someone. All of the رِبَوٰ situations described from the Days of Ignorance had a loan as an underlying transaction. The deposit kept in the bank is not a loan but money kept as a trust, so the situation is somewhat different. Even so, the transaction has some similitude withرِبَوٰ hence the cautious way is not to put bank interest to personal use but to donate it for use against the opponents of Islam, for the propagation of Islam, and for jihad. See also note 2-281. The situation with cooperative banks is also somewhat different from traditional رِبَوٰ because only such persons can take a loan from a cooperative bank as are members of the bank and hence the borrower has an ownership interest which makes him a partner in the profit and loss. The cautious approach here too is the same as for interest from a bank.
Voluntary excess repayment of loan: Acceptance of payment more than the loan amount is permissible if the debtor voluntarily pays an amount in excess of the loan in the spirit of هَلۡ جَزَآءُ ٱلۡإِحۡسَـٰنِ إِلَّا ٱلۡإِحۡسَـٰنُ (Is the reward for goodness aught goodness) (55:60). This is not interest because the lender’s intention was not to receive an amount greater than what was lent.
Hadith regarding the prohibition of usury: There are several ahadith about the prohibition of interest. According to one hadith, the lender, the writer and the witness of a usurious transaction and the debtor who pays the usury are all cursed because collectively they allow usury to exist. In another hadith reported in Abu Daud, it is stated that a time will come when people will consume usury; when asked all the people! The reply was: من لم یا کله منہم ناله من غبارہ (The cloud of usury will reach even those who will not consume usury). The accuracy of this statement of the truthful messenger is obvious today.
Why was it necessary to prohibit usury? There are two main reasons for it which Allah has explained here. The first reason is found in the words يَتَخَبَّطُهُ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ مِنَ ٱلۡمَسِّۚ . The condition of a usurious lender becomes like that of a satanically crazed individual who has been pushed to the ground by Satan. The love of wealth makes him lose all sense of fairness and rationality and derives him to the lowest level of humanity. These words are absolutely true. When an individual or a nation progresses in usurious dealings, that individual or nation ultimately starts worshipping at the altar of wealth and riches, which effectively becomes its deity. In the process, man’s highest attribute of human sympathy gets totally eroded. Jews progressed in usurious dealings. Hindu moneylenders known as banias are another example of this practice. Their love for wealth and riches has progressed to the stage that they find it difficult to spend money for their own comfort and convenience, and even on their children. Those civilized nations that are steeped in usurious transactions have taken wealth as their god which they worship, and they are willing to sacrifice their faith, belief, honor and chastity for obtaining wealth.
The effects of drinking and usury are very subtle and insidious; Holy Prophet’s teachings and perfect power of cleansing: Just as no religion before Islam had imposed complete prohibition on drinking, no other nation had prohibited usury. The fact is that the insidious effects of these two practices are so subtle and their eradication so difficult that the only person capable of abolishing these vices had to be the person who was to come as the crown jewel of all prophets and messengers. His revelation was so perfect that it dealt even with those actions whose one time ill-effects are minimal but whose cumulative effect over time become substantive, and the Holy Prophet was given the spiritual power to exterminate dangerous and longstanding evils that with the passage of time had apparently become part of human nature. As an example, one can look at the effects of drinking. On the face of it, drinking in moderation or having one or two sips has no ill effect. Similarly, there seems to be no apparent harm if a person loans a sum of money to another which is then returned with some interest after a year. In the meantime, the debtor uses that money in his business and earns a profit from it. Confronted with such grave issues, it is necessary to examine the problem with a wide lens and its effects over a longer-term horizon. Often, good and evil acts are such that their effects do not become instantaneously manifest. Their ill-effects become visible when such acts become widespread and repetitive. The more subtle the ill effect, the longer is the period over which their impact needs to be studied to gauge their full magnitude. Even fornication is an evil whose consequences are not immediately visible, and in many lifestyles this has become a custom. When the effects of usury are studied over a long period, the ground reality bears evidence that it is a great deterrent in the development of morality and general mental tranquility. As the love of wealth increases with usurious dealings, morality, human sympathy, and respect for rules progressively diminishes and ultimately such an individual or nation ends up trading good morals and manners for wealth. By sacrificing a small amount of wealth, Islam aspires to take its votaries to the highest level of good morals and manners. It has thus announced that in reality it is the last and perfect religion. The second reason for prohibiting usury is given in the next few words for which see the next note.
