So he – asws said: ‘As for what is past, so it is for him, and let him leave it with regards to what is in the future’.
ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ رَجُلًا أَتَى أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) فَقَالَ إِنِّي قَدْ وَرِثْتُ مَالًا وَ قَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ صَاحِبَهُ كَانَ يَرْبُو وَ قَدْ سَأَلْتُ فُقَهَاءَ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ وَ فُقَهَاءَ أَهْلِ الْحِجَازِ فَذَكَرُوا أَنَّهُ لَا يَحِلُّ أَكْلُهُ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْرِفُ مِنْهُ شَيْئاً مَعْزُولًا تَعْرِفُ أَهْلَهُ وَ تَعْرِفُ أَنَّهُ رِبًا فَخُذْ رَأْسَ مَالِكَ وَ دَعْ مَا سِوَاهُ Then he – asws said: ‘A man came over to Abu Ja’far – asws , so he said, ‘I have inherited some wealth and have come to know that its owner used to consume interest, and I have asked the jurists of the people of Al-Iraq and the jurists of Al-Hijaz, so they mentioned that it is not Permissible to consume it’.
So Abu Ja’far – asws said: ‘If you recognise anything from it in particular and for it you recognise its owners and recognise that it is interest, so take the capital of your wealth and leave what is besides it.
However, if the wealth was mixed up, so eat it with enjoyment and wholesomely, for the wealth is your wealth, and keep away from what your companion used to do, for Rasool-Allah – saww had placed (dropped) what was done from the interest.
Therefore, the one who is ignorant of it, would be in a leeway of consuming it, so whenever he comes to recognise that its consumption is Prohibited unto him , and if he were to consume it after the recognition, it would Obligate upon him whatever is Obligated upon the consumer of the interest’.