What to do with the Riba (interest) money?

Sources

• ✓ 2:275 · Al-Baqara

  2:275 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  ٱلَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ ٱلَّذِى يَتَخَبَّطُهُ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ مِنَ ٱلْمَسِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا ٱلْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ ۗ وَأَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ ۚ فَمَن جَآءَهُۥ مَوْعِظَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ فَٱنتَهَىٰ فَلَهُۥ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُۥٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ

  Those who swallow usury cannot rise up save as he ariseth whom the devil hath prostrated by (his) touch. That is because they say: Trade is just like usury; whereas Allah permitteth trading and forbiddeth usury. He unto whom an admonition from his Lord cometh, and (he) refraineth (in obedience thereto), he shall keep (the profits of) that which is past, and his affair (henceforth) is with Allah. As for him who returneth (to usury) - Such are rightful owners of the Fire. They will abide therein.

• ✓ Al-Kafi 2:313

  Shia

  Al-Kafi · Book 2, Hadith 313

  A man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and said: O Prophet of God, the debt is overpowering me and whisperings are distressing my chest. The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said to him: Say: I rely on the Ever-Living who never dies, and praise be to God who has not taken a consort or a child, who has no partner in dominion, nor protector from humiliation, and magnify Him greatly. The man was patient as much as God willed, then he came to the Prophet shouting the prayer and said: What have you done? He said: I have become addicted to what you told me, O Messenger of God, and God settled my debt and removed the whispering in my chest. — OR — From al-Hasan ibn Mahbub, from Abdullah ibn Sinan: I asked Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) about a man who vows to fast a fast he set for himself, or fast during the sacred months, but a month or two pass without making up the fast. He said: "He should not fast while traveling nor make up any voluntary fast except the three days he fasts each month, and he should not treat them as obligatory, although I desire you to persist in good deeds." He said: "As for the sacred months, if he fasts during them, it is sufficient to fast three days in place of each sacred month." — OR — A man came to me and said: 'I inherited wealth and I know that the owner I inherited from used to increase it; I am certain some of it is usury, and I do not find it lawful considering my knowledge. I asked jurists of Iraq and Hijaz, and they said it is not permissible to consume it.' He said Abu Ja'far (peace be upon him) said: 'If you know that there is a known amount of usury in it and you recognize its owners, take your capital and return the rest. But if it is mixed, then eat it happily and with contentment, for the wealth is yours. Avoid what the owner used to do, for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) annulled past usury and forbade what remains. Whoever ignorantly benefits from it is excused until he knows; when he knows, it becomes forbidden and punishment is due if he persists, just as for the one who eats usury.' — OR — If a man divorces a woman during his illness and then she inherits from him as long as he is still ill, that is so. If her waiting period ends except if he recovers, I said: If his illness prolongs? He said: Up to one year. — OR — I heard Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) say regarding a miscarriage: if it falls from its mother's womb and moves with distinct motion, it inherits and is inherited from, even though it may have been mute.

• ✓ Al-Kafi 2:317

  Shia

  Al-Kafi · Book 2, Hadith 317

  Whoever is struck by worry, grief, distress, affliction, or calamity should say: God is my Lord and I do not associate anything with Him, I rely on the Ever-Living who never dies. — OR — From Ali ibn Ahmad, from Musa ibn Bakr, from Muhammad ibn Mansur: I asked al-Ridha (peace be upon him) about a man who vowed a fast and was unable to fulfill it. He said: "My father used to say that the expiation for every day is a measure of food." — OR — I asked Abu Abdullah peace be upon him about a man who engaged in usury out of ignorance and then wanted to abandon it. He said: As for what has passed, it belongs to him, so let him leave it for what is ahead. Then he said: A man came to Abu Ja'far peace be upon him and said, "I have inherited wealth, and I know that its owner used to engage in usury. I asked the jurists of Iraq and the jurists of Hejaz and they said it is not lawful to consume it." Abu Ja'far said: If you know of something isolated from it which you can identify and know its owners and that it is usury, take your principal and leave the rest. But if the wealth is mixed, then eat it with a wholesome appetite because the wealth is yours. Avoid what your predecessor did, for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) has annulled past usury. Whoever was ignorant, his consumption was allowed, but once he recognizes it, its consumption becomes forbidden, and if he consumes it after recognition, the same obligation falls upon him as upon the eater of usury. — OR — He was asked about a man who is near death and divorces his wife, whether his divorce of her is valid. He said: Yes, it is valid. If he dies, she inherits him, and if she dies, he does not inherit her. — OR — I heard him (peace be upon him) say: The unborn child does not inherit any of the bloodwit (diya) until he cries out and his voice is heard.

• ✓ Sahih al-Bukhari 34:86

  Sunni SAHIH

  Sahih al-Bukhari · Book 34, Hadith 86 · Narrated by Malik ibn Aws

  Gold for gold is riba except if it is equal and hand to hand; silver for silver is riba except if it is equal and hand to hand; dates for dates are riba except if it is equal and hand to hand; barley for barley is riba except if it is equal and hand to hand.