1.What is the Ruling on Riba In Darul-Harb? Is it permissible to get involved in interest based loan according to the aimma arba’ (Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Shaf’ai, Imam Malik, Imam Ahmed Bin Hambal Rahimuhumullah)?
2.What is the opinion according to Ijma (consensus of the Muslim ummah) on getting involved in interest in Darul-Harb?
Please provide a detailed answer with references.
Jazakallah
الجواب وباللہ التوفیق
According to jamhoor al-ulamah (i.e. a resounding majority), getting involved in interest based transactions in Darul-Harb is considered haram. However, according to the rulings of Imam Abu Haneefa Rehmatullah ‘Aleh and Imam Mohammed Rehmatullah ‘Aleh there is a possibility of its permissibility provided the binding conditions are fulfilled. Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanvi Sahib Rehmatullah ‘Aleh has written while mentioning about these binding conditions:
- The place in question shall be an actual Darul-Harb
- The interest based transaction is performed with a Harbi (combatant)
- The interest based transaction is not performed with an original Muslim and not with a Dhimmi (a non-Muslim living in a Muslim state paying jizyah). An original Muslim is the one who either reverted to Islam before arriving in Darul-Harb by himself, or is a Muslim through lineage
- The Muslim involved in this transaction shall be one who has taken a visa to arrive to Darul-Harb from Darul-Islam or a Muslim who accepted Islam while he was already in Darul-Harb, not an original Muslim who is an original resident of Darul-Harb
In addition, there are other conditions regarding considering a country as Darul-Harb, as per Imam Abu Yousuf Rehmatullah ‘Aleh there is just one condition whereas according to Imam Abu Haneefa Rehmatullah ‘Aleh, there are three such conditions.
- In that country, the commandments of kufr and shirk are practiced upon openly, and the rules of Islamic Shari‘ah are not followed at all
- All the countries in its surrounding are also Darul-Harb
- A country where Muslims or Dhimmih’s were residing previously but cannot continue to live there in peace anymore
The above are the conditions for considering a place as Darul-Harb and for interest to become permissible in such a place. Ulamah kiram have written that if all of these conditions are taken into account, then in today’s world not even a single country can be considered as part of the definition of Darul-Harb, let alone making interest permissible in any place. In addition, the gravity of the sin of getting involved in interest is so extreme, that it has been considered as waging war against Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta‘ala according to Quran. (al-Baqarah, 279)
The least involvement in an interest based transaction has been considered the equivalent of committing adultery with one’s mother.
عن أبي هريرة قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم 🙁 الربا سبعون حوبا . أيسرها أن ينكح الرجل أمه (سنن ابن ماجۃ:۲۲۷۴،کتاب التجارات،باب التغلیط فی الربا)
In some of the narrations, taking a dirham worth of interest has been considered equivalent of committing adultery 36 times with one’s mother.
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ حَنْظَلَةَ غَسِيلِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ دِرْهَمٌ رِبًا يَأْكُلُهُ الرَّجُلُ وَهُوَ يَعْلَمُ أَشَدُّ مِنْ سِتَّةٍ وَثَلَاثِينَ زَنْيَةً
(مسند احمد:۲۱۹۵۷،سنن دار قطنی:۲۸۸۰)
In addition, becoming an accessory to or getting involved in an interest based transaction in any capacity of cooperation has been considered haram as well. Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanvi Sahib Rehmatullah ‘Aleh has mentioned that looking at it from the perspective of reasoning, it is clear that Imam Yousuf Rehmatullah ‘Aleh’s reasoning is strong, of which one reason is this ayah of Quran:
: یٰآاَیُّھا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا اتَّقُو االلّٰہَ وَذَرُوْا مَا بَقِیْ مِن الرِّ بوَا اِنْ کُنْتُم مُؤمِنِیْنَ۔
Which means that O who believe, if you are a mo‘min then fear Allah and renounce interest. It is obvious when this ayah was revealed, everyone involved in giving or taking interest was present in Darul-Harb. If after its hurmat (i.e. rendering it impermissible), it was still permissible to become involved in it with a Harbi, then before its hurmat it should have been permissible to get involved with a Harbi in a superlative fashion. And if getting involved in interest was permissible in Darul-Harb then why a commandment would be revealed to consider it impressible. Therefore, ulamah kiram have provided explanations regarding the statement from Imam Abu Haneefa Rehmatullah ‘Aleh, which encompass transactions not involving interest. In addition, one should remember this statement from Hazrat Umar RaziAllah Ta‘ala ‘Anhu, that leave interest and leave anything in which there is a doubt of interest.
عن عمر بن الخطاب ؓ ۔۔۔۔دعو الربا والریبۃ۔(سنن ابن ماجۃ:ابواب التجارات،باب التغلیظ فی الربا)
In addition, he stated that from the fear of interest, we used to abandon 9 out of 10 portions of our halal wealth.
