Teaching or learning Riba transactions

1-1-2004 | IslamWeb

Question:

Is it permissible for a Muslim, who is Lecturer/Professor of economics, to teach interest related theories/topics etc. (which are part of the Syllabus) to the students?
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

The economic syllabus that includes Riba (usury and/or interest) involves three matters:

1. Making these matters part of the syllabus for the students .

2. The lecturers who teach this syllabus.

3. The students who study this syllabus.

The ruling differs according to the aim of the study. If the aim of making it a syllabus and studying and teaching it is to show the evil of Riba and warning people of its dangers and mentioning its disadvantages,  then it is good and it is permissible. Allaah Says (what means): {And thus do We detail the verses, and [thus] the way of the criminals will become evident.} [Quran 6:55]

Huthaifah may Allaah be pleased with him also said: "People used to ask the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) about the good and I used to ask him about the evil fearing that it may cause me harm." [Ahmad]

The jurists mentioned the rulings of Riba in their books, so you can hardly find a book that does not speak about it.

However, if the aim behind this is to establish Riba or teach it to those who will practise it, then, in such a case, it is completely forbidden and it is a great evil.

We ask Allaah to protect us from this.

Allaah Knows best.

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