Letter to Erin 20160304

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Hi there, o beautiful one!  O gorgeous one!  I'm sitting here today in a hospital ward, keeping my Dad company as he recovers from eye surgery.  It's just after the sunset prayer, and I have to be here all night.  So, thank Allah for portable computers.

I wanted to say something about interest, or rather the consumption of.  The consumption of interest is forbidden by the Qur'an.  But the Prophet (peace be on him) did not define what was interest before he passed away.  He knew that everyone would have their fingers tainted to a certain extent with usury after his time.  This is not to OK interest just because it is a condition of modern times.  The Qur'an encompasses all of time.

Let's just regard interest that is compounded on itself.  The problem with interest on interest is that the world is finite, but the interest is infinite.  That is how the richest got richer, and control the earth, because there will never be enough value in the world to pay for interest that accumulates on itself.  The poor will default on their loans, and human law will punish them.  What about a country with massive debts?  How would you punish a country that defaults on massive debts?  If you were the lender, how would you get your money back?  Enslave the entire country?  Wage war?  Probably a leader who is wealthy would know how to save a debt-ridden country.  Unless of course, he is in business partnership with the lenders.

And of course, some will argue that what's worth doing is worth doing for money, and that the poor are also able to consume interest, and they wouldn't want to give it up either.  Isn't it all too late or too futile?  What is the solution?  Only the individual can provide a solution, by being an individual who forsakes the consumption of interest.  Give the profit made from interest to the poor- don't give to the wealthy! 

Oh dearest, I've written another rambling letter.  I hope you had lots of fun on your birthday, and that you are taking proper care of yourself.  I want you to know that I love you with all my heart, and I need you.