Surah Al-Baqara
Chapter 2 · Verse 280 · Revealed in Madinah
“And if someone is in hardship, then [let there be] postponement until [a time of] ease. But if you give [from your right as] charity, then it is better for you, if you only knew.”
Translation: Saheeh International
Listen to recitation
Mishary Rashid Alafasy
Reflection — Ibn Kathir
The Necessity of Taqwa and Avoiding Riba
Allah commands His believing servants to fear Him and warns them against what would bring them closer to His anger and drive them away from His pleasure. Allah said,
يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ
Reflection — Maarif ul Quran
After that there is the sixth verse (280) which, in comparison to the anti-human claim of ربا riba, has stressed upon pure moral behavior of showing lenience to the poor and the have-nots. It is said that, if your borrower is too poor to pay back your loan, the provision of Shari'ah is that he be given time until he has the means, and should you forgive him your loan, it is much better for you.
The general habit of ربا riba-consumers is that they, once they know that their borrower is poor and cannot pay the loan back at the appointed time, add up the ربا riba amount in the principal unleashing a vicious series of ربا riba over ربا riba, even increasing the rate of riba in that process.
What does this verse bring up for you today?