130 Preface يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا لا تَأكُلُوا الرِّبا أَضعافًا مُضاعَفَةً ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُم تُفلِحونَYusuf AliO ye who believe! Devour not usury,1 doubled and multiplied; but fear God. that ye may (really) prosper.2Cf. 2:275 and note. The last verse spoke of forgiveness, even to enemies. If such mercy is granted by God to erring sinners, how much more is it incumbent on us, poor sinners to refrain from oppressing our fellow-beings in need, in matters of mere material and ephemeral wealth? Usury is the opposite extreme of charity, unselfishness, striving, and giving of ourselves in the service of God and of our fellow-men.Real prosperity consists, not in greed, but in giving - the giving of ourselves and of our substance in the cause of God and God’s truth and in the service of God’s creatures.