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I disagree. The price of money across a period of time, denominated in monetary units, is the most important price in a diverse economy and setting it to zero c

I disagree. The price of money across a period of time, denominated in monetary units, is the most important price in a diverse economy and setting it to zero causes all sorts of distortions. If someone can’t afford to pay interest on a debt then they should not take on the debt. My opinion of “usury” is that it refers to loans where the interest continues to accumulate if the debt is not paid. I think this can be solved by considering the contract to be a thing that terminates at a specified price.

gher-shyu3i 6y ago
In Islam, there is no difference if interest continues to accumulate or not. A $1M loan with a $10 "fee" is still a usurious loan and is prohibited. This is not open for opinions. We're not going to have any meaningful progress if this issue is not tackled. Any talk of "equity" is nonsense until then. > setting it to zero causes all sorts of distortions It doesn't, because under Islamic law, loans are purely an act of charity. That's how the Islamic world has operated for a very long time now, until relatively recently where some people have succumbed to the Western economic practices post WWII. If you want to make money, you invest it, where the investor and invetee both take on risk, not like the basically one-sided interest contract where the lender is all but guaranteed to profit.
- chordalkeyboard 6y ago
  > This is not open for opinions. Thank God and all His angels that I’m not Muslim then. > We're not going to have any meaningful progress if this issue is not tackled. Exactly, however tackling it is going to include educating people on the time value of money. > It doesn't, because under Islamic law, loans are purely an act of charity. Fortunately I don’t abide by Islamic law. > If you want to make money, you invest it, where the investor and invetee both take on risk, not like the basically one-sided interest contract where the lender is all but guaranteed to profit. Lenders are not even close to guaranteed to profit, and a loan is a type of investment.
  - gher-shyu3i 6y ago
    > Exactly, however tackling it is going to include educating people on the time value of money. Which Islam acknowledges. As a matter of fact, the borrower is encouraged to return more than the amount he borrowed as a show of gratitude, but it cannot be in the loan contract nor implied or enforced in any way. > Fortunately I don’t abide by Islamic law. Yet people keep crying at the wealth gap and inflation rates and the government printing money and only a tiny percentage at the top benefits at the misery of everyone else. Islamic law is there to make a stable and just society, not for us to be wolves and destroy one another, which humans have done time and time again and it's never going to change. > Lenders are not even close to guaranteed to profit They are contractually owed a profit. They can go after the borrower in case of default with the full support of the law and take not only the principal, but the interest on top. This would never happen if the loan were an act of charity. The fact that the entire banking industry exists is proof that it's a very lucrative business to be in. > and a loan is a type of investment This isn't a strong argument because hiring a hitman is also an "investment" or "business transaction". Islam places restrictions on investments. For instance, investing in a tobacco company or a casino is prohibited. Lending money with interest is another prohibited investment.
    - chordalkeyboard 6y ago
      > Which Islam acknowledges. As a matter of fact, the borrower is encouraged to return more than the amount he borrowed as a show of gratitude, but it cannot be in the loan contract nor implied or enforced in any way. If people are free to practice Islam then they must also be free to choose not to practice Islam and require interest on loans. > Islamic law is there to make a stable and just society, not for us to be wolves and destroy one another, which humans have done time and time again and it's never going to change. Respectfully, I’m not interested in becoming a Muslim. > They are contractually owed a profit. They are contractually owed a payment. Its not profit until expenses are subtracted. And there is always the risk that the other party does not return the money. > They can go after the borrower in case of default with the full support of the law and take not only the principal, but the interest on top. It seems you may have identified a problems with the law then. > This isn't a strong argument because hiring a hitman is also an "investment" or "business transaction". A hitman is not an investment and as a transaction, it is for the performance of a crime (presumably). So it is already prohibited as it is the commissioning of a prohibited act, there is no need to consider it an investment to regulate it. Surely Islam also prohibits murders if they are done for free.

gher-shyu3i 6y ago

In Islam, there is no difference if interest continues to accumulate or not. A $1M loan with a $10 "fee" is still a usurious loan and is prohibited. This is not open for opinions. We're not going to have any meaningful progress if this issue is not tackled. Any talk of "equity" is nonsense until then. > setting it to zero causes all sorts of distortions It doesn't, because under Islamic law, loans are purely an act of charity. That's how the Islamic world has operated for a very long time now, until relatively recently where some people have succumbed to the Western economic practices post WWII. If you want to make money, you invest it, where the investor and invetee both take on risk, not like the basically one-sided interest contract where the lender is all but guaranteed to profit.

chordalkeyboard 6y ago
> This is not open for opinions. Thank God and all His angels that I’m not Muslim then. > We're not going to have any meaningful progress if this issue is not tackled. Exactly, however tackling it is going to include educating people on the time value of money. > It doesn't, because under Islamic law, loans are purely an act of charity. Fortunately I don’t abide by Islamic law. > If you want to make money, you invest it, where the investor and invetee both take on risk, not like the basically one-sided interest contract where the lender is all but guaranteed to profit. Lenders are not even close to guaranteed to profit, and a loan is a type of investment.
- gher-shyu3i 6y ago
  > Exactly, however tackling it is going to include educating people on the time value of money. Which Islam acknowledges. As a matter of fact, the borrower is encouraged to return more than the amount he borrowed as a show of gratitude, but it cannot be in the loan contract nor implied or enforced in any way. > Fortunately I don’t abide by Islamic law. Yet people keep crying at the wealth gap and inflation rates and the government printing money and only a tiny percentage at the top benefits at the misery of everyone else. Islamic law is there to make a stable and just society, not for us to be wolves and destroy one another, which humans have done time and time again and it's never going to change. > Lenders are not even close to guaranteed to profit They are contractually owed a profit. They can go after the borrower in case of default with the full support of the law and take not only the principal, but the interest on top. This would never happen if the loan were an act of charity. The fact that the entire banking industry exists is proof that it's a very lucrative business to be in. > and a loan is a type of investment This isn't a strong argument because hiring a hitman is also an "investment" or "business transaction". Islam places restrictions on investments. For instance, investing in a tobacco company or a casino is prohibited. Lending money with interest is another prohibited investment.
  - chordalkeyboard 6y ago
    > Which Islam acknowledges. As a matter of fact, the borrower is encouraged to return more than the amount he borrowed as a show of gratitude, but it cannot be in the loan contract nor implied or enforced in any way. If people are free to practice Islam then they must also be free to choose not to practice Islam and require interest on loans. > Islamic law is there to make a stable and just society, not for us to be wolves and destroy one another, which humans have done time and time again and it's never going to change. Respectfully, I’m not interested in becoming a Muslim. > They are contractually owed a profit. They are contractually owed a payment. Its not profit until expenses are subtracted. And there is always the risk that the other party does not return the money. > They can go after the borrower in case of default with the full support of the law and take not only the principal, but the interest on top. It seems you may have identified a problems with the law then. > This isn't a strong argument because hiring a hitman is also an "investment" or "business transaction". A hitman is not an investment and as a transaction, it is for the performance of a crime (presumably). So it is already prohibited as it is the commissioning of a prohibited act, there is no need to consider it an investment to regulate it. Surely Islam also prohibits murders if they are done for free.