RIBA, DINI NA SIASA.

Moja katika mambo makubwa ya kiuchumi ambayo baadhi ya waislam hawajaweza kufahamu ni iwapo suala la riba ni suala la dini au sio la kidini? Je ni suala la kisiasa tu ambalo halifungamani na dini yoyote? Hivi kukubali uwepo wa riba katika uendeshaji wa uchumi Tanzania ni suala la kisiasa tu bila mfungamano na dini? Mara kadhaa tumewasikia baadhi ya Waislam pale tunapoinasihi na kuiomba serikali itazame mbadala wa kutoza na kukopa kwa riba na taasisi zake zitazame mbadala wa kukopesha kwa riba, ndugu zetu wanatujibu kuwa serikali haina dini. Wakimaanisha kuwa kutoza riba sio suala la kidini bali la kisiasa na uchumi tu. Kadhalika siasa zote ulimwenguni hufuata dini kwa kiwango tofauti na kwa utambulisho tofauti hata hiyo ambayo yasemwa kuwa serikali ya kisekula, lakini ndani yake kuna mambo kadhaa ambayo yametokana au yanafuata dini fulani. Sasa ukitazama mafunzo ya dini mbili kuu duniani; Uislam na Ukiristo utaona kuwa jambo la kuwepo au kutokuwepo kwa riba katika uendeshaji wa nchi sio suala ka usekula bali kuna kila tashwishi ya msukumo wa mafunzo ya dini. RIBA KATIKA UKRISTO. Katika ukristo riba inakubalika kwa ujumla wake. Kwa undani, kuna namna mbili ya kuitazama riba: 1. Riba katika mkopo wa masikini. Agano la kale lina maandiko kadhaa ambayo wataalamu wa biblia wanakubaliana kuwa riba imekatazwa kwa ndugu yako katika Imani ambaye ni masikini. Katika kitabu cha Kutoka 22:25 “Ukimkopesha mtu aliye maskini, katika watu wangu walio pamoja nawe; usiwe kwake mfano wa mwenye kumdai; wala hutamwandikia riba.” Kemeo juu ya watu wanaowatoza riba masikini linabainishwa katika Mithali 28:8 “Yeye azidishaye mali yake kwa riba na ujambazi, Humkusanyia mtu awahurumiaye maskini.” Ikimaanisha kuwa hamna manufaa yoyote ayapatayo na mwisho wake mali hiyo itarudi kwa masikini. Lakini akikopesha bila riba malipo yake yapo kwa Mungu. Hata hivyo, katika Nehemia 15: 10 inasema "Na mimi pia, na ndugu zangu, na watumishi wangu, twawakopesha fedha na ngano ili kupata faida? Tafadhali na tuliache jambo hili la riba." Kwa mujibu wa biblia, watu watendao haki na kutenda ya halali wanasifa kadhaa na moja wapo "ambaye hakumkopesha mtu ili apate faida, wala hakupokea ziada ya namna yo yote; naye ameuepusha mkono wake na uovu, na kufanya hukumu ya haki kati ya mtu na mwenzake;" Ezakiel: 18: 8. Ukiondoa sehemu chache zinazohusu masikini, vitabu vingine vya biblia havioneshi kuwa kutoza riba kusifanywe kwa masikini bali kwa wanaisraili wote. Kwa mujibu wa agano la kale, wale wote walioshindwa kulipa watapaswa kusamehewa kila mwaka baada ya miaka saba. Kumbukumbu la Torati 15:1-2 “Kila miaka saba, mwisho wake, fanya maachilio.Na jinsi ya maachilio ni hii, kila mkopeshaji na akiache alichomkopesha mwenziwe, wala asimlipize mwenziwe wala nduguye; kwa kuwa imepigwa mbiu ya maachilio ya Bwana.” 2. Riba katika mkopo wa asiyekuwa masikini. Kwa upande wa agano jipya, tunakutana na maandiko ambayo yanadaiwa kuwa yanaashiria kufaa kutoza na kupokea riba japokuwa haioneshi wazi kama ni kwa wenye uwezo tu au hata masikini pia. Kwa mfano; katika kisa cha talanta katika Mathayo 25:27 au Luka 19:11-19 ambacho watetezi wa riba wanapenda kutumia, Yesu anakisimulia kuwa “Akaja na yule aliyepokea talanta moja, akasema, Bwana, nalitambua ya kuwa wewe umtu mgumu, wavuna usipopanda, wakusanya usipotawanya, basi nikaogopa, nikaenda nikaificha talanta yako katika ardhi; tazama, unayo iliyo yako. Bwana wake akajibu, akamwambia, Wewe mtumwa mbaya na mlegevu, ulijua ya kuwa navuna nisipopanda, nakusanya nisipotawanya; basi, ilikupasa kuiweka fedha yangu kwa watoao riba; nami nikija ningalipata iliyo yangu na faida yake.” Kwa kupitia maneno