2-275b – بَيۡعَ means giving a thing and receiving its price, that is selling, and شراء is buying. But the two words are interchangeable in their meaning and are also used for buying and selling.
سَلَفَ – is something that goes before, that is precedes. The meaning of فَلَهُ ۥ مَا سَلَفَ is that the sin of what has passed before will not be called to account (R).
أَمۡر – Its meaning is matter, affair, concern, issue, business, and it is a common word for all kinds of sayings and actions (R). امرہ الی اللّٰه is a common phrase which means the affair is entrusted to Allah. The significance being that what was done before should not be the subject of conversation. This shows that Islam teaches that if someone has given up doing something evil then, according to the spirit of Quran, it is despicable to mention his past evil actions.
Difference between usury and trade: People sometimes put forward the excuse to justify usury that it is like trade although Allah makes trade permissible and prohibits usury. The apparent similitude that people notice is that when goods can be purchased with money and then sold for profit then similarly it should be allowed to use money to earn a profit. But there is a difference between the two in the sight of God. Careful deliberation shows the difference to be that there is no effort in usurious transactions while effort is involved in trading. Since Islam has made effort an essential part of human development, it has prohibited an affair in which there is no effort. Not only is usury devoid of any effort, but it also degrades effort because when a capitalist lends money on interest to a borrower who trades with it, the trade may be profitable or unprofitable. The capitalist always profits and has no concern with the loss suffered by the borrower. Even if all the money borrowed is lost in a trade, the capitalist is entitled not only to his principal but also to the accrued interest. Thus, compared to capital, effort is devalued. The one who makes the effort takes the responsibility for loss, but the beneficiary of profit is the capitalist.
Preference of partnership: The teaching of Islam is that when a person trades with borrowed money, both the lender and borrower should be partners and share in profit and loss. In other words, there should be partnership instead of a loan. A fundamental principle of Islam is to glorify effort in matters of this world. That is why, it has done away with things that create a distinction between haves and have nots.
In usurious transactions, money commands more respect than labor: The result of the interest-based economy of European countries is that the section of society that depends for its livelihood on labor has become impoverished and capital has accumulated in the hands of a small number of rich people. This inequitable distribution of wealth is progressively increasing. It is true that in most cases, the capitalist initially accumulates the capital through effort, but once the capital is accumulated, there is no mechanism whereby this money is recycled back to labor. The mechanism in an interest-based economy is such that money continues to accumulate in the hands of the capitalist without further effort.
Socialism and Bolshevism: A reaction to this inequitable system gave birth first to socialism and then Bolshevism. Bolshevism established the rule that no person is an owner of what he earns, and instead all earning, and consumption should be collective. In this system, manifestly labor is valued, but the reality is that both socialism and capitalism are extremist philosophies at two ends of the spectrum. Even in Bolshevism, labor is not valued because labor cannot enjoy the fruit of its hard work, and this leaves it with no motivation to work hard and progress.
Bukhari has a narration from Ayesha in which she states that when this verse was revealed, the Holy Prophet read it to the audience, and followed it up by prohibiting trade in alcoholic beverages. He did this because although all kinds of trading is permissible under أَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡبَيۡعَ but any trade of goods that is against the prohibitions of Islam is not permissible.
2-276 Allah will blot out usury, and He causes charity to prosper. And Allah loves not any ungrateful sinner.a
يَمۡحَقُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرِّبَوٰاْ وَيُرۡبِى ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتِۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ أَثِيمٍ (٢٧٦)
2-276a يَمۡحَقُ – مَحۡق means loss and مَحَقَه means to reduce a thing and to deprive it of blessings.
