Peran Maqasid Al-Syariah dalam Mendefinisikan dan Melarang Riba

Abstract

This study explores the role of Maqasid al-Shariah in defining and prohibiting riba (usury) by moving beyond a purely legalistic understanding toward an integrated ethical, psychological, and socio-economic perspective. Through a library-based qualitative analysis of classical and contemporary literature, the research identifies how the prohibition of riba serves to uphold the five universal objectives of Shariah. Protection of religion (hifz al-din), life (hifz al-nafs), intellect (hifz al-‘aql), lineage (hifz al-nasl), and wealth (hifz al-mal). The findings reveal that riba undermines every dimension of human welfare: it erodes spiritual integrity, fosters economic exploitation, distorts rational judgment, perpetuates intergenerational injustice, and concentrates wealth among elites. The study also critiques the prevalence of “pseudo-Islamic” financial instruments that imitate conventional interest-based systems, thereby weakening the ethical essence of Islamic finance. By re-establishing the connection between maqasid principles and financial practice, the research proposes a holistic framework that ensures the prohibition of riba functions as a moral safeguard promoting distributive justice, transparency, and social well-being. Ultimately, this approach reaffirms that the true spirit of Islamic finance lies in realizing the higher objectives of Shariah rather than formalistic compliance alone.