Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
By Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel
Saheb (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh)
Debts are such a burden that in
a Masnoon Dua, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam)
sought protection in
Allah Ta’ala from Kufr and debt.
"O Allah, I seek refuge with You from Kufr
and debt."
One can gauge on what level
debts are placed, mentioned alongside Kufr. There are various other Ahaadeeth
that clearly signify the seriousness and gravity of incurring debts. ...Of course, if a debt is an
interest-bearing loan and interest payments are being made, then this is Haraam
(forbidden) and a major sin.
There are many who take
unnecessary loans and fall into debt. To do so is to shackle oneself. A debt
should only be assumed out of genuine necessity – and not as many do, to
purchase all kinds of luxuries and live beyond their means.
Sometimes the person becomes lax
in the matter of paying off his debts and delays payment. Even though Allah
Ta’ala gives sufficient to pay off quickly, and sometimes Allah Ta’ala provides
so that the person can pay the full amount at once, the person procrastinates. It is a weighty and grievous sin to delay
payment of a debt when the time arrives for its payment.
Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi
wasallam) said: “Delay in repaying debts
by a wealthy person is oppression.”
The person who intends to pay
off his debt and he makes a sincere effort to do so, will be assisted by Allah
Ta’ala. Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “The one who takes people’s wealth intending to pay it back, Allah will
pay it back for him, and the one who takes it intending to destroy it, Allah
will destroy him.”
The following Dua was taught by
Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) to a Sahabi (RA) who was entangled in
debts. With the Barakah (blessings) of this Dua, Allah Ta’ala settled his debt.
'O Allah! I seek refuge in You from worry and
grief, and I seek refuge in You from helplessness and laziness, and I seek
refuge in You from cowardice and miserliness, and I seek refuge in You from
overpowering debts and from the subjection of man.
A person, in
debt, should also read this Dua; morning and evening. Insha-Allah, his worries
will be removed and his debt, settled.
