Are those who resorted to usurious borrowing to purchase a home, and who are people of righteousness and piety, included in the threat of eternal damnation in Hell mentioned in the verse: "Those who consume interest will not stand [on the Day of Resurrection] except as one stands who is being beaten by Satan into insanity… And whoever returns [to interest] - those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein"?

The exegetes differed in their interpretation of the verse on usury. Some interpreted it to mean that whoever consumes usury, considering it lawful, commits an act of disbelief, as deeming the unlawful lawful is disbelief. Others interpreted "eternity" as an exaggeration of the long duration of stay in Hellfire, rather than perpetual eternity.

Al-Baghawi said: "And whoever returns after the prohibition to consuming usury, considering it lawful." Ibn Juzayy said: "Whoever returns to practicing usury and to saying, 'Indeed, buying and selling is only like usury'... this can only originate from a disbeliever." Al-Qurtubi said: "Meaning, whoever returns to practicing usury until he dies, as Sufyan said. And others said: Whoever returns and says, 'Indeed, buying and selling is only like usury,' has disbelieved." Ibn Atiyyah said: "If we consider the verse to be about a disbeliever, then 'eternity' is a true, perpetual eternity. If we consider it to be about a disobedient Muslim, then this 'eternity' is metaphorical, signifying an exaggeration." Al-Alusi said: "And whoever returns, meaning, goes back to what was previously mentioned concerning the practice of usury, believing in its permissibility, and arguing for it by equating it with buying and selling."