Debt

A servant brought before Him who had let people off

He is asked what he did with what he was given.

أُتِيَ اللَّهُ بِعَبْدٍ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ مَالاً فَقَالَ لَهُ مَاذَا عَمِلْتَ فِي الدُّنْيَا - قَالَ وَلاَ يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّهَ حَدِيثًا - قَالَ يَا رَبِّ آتَيْتَنِي مَالَكَ فَكُنْتُ أُبَايِعُ النَّاسَ وَكَانَ مِنْ خُلُقِي الْجَوَازُ فَكُنْتُ أَتَيَسَّرُ عَلَى الْمُوسِرِ وَأُنْظِرُ الْمُعْسِرَ . فَقَالَ اللَّهُ أَنَا أَحَقُّ بِذَا مِنْكَ تَجَاوَزُوا عَنْ عَبْدِي

He said: my Lord, You gave me wealth and I used to trade with people. It was my habit to be lenient, to be easy on the well-off and give more time to the one in difficulty. Allah said: I am more worthy of that than you. Let My servant pass.

The full narration

Hudhaifa (Allah be pleased with him) reported:A servant from amongst the servants of Allah was brought to Him whom Allah had endowed with riches. He (Allah) said to him: What (did you do) in the world? (They cannot conceal anything from Allah) He (the person) said: O my Lord, You endowed me with Your riches. I used to enter into transactions with people. It was my nature to be lenient to (my debtors). I showed leniency to the solvent and gave respite to the insolvent, whereupon Allah said: I have more right than you to do this to connive at My servant. 'Uqba b. 'Amir al-Juhani and Abu Mas'ud said: This is what we heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)

Source

Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim · 3996

Ṣaḥīḥ
  • Agreed upon as authentic (al-Bukhārī / Muslim)
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