Mandalorian
amisatoshi@primal.net
npub18z53...50l4
Digital Sovereignty Architect. Background in Computer Science, > 27 years in enterprise IT. Into science fiction/fantasy, art & design, history and economics. Co-Founder @BLOCKCHAINOLOGY. Author of THE CRESCENT AND THE CRYPT, BITCOIN IS HALAL & THE ROBOTS ARE ALIVE! 👉 Get the books from www.ashikusmanbooks.com. New All-in-One Bitcoin/Lightning/Nostr Wallet project: www.ijmawallet.com. For book translations, ✉️ bitcoinishalal@proton.me.
Fiat No-Coiner journey to anti-Riba Bitcoin Maxi


Part 2: Personal Finance Strategies
Section 1: Getting Out of Debt on the Bitcoin Standard: A Roadmap to Financial Freedom
Debt in a fiat system is a trap. It’s a cycle of compound interest (riba) designed to keep you running in place. But what if there was a different path? A path to financial sovereignty rooted in sound money and ethical principles. This is how you can begin to get out of debt on the Bitcoin Standard.
1. Understand the Trap of Fiat Debt (Riba)
The modern financial system is built on debt. From credit cards to mortgages, we are encouraged to borrow. This debt is subject to compound interest, a relentless force that can feel impossible to escape. From an ethical and Islamic perspective, this is riba — an exploitative system that benefits the lender at the expense of the borrower. It’s a system that actively works against your savings and your future.
2. Bitcoin: Your Savings Tool to Break the Cycle
In a world of ever-depreciating fiat currencies, saving is a losing game. Your hard-earned money loses value over time due to inflation. This is where Bitcoin offers a fundamental shift.
- A Store of Value: Bitcoin is a decentralised, deflationary asset. It cannot be printed at will by governments. By saving in Bitcoin, you are preserving your purchasing power over the long term. This allows you to build a solid financial foundation from which to tackle your debts.
- A Disciplined Approach: The volatility of Bitcoin can be an advantage for a disciplined saver. Instead of spending impulsively, you are encouraged to think long-term. “Stacking sats” (buying small amounts of Bitcoin regularly) becomes a powerful habit that builds wealth, rather than accumulating interest-based debt.
3. Practical Steps to a Riba-Free Life
Escaping debt isn’t just about what you save; it’s about a fundamental change in your financial strategy.
- Budgeting with a Purpose: Create a clear budget to understand where your money is going. Prioritise paying down high-interest debts while consistently converting a portion of your income into Bitcoin. This isn’t just about numbers; it’s an act of taking control of your financial destiny.
- Community-Based Support: Look to your community for strength. This could involve peer-to-peer support groups where individuals share strategies and hold each other accountable. Explore community-based lending models that are based on mutual support, not exploitation.
- Think Differently About “Credit”: Instead of relying on interest-based loans for large purchases, plan ahead. Use your Bitcoin savings as a future down payment. This requires patience and a low-time-preference mindset — the very opposite of the instant gratification culture that fiat debt promotes.
Call to Action & Reflection:
Take a look at your own financial situation. Where is the silent drain of interest present? What is one small step you can take today to shift from a mindset of debt to one of savings and sovereignty?
Disclaimer: The content of this article is not intended as financial, investment, or religious advice. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with qualified professionals for specific guidance.
#GetOutOfDebt #RibaFree #Bitcoin


"This has intrinsic value"
"This secure global transactions without middlemen"
Intrinsic value <> physical shine. It's about utility and trust.


