The Last Revelation
In the last Revelation Allah (SWT),
the Wise, chose to return to a subject which had already been dealt with in earlier
Revelations — in the Qur'an as well as in the Torah, the Psalms, and the Gospel
— namely the subject of the prohibition of riba.
On the authority of ahadith received
from both Ibn Abbas (RAA) and from Umar (RAA), we know that the last Revelation
received by the blessed Prophet (SAW), shortly before his death, was the passage
in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:278-281) which dealt with riba:
Umar Ibn Khattab (RAA) said:
"The last verse to be revealed
was on riba, but Allah's Messenger (SAW) was taken without having expounded it to
us; so give up not only riba but also reebah (whatever raise doubts in the mind
about its rightfulness).
(Ibn Majah, Darimi)
"O you who believe, fear Allah
and give up what remains (due to you) from riba (from now onwards) if you are indeed
believers ... (up to) And none shall be dealt with unjustly.
(Al-Baqarah 2:278-281)
Ibn Abbas (RAA) said:
"This was the last verse revealed
to the Prophet (SAW)."
(Bukhari)
That last Revelation confirmed the Prophet's
retroactive enforcement of the legislation prohibiting riba in the khutba al-wida
from Arafat. The last Revelation is to be found in this passage from the Qur'an.
We quote the entire passage with explanatory comments:
Those who spend their wealth by day
and by night, secretly and openly, for such there will be reward with their Lord,
nor will they have cause for fear, nor will they grieve. Those (on the other hand)
who consume riba will not stand (before Allah on the Last Day) except as though
Satan has driven them to madness with his touch (this can also mean that riba will
so corrupt the market and the economy that it will assume the appearance of a market
of mad dogs); that is because they say, "buying and selling is similar to taking
riba." But Allah has permitted trading and forbidden riba. And so, anyone who
receives (this) warning from his Lord and thereupon desists (from riba) may keep
his past gains (i.e., the riba he previously accepted), and his affair rests with
Allah (i.e., it will be for Allah to judge him. He will not be forced by the Islamic
State to return the riba he had taken). But as for those who return to it
(i.e., persist in riba by way of lending money on interest, for example), they
are destined for the fire, therein to abide forever!
(And with this) Allah eradicates
riba, whereas He blesses charitable deeds with manifold increase (because the
essence of riba is to "take" and to "give" nothing in
return, while the essence of charity is to "give" and "take"
nothing in return). And Allah does not love anyone who is stubbornly ingrate
and who persists in sin (with particular reference to the sin of consuming
riba). Verily, those who have attained to faith and do good works, and are
constant in prayer, and dispense charity, they shall have their reward from
their Lord, and no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve.
O you who have attained to faith,
remain conscious of Allah and give up all the riba which is outstanding (i.e.,
which you still claim to be due to you) if you are truly believers. If you do
not do so (i.e., if you do not give up outstanding riba) then take notice of
war from Allah and His Messenger (i.e., take notice of an ultimatum of war for
the liberation of all those who are oppressed because of riba). If you turn
away (i.e., if you give up riba) then you shall have (i.e., you will be
entitled to reclaim) only your principal sums (which you had lent on the basis
of riba, i.e., you may have only the principal, not the principal plus a
reasonable amount of interest, not even a service charge). Deal not unjustly
and you shall not be dealt with unjustly.
(This might more properly be
translated as follows: In accepting the return of only the capital sum lent you
shall not be inflicting injustice on anyone, and in giving up the interest
which was due to you, you will not, yourself, be subjected to any form of
injustice). And if the debtor is in difficulty, grant him time until it is easy
for him to repay. But if you remit it (i.e., if you write off the debt) by way
of charity, that will be best for you, if you only knew. And fear the Day in
which you (i.e., all of mankind including you who consume riba) will be brought
back to Allah, then every human being will receive what it earned, and none
shall be wronged."
(Al-Baqarah 2:274-281)
The question is, why should
Almighty Allah (SWT), after sending Revelation announcing the perfection of
Deen and the completion of His favor to the believers, choose to send one more
Revelation shortly before the death of the Prophet (SAW)? Why should He chose a
time which appears to have been the last possible time, to send that Revelation
(since Umar (RAA) said that the Prophet (SAW) died without being able to offer
any explanations regarding the last Revelation), so close, it would appear, was
the time when the Revelation was sent, to the time of the death of the Prophet
(SAW)? And, finally, the question is: Why should Allah choose, when He did, to
return to the subject of the prohibition of riba which had previously been
addressed in the Qur'an? There must surely be a very important reason. Allah
knows best!
It appears to us that such a last
Revelation, coming after the pronouncement of the perfection of the revealed
Deen and the completion of the Divine favor, can only be used to reiterate
something which lay at the very heart of the Divine guidance. Alternatively, it
can be used to direct attention to that part of the Divine guidance in which
the faith of the believers would be most vulnerable to a future attack by enemies
of Islam.
The choice of the subject of riba
as the last Revelation, the fact that Allah returned to the subject of riba after
announcing the perfection of revealed Deen, and the fact that He sent the last
Revelation shortly before the death of the Prophet (SAW), all of this appears
to constitute the most dire of all warnings that riba will pose the gravest of
all threats to the faith, freedom, and power of the believers. This, then, is the
importance of the subject, that herein lies the potential for the most
dangerous, destructive, and devastating attack on the faith of the believers
and the integrity and power of the Ummah of the Prophet (SAW).
To Be Continued....
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