كَفَّار – کَفُور and کَفّار are derived superlative forms of کُفر and the plural of کافر is کَفّار . And کَفّار is one who is persistent in his کُفر . In other words, such a person insists on the lawfulness of his view or action in the face of God’s command to the contrary.
أَثِيمٍ – It is the superlative form of اِثۡم and means that a person sins despite having a sanctified belief.
It is stated here that charity is blessed while usury is devoid of blessings. There is a narration by Ibn Masud in Musnad Imam Ahmad that the Holy Prophet said: ان الربا و ان کثر فان عاقبة تصیر الی قل (Even if the interest becomes very large, but its end is towards decline). As stated in Bukhari, the Holy Prophet stated about charity that a person who gives a date in charity from his honest earnings, and Allah does not accept anything except what is honestly earned, Allah accepts it with His right hand, then He increases it for the giver, like a person raises his calf, and it grows until it becomes a mountain. (Kitab al-Zakat).
How the wealth of a nation increases: The truth of these statements is evidenced by global events. The wealth of a nation does not increase if a few people horde and sit on that wealth. The wealth of a nation would be considered to have grown if these wealthy individuals are benefitting from their wealth. There is no doubt that a usurious economy militates against this while charity and increased consumption from it is beneficial for the growth of a nation’s wealth.
2-277 Those who believe and do good deeds and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate — their reward is with their Lord; and they have no fear, nor shall they grieve.a
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَأَقَامُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُاْ ٱلزَّڪَوٰةَ لَهُمۡ أَجۡرُهُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ (٢٧٧)
2-277a: Following the mention of those people who disobey the commandments of Allah either because of wrong belief or by their actions while professing the right belief, and after stating that such people cannot be the beloved of Allah, a comparison is made with those who are righteous. Two essential aspects of righteous behavior are specially mentioned, namely prayer and zakat.
2-278 O you who believe, keep your duty to Allah and relinquish what remains (due) from usury, if you are believers.a
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَذَرُواْ مَا بَقِىَ مِنَ ٱلرِّبَوٰٓاْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ (٢٧٨)
2:278a: Relinquishing what remains of usury and sermon during the farewell Hajj: The commandment given here is that any usury due after the revelation prohibiting usury or due at the time when a person repents and submits to the command of Allah should be relinquished. In the sermon during the farewell pilgrimage, the Holy Prophet mentioned, among other subjects, that all payments of usury from the period of ignorance are null and void and will not be collectible, and that the first payment that is voided is that of Abbas bin Abdul Mutalib, his uncle. How can such a command not be efficacious when the reform is started from one’s own family.
2-279 But if you do (it) not, then be apprised of war from Allah and His Messenger; and if you repent, then you shall have your capital. Wrong not, and you shall not be wronged.a
فَإِن لَّمۡ تَفۡعَلُواْ فَأۡذَنُواْ بِحَرۡبٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦۖ وَإِن تُبۡتُمۡ فَلَڪُمۡ رُءُوسُ أَمۡوَٲلِڪُمۡ لَا تَظۡلِمُونَ وَلَا تُظۡلَمُونَ (٢٧٩)
2-279a: أۡذَنُواْ – It is derived from اَذِنَ and its literal meaning is to hear (because اُذُنُ means ear) and by extension, it is applied to knowledge that is gained from hearing and finally it also denotes all knowledge because most of the knowledge is gained from hearing (R). Ibn Jarir has taken its meaning to be Allah is giving you this knowledge, and Ibn Abbas has interpreted this as استیقنوا meaning know for sure (IJ).
Usury here has been likened to waging war with Allah. Some people have interpreted this very literally and concluded that a person should be killed if he engages in usurious transactions, but this is not a correct interpretation, and neither is there any mention of this in the penal ordinances of Shariah. These words are used only as a warning and threat. Love of wealth sometimes makes a person blind, so any transgression of this command regarding usury has been prohibited using the strongest possible language.