Part 1: The Foundations of the Bitcoin Standard
Section 0: Why the Bitcoin Standard? A Foundation for Ethical Finance
Before we can build a house, we must understand the foundation. Before we adopt new financial tools, we must understand the principles they are built on. So, what is the Bitcoin Standard, and why is it a powerful choice for those seeking a more ethical and sovereign life?
🔹 Why Bitcoin? The Moral and Practical Case
At its heart, Bitcoin is a choice. It’s an alternative to a financial system that many feel has failed them.
• Ethical Finance & Anti-Riba: Our current system is built on debt (riba). It encourages borrowing and penalises saving through inflation. Bitcoin is the opposite. It is a savings technology. Its fixed supply encourages prudence and long-term thinking (low time preference), providing a direct alternative to interest-based financial products.
• Censorship Resistance: In the traditional system, your money is held by a third party. A bank or government can freeze your account or block a transaction. Bitcoin is permissionless. When you hold your own private keys, no one can stop you from using your own money. This is a fundamental property right.
• Long-Term Sovereignty: True sovereignty is about having control over your own life. Financial sovereignty is a cornerstone of that. Bitcoin offers a path to owning a piece of a global, neutral, and incorruptible financial network that serves you, not the other way around.
🔹 What is the Bitcoin Standard? A Shift in Perspective
The "Bitcoin Standard" isn't a government policy; it's a personal and voluntary choice to use Bitcoin as your primary store of value. It represents a fundamental shift.
• From Inflationary Fiat: We currently live on a Fiat Standard. "Fiat" means "by decree"—our money has value because a government says it does. Governments can (and do) print more of it, constantly devaluing your savings. It's like trying to save in a melting ice cube.
• To Deflationary, Sound Money: The Bitcoin Standard is a return to sound money. There will only ever be 21 million bitcoin. This fixed supply means it cannot be debased. Holding Bitcoin is like owning a known percentage of the entire network. It's a system based on verifiable mathematics, not the whims of politicians.
🔹 Who is it For? You.
This shift is not just for tech experts or large investors. It is a grassroots movement for everyone seeking a better way.
• For Everyday People & Families: It’s for the family trying to save for a down payment while house prices run away from them. It's for parents planning for their children's education without wanting to rely on riba-based loans.
• For Entrepreneurs & Small Businesses: It’s for the small business owner in a developing nation watching their local currency collapse, seeking a stable way to preserve their capital and transact globally.
• For Those Seeking Halal and Just Alternatives: Crucially, it is for every person of faith who is uncomfortable with the riba-based system and is searching for financial tools that align with principles of justice, transparency, and fairness.
The Bitcoin Standard is a foundation. On it, we can build strategies for a life of greater freedom and integrity. In the next part, we will explore exactly how to start: with a plan to get out of debt for good.
#BitcoinStandard #RibaFreeLiving #BitcoinFixesThis


“Living Ethically and Strategically on the Bitcoin Standard”
Do you ever feel like you’re running faster just to stay in the same place? That your savings are silently losing value, and that the path to financial security is built on a foundation of debt you’d rather avoid?
You are not alone. This is the reality of the fiat financial system—a system of ever-expanding money supply (inflation), interest-based debt (riba), and centralised control. It’s a system that often feels at odds with our values of prudence, fairness, and long-term thinking.
But what if there was a different path? What if we could build our financial lives on a foundation of sound money—money that is transparent, resistant to censorship, and designed to hold its value across generations?
This is the promise of the Bitcoin Standard.
Welcome to “Living Ethically and Strategically on the Bitcoin Standard,” a new series designed not just to educate, but to offer a practical roadmap for financial sovereignty. This is a guide for individuals, families, and small businesses who are seeking to align their financial reality with their ethical and spiritual values.
Over the coming days, we will explore a cohesive framework for:
• Personal Finance: Strategies for getting out of riba-based debt, saving for education and property, and building a truly sovereign emergency fund.
• Family & Legacy: Planning for retirement, creating a digital inheritance for your children, and saving for major life goals like Hajj in a way that preserves both your wealth and your principles.
• Business Strategy: Using Bitcoin as a treasury asset to protect against inflation and accepting payments on a global, open network that you control.
This is more than an education; it's an invitation to shift your perspective from short-term consumption to long-term prosperity. It’s a guide to building a more resilient, just, and sovereign future for yourself and your loved ones.
Join us on this journey. Let’s start building.
#BitcoinStandard #RibaFreeLiving #BitcoinFixesThis


"We now have permissionless, unconfiscatable money."
"No thanks. I've heard that #Bitcoin is completely controlled by mega-corporations and states!"


When you're stuck in the #Fiat machine...
Escape with #Bitcoin.


CRYPTO BROS LAUNCHING 'ISLAMIC DEFI' PROJECTS.
WHEN BITCOIN IS THE ONLY ANTI-RIBA HALAL MONEY.
WE ARE NOT THE SAME.


"We now have riba-free halal money."
"No thanks... My Shaykh says Bitcoin is haram"


September in #Bali #Bitcoin Island! 🏝️
🎤 Bitcoin #Indonesia Conference & Bitcoin Week Bali
🧡 Bitcoin meetups across the island
📲 Hands-on beginner workshop to get you started
🇮🇩 Meetup in #Bahasa
💸 Bitcoin for merchants onboarding session
👨💻 BitDevs workshop on How to run a Node w/ @CodeOrangeDevs
🎲 Games Night w/ @blockhunters_
📚 Daily walk-in learning
Dive into Bitcoin this September - there’s something for everyone!
Bitcoin itu Halal (Bahasa Indonesia 🇮🇩): Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=bqtyEQAAQBAJ
Translated by Ada Apartment Dengan Bitcoin (Hansen Malau).
Coming soon insha'Allah paperback from Bukunesia (Deepublisher)!


