MMM Transactions Are Against Principles of Islam, By Murtada Gusau

MMM Transactions


In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

May the peace and prayer of Allah be upon His Messenger (SAW)

To proceed:

Basically, MMM is a community where people render or provide help in expectations of getting a more greater reward in help (30 percent per month above your initial help).

Islam teaches us to give alms and donation to seek for rewards in the Hereafter. Whenever we prepare some money to be donated, we already intend to get the rewards in the Hereafter.

ﻣَﺜَﻞُ ﺍﻟَّﺬِﻳﻦَ ﻳُﻨْﻔِﻘُﻮﻥَ ﺃَﻣْﻮَﺍﻟَﻬُﻢْ ﻓِﻲ ﺳَﺒِﻴﻞِ ﺍﻟﻠَّﻪِ ﻛَﻤَﺜَﻞِ ﺣَﺒَّﺔٍ ﺃَﻧْﺒَﺘَﺖْ ﺳَﺒْﻊَ ﺳَﻨَﺎﺑِﻞَ ﻓِﻲ ﻛُﻞِّ ﺳُﻨْﺒُﻠَﺔٍ ﻣِﺎﺋَﺔُ ﺣَﺒَّﺔٍ ﻭَﺍﻟﻠَّﻪُ ﻳُﻀَﺎﻋِﻒُ ﻟِﻤَﻦْ ﻳَﺸَﺎﺀُ ﻭَﺍﻟﻠَّﻪُ ﻭَﺍﺳِﻊٌ ﻋَﻠِﻴﻢٌ . ﺍﻟَّﺬِﻳﻦَ ﻳُﻨْﻔِﻘُﻮﻥَ ﺃَﻣْﻮَﺍﻟَﻬُﻢْ ﻓِﻲ ﺳَﺒِﻴﻞِ ﺍﻟﻠَّﻪِ ﺛُﻢَّ ﻟَﺎ ﻳُﺘْﺒِﻌُﻮﻥَ ﻣَﺎ ﺃَﻧْﻔَﻘُﻮﺍ ﻣَﻨًّﺎ ﻭَﻟَﺎ ﺃَﺫًﻯ ﻟَﻬُﻢْ ﺃَﺟْﺮُﻫُﻢْ ﻋِﻨْﺪَ ﺭَﺑِّﻬِﻢْ ﻭَﻟَﺎ ﺧَﻮْﻑٌ ﻋَﻠَﻴْﻬِﻢْ ﻭَﻟَﺎ ﻫُﻢْ ﻳَﺤْﺰَﻧُﻮﻥَ.

“The example of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah is like that of a grain of corn that sprouts seven ears, and in every ear there are a hundred grains. Thus Allah multiplies the action of whomsoever He wills. Allah is Munificent, All-Knowing.

Those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah and do not follow up their spending by stressing their benevolence and causing hurt, will find their reward secure with their Lord. They have no cause for fear and grief.” (Al Baqarah, :261-262)

The Messenger of Allah – peace and prayer of Allah be upon him – also advised us, so that no matter how small that we give, we give it due to our fear of Allah’s punishment.

ﻓَﻠْﻴَﺘَّﻘِﻴَﻦَّ ﺃَﺣَﺪُﻛُﻢُ ﺍﻟﻨَّﺎﺭَ ﻭَﻟَﻮْ ﺑِﺸِﻖِّ ﺗَﻤْﺮَﺓٍ، ﻓَﺈِﻥْ ﻟَﻢْ ﻳَﺠِﺪْ ﻓَﺒِﻜَﻠِﻤَﺔٍ ﻃَﻴِّﺒَﺔٍ.

“Fear the Hell, (and protect yourself from it) even with a half of date fruit. If you don’t have it, then by saying good words.” (Narrated by Bukhari no. 1413, Muslim no.1016, and others)

Verses and hadith that speak about this matter are numerous.

Islam also teaches us to give something to other without wishing for greater return. Allah reminded us:

ﻭَﻟَﺎ ﺗَﻤْﻨُﻦْ ﺗَﺴْﺘَﻜْﺜِﺮُ.

“And bestow not favour in order to seek from others a greater return.” (Al Mudassir :6)

Imam al-Qurtubi interpreted this verse:

ﻻ ﺗﻌﻂ ﻋﻄﻴﺔ ﺗﻠﺘﻤﺲ ﺑﻬﺎ ﺃﻓﻀﻞ ﻣﻨﻬﺎ.

“Do not give something to seek for a better return.” (Tafsir al Qurtubi, 19/67)

This is how Islam teaches the Muslims, to build the nonprofit spirit in doing the social deeds. Moreover to wish for return from the aid given.

It all shows that the MMM transaction is not in line with some principles of Islam, thus it shouldn’t be preserved.

Allah knows best.

Imam Murtadha Muhammad Gusau writes from Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria.