Assalamu alaikum. When Nader sallallahu alaihi wa sallam defined the term Riba, he mentioned five commodities like barley, dates, gold and silver. Didn’t you ask this question two years ago? I don’t think so. I think you did. No, I didn’t. All right. If I’m right, I’ll remember. Please proceed further. And he mentioned these commodities and he said that as far as barter trade is concerned, in these commodities, we should stick to and fulfil two conditions. And he said in Arabic, the masalan, the masarin, the yatan, the yadin. Right.
Otherwise, I understand this. Yes, I know. No, I would like to ask, the question is that according to the face value of the studies, there are certain practices in Pakistan or anywhere, which according to the normal economic moral standard, they are perfectly conceivable. Yes, I know. Well, yes, you’re right. I think this question was not asked. I understand. Another question pertaining based on about this, about the definition of Riba was asked, and this will end up in the same, in fact, Hazrat Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam has prohibited this as Riba, declaring it to be Riba, which means uri-uri.
The type of uri-uri which is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, which is forbidden for Muslims to indulge in, is a word of very wide application. And every act which contains the spirit of uri-uri is also forbidden. And the spirit of uri-uri, which has been described in the Holy Qur’an is exploitation of the poor. So, it is not just a fixed way of exploitation, when you deposit some money with somebody, with some bank, and take interest on a certain rate, on a certain percentage. Or you give money to a poor person and charge him. It is not just that. Exploitation in any way of a person who is of necessity, bound to accept your unequal terms.
So, some uri-uri was also practised in Arabia in those days in this form. And the same is practised in slightly different form in our countries even today. In Sindh, for instance, at the time of the cotton crop or the wheat crop, this uri-uri is practised. It’s given a different name. So, when the farmer is in need of money, then the rich people exploit the farmer. Or when a farmer has a poor crop, a poor quality crop, and some rich people have very high quality crop, then they are also exploited. And this is the form which has been mentioned in the tradition that you have just referred to.
For instance, date, for instance, is a staple diet of Arabia, it used to be, I mean. And at that time, some farmers had poor quality dates, and some rich people had every type of date, reaching the very excellent quality. And those poor farmers who wanted to eat the excellent quality dates for occasions, when they approached such farmers, they said, all right, we’ll give you high quality dates, but for one kilo of high quality dates, we’ll get five kilos of your date, and so on and so forth. Or when they were in need, they would say, we’ll give you today this much date, this much quantity of dates, and we’ll take later on that much quantity of date.
So, both these were forms of exploitation. So, by reminding us that this is the Yuheeri which is forbidden in the Holy Qur’an, not just a form, but wherever the spirit of exploitation will be found, that will be forbidden under Islam. So, to make it clear to us, demonstrated it by this. That is to say, if somebody is richer and has a better quality, he should also show kindness. You’d exchange it at the same, with the same weight, and immediately. So that if a high quality is flown as a favor to some poor person, it’s a good act. So, that is promoted. I mean, not only exploitation is forbidden, but a better quality is shown into Muslims’ culture and habits.