Given our mission to make #Bitcoin accessible and ethically resonant for wider audiences, it's important for us to revisit 'Common Concerns & FUDs' from Muslim Scholars and Laypeople.
🧠 Here’s a list of recurring doubts and critiques, both technical and theological:
🏦 Economic & Technical Concerns
- “Bitcoin has no intrinsic value”
→ Compared to gold, Bitcoin is seen as intangible and lacking physical utility.
- “Bitcoin can be hacked or lost”
→ Fear of digital theft, scams, or losing private keys.
- “Bitcoin is volatile and speculative”
→ Seen as gambling or gharar (excessive uncertainty).
- “Bitcoin is used by criminals”
→ Association with darknet markets, money laundering, etc.
- “Bitcoin is controlled by elites or corporations”
→ Fear of mining centralisation or manipulation by whales.
- “Bitcoin wastes energy”
→ Environmental concerns, sometimes framed as irresponsible stewardship (khalifa).
🧕 Islamic Jurisprudence & Ethical Concerns
- “Only gold and silver are halal money”
→ Reference to dinar and dirham as prophetic standards.
- “Bitcoin is not backed by anything”
→ Lack of state guarantee or commodity backing.
- “Bitcoin facilitates riba indirectly”
→ Through speculative trading or lending platforms.
- “Bitcoin is not recognised by Islamic states”
→ Lack of legal tender status in Muslim-majority countries.
- “Bitcoin undermines zakat calculations”
→ Difficulty in valuation and nisab thresholds.
- “Bitcoin is a Western tool to destabilise economies”
→ Geopolitical suspicion, especially in post-colonial contexts.


Of all the fiat joints in all the towns in all the world I had to walk in...
#BitcoinFixesThis


Riba’s impact on the Global South, where the consequences are often more severe and systemic. These examples highlight how interest-based systems perpetuate poverty, hinder development, and compromise sovereignty—making Riba not just a personal issue, but a global justice concern.
🌍 Riba in the Global South: Real-Life Examples
1. 🏥 Debt Servicing vs Public Services
Example: Countries like Kenya or Sri Lanka spend more on interest payments to foreign lenders than on healthcare or education.
Impact: Riba drains national budgets, forcing governments to cut essential services and delay infrastructure projects.
2. 🌾 Farmer Exploitation
Example: Small farmers in India or Nigeria borrow from local lenders at 30–100% interest.
- Crop failure or market shocks leave them trapped in debt.
- Some lose land or face generational poverty.
Impact: Riba exploits the vulnerable and undermines food security.
3. 🏦 IMF & World Bank Loans
Example: Pakistan or Ghana receives billions in loans with interest and austerity conditions.
- These often include cutting subsidies, privatizing assets, and raising taxes.
Impact: Riba-based lending erodes sovereignty and deepens inequality.
4. 🏚 Urban Slums & Housing Insecurity
Example: In cities like Dhaka or Lagos, interest-driven real estate markets push up prices.
- Millions live in informal settlements without access to clean water or electricity.
Impact: Riba fuels speculative development while neglecting human needs.
5. 💼 Microfinance Debt Traps
Example: Women in Bangladesh or Latin America take microloans with hidden interest rates.
- Repayment pressure leads to stress, coercion, or further borrowing.
Impact: Riba masquerades as empowerment but often deepens poverty.
6. 🌐 Currency Devaluation & Inflation
Example: Countries with high external debt face currency collapse due to interest burdens.
- Imports become expensive, wages lose value, and basic goods become unaffordable.
Impact: Riba destabilises economies and punishes the poor.
🧭 Why It Matters Globally
Riba isn’t just a personal or religious issue—it’s a structural injustice that:
- Transfers wealth from poor to rich
- Undermines national sovereignty
- Fuels cycles of poverty and inequality
- Blocks ethical, sustainable development
#RibaFreeFuture #FinancialJustice #SoundMoney #BitcoinFixesThis


Bushido forbids dishonor.
Islam forbids riba.
Honor your wealth!


