As salamu alaykum wa rahmatuLlahi wa barakatuHu,

Riba [interest, usury] is unlawful. Allah says in the 275th verse of Surah al-Baqarah,

الذين يأكلون الربوا لا يقومون إلا كما يقوم الذي يتخبطه الشيطان من المس

“Those who eat riba will not stand (on Qiyamah) except like that of one beaten by Shaytan leading him to insanity.”

Additionally, in a well-authentic hadith that Imam Muslim related on the authority of Jabir, the Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu alayhie wa sallam) said,

لعن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم آكل الربا ومؤكله وكاتبه وشاهديه

“Allah’s Messenger (SallAllahu alayhie wa sallam) curses the one who consumes riba, gives it, records it, and witnesses it.” (Sahih Muslim v. 11, p. 1964)

This hadith is explicit to that riba is unlawful. Furthermore, the Muslims have reached a consensus [ijma’] that it is unlawful as related by Imam Nawawi in Sharh Sahih Muslim v. 11, p. 1951.

And Allah knows best.

Shafiifiqh.com Fatwa Dept.