How do we respond to the problem that the absolute verse prohibiting usury, "Allah has permitted trade and forbidden usury," has been restricted by His saying, the Almighty: "O you who have believed, do not consume usury, doubled and multiplied"? And why is the absolute not here restricted by the qualified, given their agreement in ruling and cause, as is the case in His saying: "Forbidden to you are carrion and blood" with His saying: "or spilled blood"?

The mention of usury's doubling in the verse is not to restrict its prohibition to that specific condition, but rather to describe the reality of how debt multiplied due to delayed payment. Borrowers would increase the amount of money in exchange for extending the repayment period. This is not a specification of the ruling, but rather a confirmation of the reproach directed at them for their habitual consumption of usury. The argument of mafhūm al-mukhālafah (inference by contradiction) is not valid here, because the mention of the doubling was to illustrate their common practice and the reality of their situation, not to restrict the prohibition.