فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا۟ فَأْذَنُوا۟ بِحَرْبٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ ۖ وَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَلَكُمْ رُءُوسُ أَمْوَٰلِكُمْ لَا تَظْلِمُونَ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ 279
Translations
And if you do not, then be informed of a war [against you] from Allāh and His Messenger. But if you repent, you may have your principal - [thus] you do no wrong, nor are you wronged.
Transliteration
Fa-in lam taf'alu fa'dhanu bi-harbin min-allahi wa-rasulih. Wa-in tubtum fa-lakum ru'usu amwalikum la tazlimun wa-la tuzlamun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah concludes the verses on riba (usury/interest) by warning those who persist in taking riba to expect war from Allah and His Messenger, while offering them an opportunity for repentance with the promise that they will receive only their principal capital back without any increase or loss. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that this severe warning underscores the gravity of the riba transaction and its incompatibility with Islamic financial ethics, while the clause about repentance demonstrates Allah's mercy and the possibility of forgiveness for those who turn back from this practice.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the comprehensive Quranic treatment of riba revealed in Madinah (2:275-279), which built upon earlier Makkan warnings about riba. It was revealed during the period of establishing Islamic financial principles in the nascent Muslim community, addressing both spiritual corruption and practical economic injustice inherent in exploitative lending practices.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) cursed the one who takes riba, the one who gives it, the one who witnesses it, and the one who records it (Sunan Ibn Majah, Sunan at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, in his Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet explicitly declared all riba transactions null and void, emphasizing that 'the most wicked riba is to wrong someone's honor' (Sahih Muslim).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that financial exploitation through riba is so spiritually corrupting that it invites divine displeasure, yet it also emphasizes that sincere repentance is always possible; for modern believers, this highlights the importance of ethical financial conduct and the opportunity to rectify past wrongs through genuine remorse and changed behavior.