Using the usurious gain for propagation of Islam: Usurious transactions have been termed here as waging war against Allah. So, a fine point that can be concluded from it is that if a person comes into possession of some usurious money from a transaction where his motivation was not to be usurious, but there is some similarity with a usurious transaction, then it is permissible to use this usurious money against the opponents of Allah and His Prophet. Similarly, it is permissible for people who deposit money in post office or bank solely for the purpose of saving or safe keeping, but in the process earn interest, to receive the interest amount and spend it for the propagation of Islam, but they should not put it to their own use. The righteous way for employees who receive a bonus, a part of which is accumulated interest, is to donate the interest part of the bonus for propagation or jihad. If a person deposits some money in a bank with the sole intention of leaving a nest egg for his dependents, it would be permissible for him to do this if any accumulated interest is used for propagation of Islam. If a person has illegally earned wealth and he repents from such activities, but it is difficult to figure out the illegal part or it is not possible to return it to the party from which this wealth was illegally obtained, it is permissible to use this money for charitable purposes. This does not mean, however, that it is alright to earn money illegally for charitable purposes. The special condition mentioned is a situation where the other alternative is to destroy the money, and in such a situation spending the money for propagation or for other charitable purpose is the better alternative.
2-280 And if (the debtor) is in straitness, let there be postponement till (he is in) ease. And that you remit (it) as alms is better for you, if you only knew.a
وَإِن كَانَ ذُو عُسۡرَةٍ۬ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَىٰ مَيۡسَرَةٍ۬ۚ وَأَن تَصَدَّقُواْ خَيۡرٌ۬ لَّڪُمۡۖ إِن كُنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ (٢٨٠)
2-280a: نَظِرَةٌ – It is derived from نظر and means to give some concession or respite.
مَيۡسَرَةٍ۬ۚ – It is the opposite of یُسر عُسر and the purport of مَيۡسَرَةٍ۬ۚ here is being well-off.
تَصَدَّقُواْ – The literal meaning of تَصَدَّق is to give charity but the word is also used to denote a situation where a person gives up his right to receive an asset.
Hadith too is very laudatory about the excellence of forgiving or respiting a debtor. The statement in this verse is either a command in which case its execution is mandatory, or a recommendation, and what would be more beloved for a believer than God’s recommendation. This is the kind of human sympathy that Islam teaches. If the debtor is straitened, then he should be given respite, or the debt forgiven. It is not like the current laws which send a man to jail for non-payment of debt.
2-281 And guard yourselves against a day in which you will be returned to Allah. Then every soul will be paid in full what it has earned, and they will not be wronged.a
وَٱتَّقُواْ يَوۡمً۬ا تُرۡجَعُونَ فِيهِ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۖ ثُمَّ تُوَفَّىٰ كُلُّ نَفۡسٍ۬ مَّا ڪَسَبَتۡ وَهُمۡ لَا يُظۡلَمُونَ (٢٨١)
2-281a: The last verse revealed to the Holy Prophet; arrangement of verses directed by Holy Prophet: It appears from several narrations that this is the very last verse that was revealed to the Holy Prophet, and its revelation took place only a few days prior to the Holy Prophet’s death. In one narration, it is stated that when this verse was revealed, the Holy Prophet stated: اجعلوھا بین اٰیىىة الربٰوا و اٰیىىة الدَّین (keep it between the verse of usury and the verse الدَّین). The verse الدَّین comes next. This shows that the Holy Prophet directed where each revelation was to be placed in the arrangement of the Quran. The narration of Ibn Abbas in Bukhari that the last verse revealed to the Holy Prophet was the verse regarding usury is not opposed to this statement. The chapter in which Imam Bukhari has placed this hadith is titled وَٱتَّقُواْ يَوۡمً۬ا تُرۡجَعُونَ فِيهِ . Because the subject of usury is ended with this verse, hence it has been called the اٰیىىة الربٰوا or the usury verse. The end of the subject of usury with this verse indicates that the love of wealth for which one destroys one’s morality and devastates one’s spirituality will not in benefit him in the end.
Bayan-ul-Quran 