Are the Hadiths that liken Riba (usury) to incest or adultery fabricated?
Has any scholar ever classified these Hadiths as fabricated?
Answer
The sin of interest (riba) being likened to adultery or incest has been recorded by ‘Allamah Mundhiri (rahimahullah) alone, from seven different Sahabah (radiyallahu’anhum).
Namely:
Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (radiyallahu ‘anhu)
Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (radiyallahu ‘anhu)
Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Salam (radiyallahu ‘anhu)
Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Hanzalah (radiyallahu ‘anhuma)
Sayyiduna Anas (radiyallahu ‘anhu)
Sayyiduna Ibn’Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anhuma)
Sayyiduna Bara ibn ‘Azib (radiyallahu ‘anhu)
He has also cited this from the statement of the Tabi’i; Ka’b Al-Ahbar (rahimahullah)
These Hadiths vary from being authentic to weak, but their collective strength cannot be denied.
(see Targhib, vol.3 pgs.6-8)
Different chains
It is possible, and a frequent occurrence in the field of hadith, that one particular chain for a Hadith may be declared as unauthentic, while there exists other reliable ones for the same Hadith. This could be the case here, but since there is sufficient strength for the Hadith in question, it wouldn’t be wise to declare all the chains as fabricated.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,
Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar