01-20-2006, 07:23 AM
I've read this thread - and as a Roman Catholic - I find this discussion to be rather academic to be perfectly honest.
The fact of the matter is that Islamic financial institutions while not using the word interest, do charge a levy/surcharge on borrowings.
We can get tied up with semantics about whether this extra charge ought to be called usury/interest/surcharge/levy.
It makes no difference the fact is that the borrower has to pay the excess amount over the capital sum borrowed, regardless of it's description.
Religion and Commerce are separate folks.
As Jesus Christ said "Give unto Caesar what is Caesars, and give unto God, what is God's".
The fact of the matter is that Islamic financial institutions while not using the word interest, do charge a levy/surcharge on borrowings.
We can get tied up with semantics about whether this extra charge ought to be called usury/interest/surcharge/levy.
It makes no difference the fact is that the borrower has to pay the excess amount over the capital sum borrowed, regardless of it's description.
Religion and Commerce are separate folks.
As Jesus Christ said "Give unto Caesar what is Caesars, and give unto God, what is God's".