Hi all, sorry to revive this old thread but I believe I am called to tell something. I'm not a scholar in anything including religeous knowledge as well as in economics.

As a muslim, I totally reject conventional bank when it comes to money lending (LOAN) because it practices direct RIBA and I also have a fishy feeling regarding the so called Islamic banking which I think the purpose is to lure muslims who objects conventional loan due to its practice of usury (RIBA). Islamic terminology such as Murabahah and so are on used on Islamic banking just to blindfold the muslims who reject the conventional banking system but eventually most of these muslims falls into the giant fishing net.

First of all, I have to define the word RIBA. RIBA also called Al-RIBA in Arabic language means excess or increase and we commonly use the word INTEREST. In the Islamic terminology interest means effortless profit or that profit which comes free from compensation or that extra earning obtained that is free of exchange. A loan with RIBA means a loan with the condition that the borrower will return to the lender more than and better than the quantity borrowed.

Due to Islamic banking is a system that has to do with Islam, meaning it is based on religion. To be fair, I will refer to the Bible and the Al-Quran.

First I have to quote some verses from the Bible where interest/riba is prohibited :

Exodus 22:25-27:

“If you lend to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like the money lender; charge him no interest."

Leviticus 25:35-37:

“If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so that he can continue to live among you. Do not take interest of any kind from him, but fear your God, so that your countryman may continue to live among you. You must not lend him money at interest or sell him food at profit.”

Deuteronomy 23:19:

"You shall not charge interest to your brother -- interest on money or food or anything that is lent out at interest."

There are probably about 30 more verses in the Bible regarding the prohibition of interest/RIBA

Now I want to quote some verses in the Al-Quran where interest/riba is prohibited :

Al-Baqarah 275-281

275. Those who eat Ribâ (usury) will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaitân (Satan) leading him to insanity. That is because they say: "Trading is only like Ribâ (usury)," whereas Allâh has permitted trading and forbidden Ribâ (usury). So whosoever receives an admonition from his Lord and stops eating Ribâ (usury) shall not be punished for the past; his case is for Allâh (to judge); but whoever returns [to Ribâ (usury)], such are the dwellers of the Fire - they will abide therein.

276. Allâh will destroy Ribâ (usury) and will give increase for Sadaqât (deeds of charity, alms, etc.) And Allâh likes not the disbelievers, sinners.

277. Truly those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give Zakât, they will have their reward with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

278. O you who believe! Be afraid of Allâh and give up what remains (due to you) from Ribâ (usury) (from now onward), if you are (really) believers.

279. And if you do not do it, then take a notice of war from Allâh and His Messenger but if you repent, you shall have your capital sums. Deal not unjustly (by asking more than your capital sums), and you shall not be dealt with unjustly (by receiving less than your capital sums).

280. And if the debtor is in a hard time (has no money), then grant him time till it is easy for him to repay, but if you remit it by way of charity, that is better for you if you did but know.

281. And be afraid of the Day when you shall be brought back to Allâh. Then every person shall be paid what he earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly.

Al-Imran 3:130

O you who believe! Eat not Ribâ (usury) doubled and multiplied, but fear Allâh that you may be successful.

Ar-Rum 30:39

The usury that is practiced to increase some people's wealth, does not gain anything at God. But if people give to charity, seeking God's pleasure, these are the ones who receive their reward many fold.

As the Bible, the Al-Quran also has many other verses in different chapter where God prohibits interest in all forms and these are backed some more in many hadiths which you have to google yourself.

Back to topic about islamic banking vs conventional banking, the difference between these two types of bank (so called Islamic banking vs conventional banking) is too little. It just a matter of altering the word interest or RIBA into something that sound more Islamic to attract those muslims who reject conventional banking to become their client/meal. Muslims who is not an Arabic (may it be Malay, Chinese, Indian or others including Europeans) are easily deceived by Arabic terms because it is not in their mother tongue and mother language because at the back of their mind, anything Arabic is Islamic or Quranic. In this so called Islamic banking, the interest is STILL there, it is just the term interest is transform into some other word such as Murabahah or "we buy first then we sell them at a higher price" also means interest/RIBA is hidden in between. This system where you have to pay more than the amount borrowed to you, to me it is TOTALLY HARAM and it leads to civilization oppression disregarding what race/religion the clients are and totally godless.

