Riba is one of the most widely discussed issues around Islamic finance. It has many dimensions, but we will confine ourselves to specific issues of Riba al Fadl and Riba in loans. To achieve the objective, we must define Riba in contemporary terminology. Let us explain it for loan of an amount of money. We need to know whether Riba is nominal excess (nominal interest) or real excess (real interest) or something else.
In a market following Islamic norms and values, the market forces will determine which Halal goods and services should be produced and offered at what price. Through private sector investment and production, resource markets and product markets will function to enable households to obtain purchasing power by providing rentable factors of production like labour services (Ijarat-ul-Ashkhas) or usufruct of a naturally existing or produced tangible asset (Ijarat-ul-A’yan) in the production process and earn compensation in terms of wage and rent, respectively.
Riba al-Fadl is described as an unlawful excess in the exchange of two counter-values where the excess is measurable through weight or measure. The concept is based on some Ahadith according to which if gold, silver, wheat, barley, dates, and salt are exchanged against themselves, they should be spot and be equal and specified. If these conditions are not found, this transaction will become Riba al-Fadl.
Recently, Federal Shari’ah Court of Pakistan has given its judgement on the Riba case. Islamic Economics Project is making a humble effort to collect the views of Shari’ah scholars, regulators, practitioners, lawyers and academic experts to deliberate on the future course of action and generate ideas and debate on how to make this transformation possible. In this regard, we got the chance to get reaction and response from Mufti Dr. Zubair. We hope that the views expressed and shared with relevant audience and stakeholders will generate practicable ideas and keep the momentum towards achieving the end goal of an economy that is in compliance with Shari’ah and is able to utilize the instruments and institutions in the Islamic economic teachings.
Islamic Economics Project 