haya, wakiristo wengi wamesimama kuwa unaweza kupokea na kutoza riba kwa kuwa Yesu katika kisa hiki hakukemea riba. Hatahivyo, wasomi wengine wa wabiblia hawaoni kuwa kisa hiki kinatoa uhalali wa riba kwa sababu katika Luka 6: 34-36 unakutana na maneno ya Yesu akiagiza wafuasi wake kuwa wakikopesha wasitake kupata ziada / riba; “Na mkiwakopesha watu huku mkitumaini kupata kitu kwao, mwaonyesha fadhili gani? Hata wenye dhambi huwakopesha wenye dhambi, ili warudishiwe vile vile. Bali wapendeni adui zenu, tendeni mema, na kukopesha msitumaini kupata malipo, na thawabu yenu itakuwa nyingi; nanyi mtakuwa wana wa Aliye juu, kwa kuwa yeye ni mwema kwa wasiomshukuru, na waovu. Basi, iweni na huruma, kama Baba yenu alivyo na huruma.” Pamoja na kuwepo tafsiri na uelewe tofauti, kwa uhalisia ni jambo dhahiri kuwa wakristo wengi wanapokea na kutoza riba katika mikopo kwa kutegemea Mathayo kuliko Luka. Na wengine wanaona kuwa tatizo lililopo ni suala la kiwango gani kinafaa? Lakini sio riba yenyewe. RIBA KATIKA UISLAM. Katika Uislam, katazo la riba lipo wazi zaidi katika Quran na katika Hadithi za Mtume Muhammad saw. Wanazuoni wa Uislam wanakubaliana kuwa Riba yenyewe bila kujali masikini au tajiri ni chukizo mbele ya Mungu na ni dhambi yenye kuangamiza. Katika Quran, amri inatolewa kwa waumini “ Enyi mlioamini, Muogopeni Allah na wacheni chochote katika riba ikiwa ni waumini wa kweli” (Baqara: 278). HITIMISHO. Kwa kumalizia makala haya, pamoja na kuwepo kwa tofauti ya wanazuoni wa biblia kuhusu msimamo wa biblia kuhusu Riba, uhalisia ni kuwa wakristo wengi wanaona kuwa riba inakubalika na sio tatizo katika Imani yao. Uislam na wanazuoni wake wanakubaliana kuwa Riba katika aina zake zote iwe katika mkopo au nyingine haifa, ni dhambi kubwa. Baina ya Imani hizi mbili, siasa ya mataifa mbalimbali ukiondoa nchi kama ya Sudan na Iran ambazo zinafuata uchumi wa Kiislamu na hivyo kuharamisha riba, nchi nyingi zinaruhusu miamala ya riba. Kuna sababu mbalimbali zinazopelekea nchi za waislam wengi kuwa na mfumo wa riba, kubwa katika sababu hizo ni kukosekana uhuru kamili wa sera za kifedha (monetary sovereignity), athari za fikra za kimagharibi na ukoloni, kutofahamika ipasavyo mafunzo ya Uislam, Sheria zinazozuia dola kufuata mafunzo ya dini kama vile Uturuki nakadhalika. Kwa upande wa nchi za magharibi na kikristo, ni dhahiri kuwa msimamo wa ukristo kuruhusu riba ni moja ya sababu za kuwa na mfumo huo katika nchi zao. Sioni kwa sababu gani ndani ya dola ya Vatican na benki ya Vatikan inatoza riba iwapo Kanisa katoliki lingekuwa na mafunzo ya uharamu wa riba. Sioni kwa sababu gani benki za kanisa Tanzania au kwingine na benki kadhaa zinazomilikiwa na wakristo zingetoza riba iwapo msimamo wa kanisa ungekuwa mmoja kuwa riba ni haramu. Sioni kwa sababu gani Kanisa na viongozi wake wangekaa kimya kuona serikali au taasisi zake za uwezeshaji zinakopesha kwa Riba kwa wananchi wakati mafunzo ya Kanisa hayaruhusu wakristo kukopa au kukopesha kwa njia ya Riba? Hivyo, kutoza au kuacha kutoza riba sio suala ambalo halifungamani na dini au utamaduni bali ni sehemu ya dini zetu pamoja na kuwepo tafsiri tofauti za uhalali wa riba katika biblia.Jambo linaloleta matumaini ni kuwa dini zote mbili zinaweza kuungana katika kukataza Riba na kushirikiana katika njia mbadala ili watu wote waishi katika mafunzo ya Mwenyezi Mungu. Hivyo, siasa safi na jumuishi, inapaswa kusimama katika msimamo wa riba / dini ambao unatujumuisha sote kuliko kutugawa. Hivyo, siasa safi na jumuishi, inapaswa kusimama katika sera za Kiuchumi na kifedha ambazo zinatujumuisha sote kuliko kutugawa.

PREPARING FOR RAMADHAN BY AUDITING HOW YOU EARN YOUR EVENING MEAL “FUTARI.”