For me the easiest solution for Islamic banking to be a real Islamic bank (not just by name or transformation of terminologies) and become fair to all mankind disregarding race and religion is to go back the the Quran and hadith. There is a solution if the Islamic bankers are real scholars in Islam and Islamic economics.

I have come about a solution which I think might be the solution to ALL the interest/RIBA issues and make a loan system a more healthy, client friendly, win win situation for all and most importantly - RIBA FREE.

I believe for example if Mr. A wants to take a loan to buy a car that is worth RM100k as advertised at car showroom the Islamic bank should make an agreement with the car company to reduce the price of the car to probably RM80k to the bank so the bank will purchase the car and sell through loan to the bank Mr. A at also RM100k (same as the market price) with 0% interest. This is already considered as trading and 0% interest rate on the particular loan. This is halal in Islam as referred to Al-Baqarah 275 as above. Same goes to all other purchases such as properties and so on. Isn't this a good news to all buyers having to loan with 0%??

Despite the bank getting more and more clients to apply for loan as they are delighted with the 0% interest concept, the bank will still make halal profit out of the loan with people flocking to them. The car maker despite having less profit margin for each car but thei gain on quantity and by these quantity, they might make even better profit compared to the previous system.

I believe once again that this will eradicated all the oppressions and lies in our current money lending system which are practiced in our conventional banks and so called Islamic banks.

However, I may be wrong and correct me if I'm wrong. Whatever that is correct comes from Allah and whatever that is wrong come from me. So please think guys. Islam is for mankind, not just for muslims.

This post has been edited by am_eniey: Jan 15 2011, 11:55 PM

If the car company intentionally wants to increase their price due to the implementation of the 0% interest rate offered, the islamic bank has the right not to purchase from them. The bank can tell their client that the car company has increased the price of the car but however it is up to the client. The car company wants to cheat the bank is not the problem of the bank as long as the bank does not cheat their clients.

In your case, I could only see that the car company is cheating. Not the bank nor Mr. A

---

Added on January 16, 2011, 6:21 pmThis is the proof that all so called Islamic bank is not Islamic.

---

Added on January 16, 2011, 6:26 pmI agree with you. Especially with the champagne part. It's just the same. Not Islamic at all. Words and methods are altered to attract/lure more clients. The result is still the same. Borrower must pay more than the the amout borrowed. To make it easy for you, in Islamic term of borrowing is simple. Borrow 1000, pay 1000 disregarding the value. Borrowing however is not encouraged.

This post has been edited by am_eniey: Jan 16 2011, 06:26 PM

Banks fail to lure many muslims to take loan with riba from them, so they CREATED an Islamic bank to get those who reject them previously. So in the end the bank still wins and wins big. In Islam, a loan in simple. If one makes profit from loan, it is haram. But if one trades item and mark up the price reasonably, it is halal. Better if the seller tells the buyer the cost and his profit to the buyer.

The car suppliers and the banks will not lose. Only their profit margin will be reduced. But on the bright side, the car suppliers and banks will have enormous quantity of clients due to the 0% interest basis. For the buyers, we have nothing to lose. But however banks will not do this because their intention is to slit the throats of all buyers instead of getting reasonable profit. From what we are seeing now, buyers and flocking to banks even with some percentages of interest rates. How about the one with zero interest at the market price?.

Remember that the point that you were talking about is for cash transaction and not loan, we are not paying cash to the bank. Suppose you have an unlimited cash reserve, a developer sells the house for RM100k while Islamic Bank sells for RM400k, which do you prefer to buy ?

The point is, they are using the name of Islam to permit interest rate while altering the words to profit sharing and murabahah. In Islam, there is not profit sharing when it comes to loan. Loan is there to help people who is really really in need and expect nothing in return. The payment must also be equivalent towards the amount loaned no matter how many years given for the repayment. Very simple, these banks are making it more and more complicated by these alterations just to attract those who object conventional loan system.