Repayment

1) It is related on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Prophet (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) remarked: “If anyone accepts other peoples’ belongings with the intent to pay back, Allah will pay back for him. But if anyone accepts them with intent to squander them, Allah will destroy his property (on that account).”

2) Suhaibul Khair reported the Messenger of Allah (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) as saying: ‘If anyone borrows a sum from someone and he is determined not to repay it, he will meet Allah as a thief.”

Abu Huraira reported: The Holy Prophet (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) said: ‘“Whoever takes other’s belongings with the intention of destroying it, God will destroy him.”

3) ‘Imran b. Hudhaifa reported that Maimuna (mother of the faithful, may Allah be pleased with her) used to take loan frequently. Her family members talked to her in this regard and re­proached her. Once they found her under debt. But she said: “I shall not leave debt (against me).” Indeed, I have heard my Friend and the Praised (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) as saying: “Anyone who takes a loan, and Allah knows that he intends to repay it, Allah helps him repay that in this world.”

4) Abu Rafi‘ reported that Allah’s Messenger (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) took from a man as a loan a young camel (below six years). Then the camels of sadaqa were brought to him. He ordered Abu Rafi‘ to return to that person the young camel (as a return of the loan). Abu Rafi‘ came back to him and said: “I did not find among them but better camels above the age of four.” He (the Holy Prophet) said: “Give that to him for the best men are those who are best in paying off the debt.”

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported: Allah’s Mes­senger (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) owed (something) to a person. He be­haved in an uncivilised manner with him. This vexed the Companions of the Holy Prophet (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) whereupon Allah’s Apostle (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) said: “He who has a right is entitled to speak, and said to them (his Companions): Buy a camel for him and give that to him.” They said: “We do not find a camel (of that age) but one with better age than that.”  He said: “Buy that and give that to him, for best of you or best amongst you are those who are best in paying off debt.”

5) Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported that when ever the body of a dead person, having burden of debt upon him, was brought to Allah’s Messenger (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) he would ask whether he had left property enough to clear off his debt, and if the property left had been sufficient for that (purpose), he observed funeral prayer for him, otherwise he would say (to his Companions): You observe prayer for your companion. But when Allah opened the gateways of victory for him, he said: “I am nearer to the believers than they themselves, so if anyone dies leaving a debt, its payment is my responsibility, and if anyone leaves a property, it goes to his heirs.”

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah’s Mes­senger (Sall Allah-o-alaihe wa sallam) having said this: “By Him in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, there is no believer on the earth with whom I am not the nearest among all the people. He who amongst you (dies) and leaves a debt, I am there to pay it, and he who amongst you (dies) leaving behind children I am there to look after them. And he who amongst you (dies and) leaves behind property, that is for the inheritor whoever he (or she) is.”

Source: Economic Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): A Select Anthology of Hadith Literature on Economics, Muhammad Akram Khan. Republished with permission.