Repaying the creditor on time:The debtor should take initiative to
repay the creditor as soon as the loan is due. If the debtor is
financially unable to repay it all, then at least he should start
paying in installments if he possesses the money to do so. One should
rush in repayment, because loans will be a hard thing on him in his
gave.
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 to
demand 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:"You should side with the
one who is demanding his 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 side with 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 are right, 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 that he 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 then asked for a
witness and I told him that Allaah was sufficient as a witness, and he
acceptedYou 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, he found 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,
you may keep your one thousand Deenaars so depart guided on the right
path"]Al-Bukhaari[.
This is the consequence of relying on Allaah, and when one's intention
is sincere in repayment, then Allaah will assist him in 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.
Procrastinating payment:Some debtors delay and procrastinate for no
need even when they have the money 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 creditor to give up on him and his debt,
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 promise of repayment from the debtor.
Finally, it is recommended that the debtor says nice words of
gratitude to the creditor upon repaying him as this softens the heart
and encourages the creditor to loan others in the future.
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