We're going to try to explain Riba with a few examples to make it relatable to everyday life—especially for a broader audience— to show why it matters. Here’s a breakdown of real-life examples that illustrate how interest-based systems (Riba) affect the 99%, regardless of faith or background:
💸 Everyday Effects of Riba: Real-Life Examples for the 99%
1. 🏠 Housing: The Mortgage Trap
Example: A family buys a £300,000 home with a 25-year mortgage at 5% interest.
- Over time, they pay over £500,000—nearly double the price.
- If they lose income, they risk repossession, even after years of payments.
Impact: Riba turns shelter into a debt burden, making housing less affordable and more precarious.
2. 🎓 Student Loans: Debt Before Opportunity
Example: A student borrows £40,000 for university. With interest, they may owe £60,000+ over time.
- Many graduates spend decades repaying, delaying marriage, home ownership, or starting a business.
Impact: Riba penalises education and traps young people in long-term financial insecurity.
3. 🏦 Credit Cards & Payday Loans: Debt Spiral
Example: Someone uses a credit card for emergency expenses. Interest rates of 20–40% mean a £1,000 debt can balloon to £2,000+ if unpaid.
- Payday loans can charge 300%+ APR, targeting the most vulnerable.
Impact: Riba exploits desperation, turning short-term help into long-term harm.
4. 🌍 Global South Debt: National Struggle
Example: Countries like Zambia or Pakistan borrow billions from international lenders.
- Interest payments consume healthcare and education budgets, while the principal remains unpaid.
Impact: Riba keeps entire nations in poverty, transferring wealth from poor to rich globally.
5. 🛒 Inflation & Cost of Living
Example: Central banks raise interest rates to “fight inflation.”
- This increases borrowing costs for businesses, who then raise prices for consumers.
- Rent, food, and energy bills go up—while wages stagnate.
Impact: Riba-based monetary policy worsens inequality and squeezes everyday families.
6. 🧠 Mental Health & Family Stress
Example: A couple struggles with mounting debt and interest payments.
- Anxiety, depression, and relationship breakdowns become common.
Impact: Riba doesn’t just affect wallets—it affects well-being, family stability, and community cohesion.
7. 🌱 Environmental Harm
Example: Companies prioritise short-term profits to meet interest obligations.
- They cut corners, overexploit resources, and ignore sustainability.
Impact: Riba incentivises extraction over stewardship, harming the planet for future generations.
🧭 Why It Matters
Whether Muslim or non-Muslim, rich or poor, Riba-based systems:
- Concentrate wealth at the top
- Punish the vulnerable
- Undermine real productivity
- Erode social trust and stability
A Riba-free system isn’t just a religious ideal—it’s a universal call for justice, dignity, and economic sanity.
#RibaFreeFuture #FinancialJustice #SoundMoney #BitcoinFixesThis


RIBA? That's a betrayal of the family.
But #bitcoin. Stay halal.


All your efforts stacking anti-Riba sound money...


📘 Riba and the Problem with Interest
Riba—often translated as usury or interest—is strictly prohibited in Islamic finance due to its exploitative nature and its distortion of economic justice. Tarek El Diwany’s 'The Problem with Interest' offers a powerful critique of interest-based systems.
⚖️ Core Concepts
- Unjust Gain Without Risk: Riba allows lenders to profit without sharing in the risk of enterprise, violating the principle of fairness.
- Debt-Based Money Creation: Modern banking systems create money through interest-bearing debt, leading to inflation, instability, and wealth concentration.
- Social and Moral Harm: Interest fuels cycles of poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation by incentivising short-term profit over long-term stewardship.
- Distortion of Real Economy: Riba divorces finance from real economic activity, encouraging speculation and undermining productive trade.
🧭 Ethical and Spiritual Dimensions
- Violation of Divine Law: Riba is condemned in the Qur’an as a grave sin, contrasting with trade, which is permitted and encouraged.
- Erosion of Brotherhood: It undermines mutual support and solidarity, replacing cooperation with exploitation.
- False Neutrality of Finance: El Diwany challenges the idea that finance is value-neutral, showing how interest embeds moral and systemic biases.
🌍 Practical Implications
- Need for Risk-Sharing Models: Islamic finance promotes equity-based contracts (like mudarabah and musharakah) that align incentives and distribute risk.
- Rethinking Economic Growth: A Riba-free system encourages sustainable development rooted in real assets and ethical trade.
- Challenge to Global Norms: The critique of interest questions the foundations of modern capitalism and calls for a reimagining of economic justice LLP.
#RibaFreeFuture #EthicalFinance #FinancialJustice #ReturnToSoundMoney



