The obligation to return borrowed items and loans, and an explanation of the rights of people that are in one’s possession

Question:
Regarding what you discussed, may Allah reward you with good, in the previous episode on the book of bequests and the obligatory bequest for those who have deposits and the like. In reality, hardly anyone is free from this. Many people borrow books, furniture, and the like. So is there a word of advice you would give? Some people may consider it excessive to write a will or to say, “I have so-and-so’s book here” or “I borrowed such-and-such from him.” Is it within the scope of caution and obligation for a person to make a will and be careful, or to place these items in a specific location so that those who come after him can identify them if he dies suddenly?

Answer:
It is obligatory for a Muslim who takes people’s money to hasten to return it to them and not to be negligent with it. This is because some people borrow an item, benefit from it, and then do not care to return it afterward. It may get damaged or forgotten with them if its owner does not demand it. Therefore, it is obligatory for a person, when he borrows an item and his need for it is finished, to hasten to return it to its owner. This is because some people take people’s money and borrow it, then they are negligent in returning it. Perhaps the owner of the borrowed item is shy to ask for it, so it remains with the borrower, or it may get damaged with him, in which case he has been lax with people’s money. Likewise, if he borrows a loan—a good loan—to meet his need, he should hasten to return it when he becomes wealthy and not delay returning the loan and the favor to its owner. In fact, he is commanded to repay the debt well. So what about one who repays the debt badly, delays, and does not return the loan except after being demanded and after procrastination?
All of this is a failure to uphold the rights of people. Likewise, if he borrows books, it is all the more so that when his need for them is finished, he should hasten to return them, or write a document specifying what he has of people’s property, as we mentioned, which is the obligatory bequest. This is the least he can do if he does not hasten to return them; at the very least, he should write them down clearly and record them, yes, so that they are known and returned to their owners. in this world and the Hereafter. So people’s money and people’s rights are not to be treated with laxity. Yes.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you and may He reward you with good.