ترکنا تسعۃاعشارالحلالخشیۃالربا(مصنف عبد الرزاق:۱۴۶۸۳ وکنز العمال:۱۰۰۸۷)
Considering the above details and the conditions mentioned, it is an extremely important and sensitive issue to consider any country in today’s world as Darul-Harb and considering interest as permissible in such a country thereof. There is a need of extreme caution in this matter, therefore, in the current situation and circumstances, the ulamah kiram have considered the view of Imam Abu Yousuf Rehmatullah ‘Aleh and Jamhoor-e-Aimma as prevailing, both from a Shar‘ai and logical standpoint. Below mentioned are the Arabic references of the above mentioned details.
اعلم أن دار الحرب تصیر دار الإسلام بشرط واحد وھو إظھار حکم الإسلام فیھا۔ قال محمد رحمہ اللہ تعالیٰ في الزیادات إنما تصیر دار الإسلام دار الحرب عند أبي حنیفۃرحمہ اللہ تعالیٰ بشروط ثلٰثۃ: أحدھا: إجراء أحکام الکفار علیٰ سبیل الاشتھار وأن لایحکم فیھا بحکم الإسلام، والثاني أن تکون متصلۃ بدار الحرب لایتخلل بینھما بلد من بلاد الإسلام۔ والثالث: أن لایبقیٰ فیھا مؤمن ولا ذمي اٰمنا بأمانہ الأول الذي کان ثابتا قبل استیلاء الکفار للمسلم بإسلامہ۔ (عالمگیری ج:۲ ص:۲۳۲ وشامی ج:۳، ص:۲۵۳)۔
قال: ولا بين المسلم والحربي في دار الحرب، خلافا لأبي يوسف والشافعي.(الھدایۃ)ـــــــــــ قال العیني: م:(قال) ش: أي القدوري – رحمه اللہ – م: (ولا بين المسلم والحربي في دار الحرب) ش: أي ولا ربا أيضا بين المسلم الذي دخل دار الحرب بأمان وباع درهما بدرهمين، وكذا إذا باع خمرا أو خنزيرا أو ميتة أو قامرهم وأخذ المال كل ذلك يحل له إذا كان في دار الحرب عند أبي حنيفة ومحمد م: (خلافا لأبي يوسف والشافعي) ش: ومالك وأحمد.(البناية شرح الهداي:۸؍۲۹۹،کتاب البیوع(
قال إبراہیم النخعي وأبو حنیفۃ رحمہم اللّٰہ تعالیٰ: إنہ لا ربا بین أہل الحرب وأہل الإسلام في دار الحرب۔ وقال أبو یوسف والشافعي وأحمد ومالک رحمہم اللّٰہ بخلافہ۔ (إعلاء السنن / باب الربا في دار الحرب ۱۴؍۳۳۳)
دار الحرب علی قول أبي حنیفۃ لا تصیر إلا بثلاثۃ أشیاء: أحدہا أن تکون متصلۃ بدار الحرب لیس بینہا وبین دار الحرب موضع في ید أہل الإسلام، والثاني أن یجري فیہا أہل الحرب أحکامہم، والثالث أن لا یبقی فیہ مسلم أو ذمي آمن بالأمان الأول۔ (فتاویٰ خانیۃ علی ہامش الہندیۃ،باب الردۃ وأحکام أہلہا، ۳؍۵۸۴)
ودارالإسلام لا تصیر دارالحرب إلا بإجراء أحکام الشرک فیہا، وأن تکون متصلۃ بدار الحرب لایکون بینہما وبین دارالحرب مصر آخر للمسلمین، ولا یبقی فیہا مسلم أو ذمي آمنا بالأمان الأول، فما لم توجد ہٰذہ الشرائط لا تصیر دار الحرب۔ (خزانۃ المفتیین بحوالہ فتاویٰ محمودیہ ۱۶؍۳۵۵)
وذکر الحلواني إنما تصیر دار الحرب بإجراء أحکام الکفر، وأن لا یحکم فیہا بحکم من أحکام الإسلام، وأن یتصل بدار الحرب وأن لا یبقی فیہا مسلم ولا ذمي آمنًا بالأمان الأول، … فإذا وجدت الشرائط کلہا صارت دارالحرب، وعند تعارض الدلائل والشرائط یبقی ما کان علی ما کان أو یترجح جانب الإسلام احتیاطا۔ وظاہر أنہ إذا جرت أحکام المسلمین وأحکام أہل الشرک لا تکون دار الحرب۔ (فتاویٰ البزازیۃ علی ہامش الہندیۃ، فصل في الحظر والإباحۃ ۶؍۳۱۲)
فقط واللہ اعلم بالصواب