وَأَخْذِهِمُ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ وَقَدْ نُهُوا۟ عَنْهُ وَأَكْلِهِمْ أَمْوَٰلَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ ۚ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا 161
Translations
And [for] their taking of usury while they had been forbidden from it, and their consuming of the people's wealth unjustly. And We have prepared for the disbelievers among them a painful punishment.
Transliteration
Wa-akhdhihimu-r-riba wa-qad nuhū 'anhu wa-aklihim amwāla-n-nāsi bi-l-bātil. Wa-a'tadnā li-l-kāfirīna minhum 'adhāban alīmā.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns the Jewish scholars and rabbis who engaged in usury (riba) and consumed people's wealth unlawfully despite explicit prohibition in their own scriptures. The verse emphasizes that their deliberate violation of divine commands after receiving knowledge of them constitutes disbelief (kufr), and warns of severe punishment in the Hereafter. Classical mufassirun like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note this refers specifically to those among the People of the Book who knowingly transgressed divine prohibitions.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah An-Nisa, revealed in Medina, and specifically addresses the violations of Jewish religious scholars during the Prophet's time in Medina. The broader context discusses the deviations of the People of the Book who distorted their scriptures and engaged in forbidden practices despite possessing divine knowledge.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The curse of Allah is upon those who consume riba, those who give it, the witnesses to it, and the scribe who records it.' (Sunan Ibn Majah 2277). Also, Surah 2:275 extensively forbids riba with similar severity.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that possessing religious knowledge while violating divine commands is not merely a mistake but constitutes disbelief and invites severe consequences. For modern believers, it serves as a reminder that financial dealings must remain halal and that knowledge of prohibition brings greater responsibility, making intentional violations especially grave.
Related Ayahs
فَقَـٰتِلْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُكَلَّفُ إِلَّا نَفْسَكَ ۚ وَحَرِّضِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۖ عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَكُفَّ بَأْسَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ أَشَدُّ بَأْسًا وَأَشَدُّ تَنكِيلًا
So fight, [O Muḥammad], in the cause of Allāh; you are not held responsible except for yourself. And encourage the believers [to join you] that perhaps Allāh will restrain the [military] might of those who disbelieve. And Allāh is greater in might and stronger in [exemplary] punishment.
وَلَا تُجَـٰدِلْ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخْتَانُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ خَوَّانًا أَثِيمًا
And do not argue on behalf of those who deceive themselves. Indeed, Allāh loves not one who is a habitually sinful deceiver.
إِن تَجْتَنِبُوا۟ كَبَآئِرَ مَا تُنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ نُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمْ وَنُدْخِلْكُم مُّدْخَلًا كَرِيمًا
If you avoid the major sins which you are forbidden, We will remove from you your lesser sins and admit you to a noble entrance [into Paradise].
مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ يُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِۦ وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَٱسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ وَرَٰعِنَا لَيًّۢا بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْنًا فِى ٱلدِّينِ ۚ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَٱسْمَعْ وَٱنظُرْنَا لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ وَأَقْوَمَ وَلَـٰكِن لَّعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
Among the Jews are those who distort words from their [proper] places [i.e., usages] and say, "We hear and disobey" and "Hear but be not heard" and "Rāʿinā," twisting their tongues and defaming the religion. And if they had said [instead], "We hear and obey" and "Wait for us [to understand]," it would have been better for them and more suitable. But Allāh has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not, except for a few.