The Holy month of Ramadhan is very close. Muslims all over the world are welcoming holy month with personal acts of worship plans aiming to re-new, re-affirm and re-energize their faith (imaan). The month provides opportunity for Muslims to reflect and improve his relationship with Allah and keep a short distance on: food, drinks and fulfilling sexual desires during the day. But that is not all of it! MONTH OF RAMADHAN- A MONTH FOR POSITIVE CHANGE. The month of Ramadhan together with its blessings takes us to a full month of spiritual rejuvenation and long-lasting lessons to be applied for the remaining of the year but to others is a month of thirst, hunger and lack of desires. Frankly, the month of Ramadhan comes with outstanding message to all of us which in three words, change your ways! It tells us to change our behaviors and habits, it tells us to change our daily routines, it tells us to change our understanding, it tells us to change our relationships, it tells us to change our attitudes, it tells us to change towards being a better person, free from the shackle and slavery of desires and attachment to vanishing world towards opening our hearts to live as a full time slave of Almighty in all spheres of life. Change is crucial and multidimensional in human life. One dimension of change and very challenging one is on our behaviors. The forces to leave the bad ones and adopt or sustain the good one are war-like moments. Albeit challenging, Ibadah of fasting is straight and clear in which direction our behaviors should head on. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever does not give up false statements (i.e. telling lies), and evil deeds, and speaking bad words to others, Allah is not in need of his (fasting) leaving his food and drink." [Sahih Bukhari, Hadith Sahih]. Jabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “When you fast, then let your hearing, your sight and your tongue fast from lying and sin, stop abusing servants and be tranquil and dignified on the day when you fast. Do not let the day when you do not fast and the day when you fast be the same.” While some of us make plans on what to do, what to eat and improve on our relationship with Salah, Qur'an, Umrah and Hajj, we need to improve another dimension of change which is also challenging is how we earn what we eat (futari). YOUR MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD, SOCIAL FINANCE, BANK AND INSURANCE. Abu Hurayrah (radhiallahu anhu) reports that the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “A time will come upon the people wherein a man will not bother what he intakes; whether from a halal source or haram.” (Bukhari). The fasting of the stomach implies its avoidance of unlawful things. Apart from the abstinence from food, drink and all that invalidates the fast during the days of Ramadan, it also requires avoidance of the prohibited things during and after breaking of the fast – Haram (prohibited) earnings. Thus, he does not eat from the proceeds of bribe, theft, gambling, cheating and interest, for if he does so he will earn the anger of his Lord Most High. Allah says: “O you who attained faith! Do not gorge yourselves on usury, doubling and redoubling it” (3:130). “And devour not one another’s possessions wrongfully, and neither employ legal artifices with a view to devouring sinfully, and knowingly, anything that by right belongs to others” (2:188). “Behold, those who sinfully devour the possessions of orphans but fill their bellies with fire: for [in the life to come] they will have to endure a blazing flame.”(4:10). How can the stomach be considered to have fasted when in evening it stores delicious food (futari) gained from the wealth of orphans, interest, bribery, cheating and force? It was reported that Abu Bakr al Siddiq was eating one day when he questioned his servant about the origin of the food. The servant said from soothsaying, a practice he (the servant) used to engage in prior to Islam. Abu Bakr became angry and vomited all that was in his stomach. On the whole, food stays in the stomach of the one who consumed it. Its traces remain with the flesh and blood and eventually if we don’t repent any part of the body that is nourished by unlawful food will find its destiny in the fire of hell ( May Allah serve us from the fire). A Muslim must audit and be mindful on his ways to earn livelihood, his ways of banking, his ways of investing, his ways of insuring himself or his properties and whole cycle of financial and economic activities. All of these must be in line with the teaching of Islam and stay away from prohibited dealings. What good your fast can do while your account earns interest, your money on saving and current account used by conventional banks to generate interest on loans, you are having interest-based loans or fast while your house or car or business insurance are conventionally insured, you have conventional life insurance, you are consuming Zakat money rather than giving it to those who deserve it? WOE UNTO HE/SHE WHO DOESN’T CHANGE. Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, ascended the pulpit and he said, “Amin, amin, amin.” It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, you ascended the pulpit and said amin, amin, amin.” The Prophet said, “Verily, Gabriel came to me and he said: Whoever reaches the month of Ramadan and he is not forgiven, then he will enter Hellfire and Allah will cast him far away, so say amin. I said amin. Whoever sees his parents in their old age, one or both of them, and he does not honor them and he dies, then he will enter Hellfire and Allah will cast him far away, so say amin. I said amin. Whoever has your name mentioned in his presence and he does not send blessings upon you and he dies, then he will enter Hellfire and Allah will cast him far away, so say amin. I said amin.” [Ibn Khuzaimah, Ibn Hibban, Ahmad and al-Baihaqi: Hadith Sahih]. Therefore, as we prepare to welcome Ramadhan with routine noble actions, we should devise economic plan that makes us closer to Allah. Finally, we should remember Allah words : Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Not equal are Al-Khabith (all that is evil and bad as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, loans with interest, interest income , bribery, orphans wealth, using Zakat money etc.) and At-Taiyib (all that is good as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, halal income etc.), even though the abundance of Al-Khabith (evil) may please you. So fear Allah much [(abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)], O men of understanding in order that you may be successful. (5:100). May Allah keep us to fulfill fasting, make it easy to change positively, free us from hellfire and bestow on us His goodness. Ameen.