In the name of Allah, the compassionate the merciful
Note: Nobody is condemning conventional finance or trying to replace it with Islamic Finance, but expressing hard-core facts about the Bible and Christianity as an Abrahamic faith.
In today’s world, where financial systems are built on interest (riba), debt crises crush families, and economic inequality grows, many Christians may not realize that the Bible explicitly condemns the charging of interest—while Islamic finance aligns far more closely with biblical teachings than modern conventional banking.
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What Does the Bible Say About Usury (Interest)?
The Bible contains multiple strong prohibitions against usury—the charging of excessive interest, particularly from the poor and vulnerable. Here are just a few key verses:
1. Exodus 22:25
“If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him.”
2. Leviticus 25:36-37 (NIV)
“Do not take interest or any profit from them, but fear your God, so that they may continue to live among you. You must not lend them money at interest or sell them food at a profit.”
3. Psalm 15:5
“He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.”
4. Ezekiel 18:13
“Lends at interest, and takes profit; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself.”
5. Luke 6:35 (Jesus’ Teaching)
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great.”
These verses make it clear: God does not approve of exploiting the needy through interest-based loans. Yet today, conventional banking thrives on it—leading to cycles of debt, financial instability, and inequality.
Islamic Finance: A System Aligned with Biblical Values. Islamic finance operates on principles that would sound very familiar to early Christians:
No Interest (Riba): Just like the Bible, Islam strictly prohibits usury. Loans must be interest-free or based on profit-sharing.
Asset-Backed Financing: Money must be tied to real economic activity—no gambling on debts or speculative risks.
Risk-Sharing: Lenders and borrowers share profits and losses, creating fairness.
Ethical Investments: No funding of harmful industries (alcohol, gambling, etc.), similar to Christian ethical investing.
Why Should Christians Support Islamic Finance?
1. It’s More Biblically Sound – Modern banking ignores Scripture’s warnings on usury, while Islamic finance follows the same principles that God commanded.
2. It Protects the Poor – Conventional banks trap people in debt; Islamic finance promotes fairness and shared risk.
3. It Encourages Real Economic Growth– Instead of predatory lending, Islamic finance invests in tangible businesses and projects.
In a nutshell, let’s embrace Godly finance to thrive side by side with conventional finance. If Christians truly examined their financial systems, they would see that Islamic finance is closer to biblical teachings than the interest-based banking we have today. The early Church rejected usury. And Allah knows best!
YAHAYA ILIASU MUSTAPHA.
The writer is the Ghana representative of the Alhuda Centre of Islamic Banking and Economics, Dubai, and an Islamic Banking and Finance patron and advocate in Ghana. He is also the founder of ‘Islamic Finance TV Gh’ on Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. He holds a BSc. In Islamic banking, economics, and finance from the International Open University a BA. In Political Science from the University of Ghana, and a Diploma in Education from the University of Winneba. We would want to collaborate and partner with any persons or organizations who are willing to explore this field in Ghana and beyond.
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