One Who deals in Riba (Interest),Will his fast be accepted? by Dr Zakir Naik

Dr. Zakir: As far as Riba is concerned, Riba is a major sin, it is Gunah-e-Kabira and Riba has been mentioned in the Quran in no less than 8 different places.

Allah mentions it in

Surah Ale Imran ch. 3 verse no. 130

In Surah Nisa ch. no. 4 verse no. 161

It’s mentioned thrice in

Surah Baqarah ch. 2 verse no. 275

It’s also mentioned in Surah Baqarah ch. 2 verse no. 276

And also in

Surah Baqarah ch. 2 verse no. 278 & 279

And I’ll quote that last verse only, I don’t intend giving a speech.

Allah says in Surah Baqarah ch. 2 verse no. 278 & 279 that

“Give up what remains of your demands of usury. And anyone who does not give up the demands of usury, interest, riba is the Arabic word. If anyone does not give up the demand of interest then take notice of a war from Allah and his Rasool”

If anyone deals in Riba, in interest, in usury Allah and His Rasool will wage a war against you. It’s more serious, it’s a bigger sin than having alcohol, it’s a bigger sin than talking drugs because when you have alcohol, when you take drugs, when you have pork it’s a big sin but Allah and His Rasool will not wage a war against you. But if you involve yourself in Riba whether take or give both, when you take interest or give interest, both of them are major sins. So if a person is involved in Riba, it will not break the fast per se, because I have told you things that break the fast I have told you total 10 things so this does not come in that but it’s a major sin. A person should abstain throughout his life especially in the month of Ramadhaan which is a month of forgiveness, month of blessing; it will only reduce his reward. What reward he gets for fasting, his fasting will not be nullified, it will not be invalidated but the reward will be reduced.

And as our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saws) said, it’s a Sahih Hadith in

Sahih Bukhari Vol. no. 3, in the Book of Fasting, Hadith no. 1903 Our beloved Prophet said:

“A person who does not leave his false actions and false talks, Allah does not require him to leave his drink and eating”

Means a person who does not abstain from doing wrong things, saying wrong things, Haraam things, Allah does not require him to leave his eating and drinking.

So based on this it is Haraam, his reward for the month of fasting will be reduced, it may be nullified also.