Etiquettes related to debt and loaning – II

Repaying in the best manner:
The debtor should repay in the best manner. Abu Hurayrahreported: "A
harsh Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allaahasking him to repay a
young camel hehad borrowed from this Bedouin. The Bedouin used harsh
words when he was demanding his money, so the companions were about to
strike him for doing so, but the Messenger of Allaahsaid:'Leave him!
Indeed a creditor has the right todemand it )i.e. his loan(.'The
companions could not find a young camel among the brought ones)from
Zakaah( to match the level of that which was borrowed, and informed
the Messenger of Allaahthat all the camels were of the best type. The
Prophetsaid:'Give it to him, for it is the best of all people who pays
back in the best manner.']Muslim[ In another narration narrated by Abu
Sa'eedthe Prophettold the companionswho were enraged with the
Bedouin:"Youshould side with the one who is demandinghis right."
Unfortunately, nowadays people hardly side with the one demanding his
right, and in some cases even judges deprive people from their rights,
and receive bribes to sidewith the debtor instead of siding with the
creditor … woe to them and what a severe punishment awaits them in
Hell on the Day of Judgment.
When the Bedouin saw the good manner in which the Prophetrepaid him,
he thanked him, and thereupon the Prophetsaid:"These are the best type
of people )i.e. who repay in the best manner(. There is no good in a
nation whose poor cannot take their rights from their rich without
being harassed."The Prophetsaid this because sometimes the poor might
get his right back but only after he suffers and is delayed and is put
in embarrassing situations.
Additionally, the debtor must rely on Allaah in his attempt to repay
the creditor. Abu Hurayrahreported that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"A
man from the children of Israeli asked another to lend him one
thousand Deenaars. The second said, `I want a surety witness' the
former replied, `Allaah is sufficient as a surety witness' The second
said, you areright, and he lent him the money for an appointed time.
The debtor went across the sea, and when he finished his job, he
searched for a conveyance so thathe might reach in time for the
repayment of the debt, but he could not find any. So, he took a piece
of wood, made a hole in it, inserted in it one thousand Deenaars and a
letter to the lender and then closed )i.e. sealed( the hole tightly.
He took the piece of wood to the sea and said: "O Allaah! You know
very well that I took a loan of one thousand Deenaars from so-and-so.
He demanded a surety from me but I told him that Allaah's Guarantee
was sufficient, and he accepted Your Guarantee. He thenasked for a
witness and I told him that Allaah was sufficient as a witness, and he
accepted You as a witness. No doubt, I tried hard to find a conveyance
so that I could pay his money but I could not find any, so I hand over
this money to You" Saying that, he threw the piece of wood into the
sea till it went out far into it, and then he went away. Meanwhile he
started searching for a conveyance in order to reach the creditor's
country.
"One day the lender came out of his house to see whether a ship had
arrived bringing his money, and all of a sudden he saw the piece of
wood )i.e. the one in which his money had been deposited(. He took it
home to use for fire. When he sawed it, hefound his money and the
letter inside it. Shortly after that, the debtor came bringing one
thousand Deenaars to him and said, By Allaah, I had been trying hard
to get a boat so that I could bring you your money, but failed to get
one before the one I have come by. The lender asked, have you sent
something to me? The debtor replied, `I have told you I could not get
a boat other than the one I have come by. The lender said, `Allaah has
delivered on your behalf the money you sent in the piece of wood. So,
youmay keep your one thousand Deenaars so depart guided on theright
path."]Al-Bukhaari[
This is the consequence of relying on Allaah, and when one's intention
is sincere in repayment, then Allaah will assist himin his attempt.
The problem that faces many indebted people is that they are not truly
sincere in their intention to repay the debt to the creditor and thus
they become deprived of the assistance of Allaah.
Late salaries:
This is one type of debt which the employer owes the employee. Some
people might workfor a certain period and their contract is terminated
and they leave the country whilst the employer owes them part of their
salaries that he did not pay them. Undoubtedly, this is a debt on the
part of the employer and he must look for them if they leave before he
fulfilled their payments or salaries, even if he has to travel to
their countries in order to pay them off.
The following narration indicates the greatness ofthe right of the
employee; `Abdullaah bin`Umarnarrated that he heard Messenger of
Allaahas saying:"Three men, amongst those who came before you, set out
until night came and they reached a cave, so they entered it. A rock
fell down from the mountain and blocked the entrance of the cave. They
said: `Nothing will save you from this unless you supplicate to Allaah
by virtue of a righteous deed you have done.`"The Messenger of
Allaahmentioned what each of them said and one of them said:"`O
Allaah! I hired some laborers and paid them their wages except one of
them departed without taking his due. I invested his money in business
and the business prospered greatly. After a long time, he came to me
and said: O slave of Allaah! Pay me my dues. I said: Allthat you see
is yours - camels, cattle, goats and slaves. He said: O slave of
Allaah! Do not mock at me. I assured him that I was not joking. So he
took all the things and went awayhe spared nothing. O Allaah! If I did
so seeking Your Pleasure, then relieve us of our distress.` The rock
slipped aside and they got out walking freely."]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[
Nowadays, employers oppress their employees and eat up their rights
and salaries … but the right of these employees will not be wasted
with Allaah, and their oppression will not be left unattended even if
they die before getting their rights, because there will come a Day
when everything will be accounted for and then repayment will be in a
different form … it will bein rewards from their records. Therefore,
employers are advised to rush and fulfill the payment for their
employees before that Day comes.
Procrastinating payment:
Some debtors delay and procrastinate for no needeven when they have
themoney to repay, but he acts so mean and low and pays back in
installments to the creditor. One might have a debt of fifty thousand
for example, and starts repaying five hundred every month, other
months he might pay only two hundred, and a third month he would pay a
thousand and so on, despite him having the entire amount, but he just
wants the creditorto give up on him and hisdebt, and this is extreme
stinginess.
Such people make the creditor appear like the poor person who is
chasing after money, whilst it is his right. He forces him in some
cases to beg him to repay, so that he )i.e. the creditor( can fulfill
his own obligations which he might have arranged their payment based
on the agreed upon promiseof repayment from the debtor.
Finally, it is recommended that the debtor says nice words ofgratitude
to the creditor upon repaying him as this softens the heart
andencourages the creditor to loan others in the future.