The Ruling on Borrowing for Marriage and the Sacrifice for a Newborn
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Does a man borrow money in order to marry a second wife, and does he borrow for the sake of the sacrifice for a newborn?
As for borrowing for marriage, it is not prescribed; because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the one who found nothing with which to marry: “Do you have anything of the Qur’an?He said: Yes,He said: I will marry you to her with what you have of the Qur’an) and he did not guide him to borrowing,And perhaps that is indicated by the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Nur: 33] , and this man has a wife with whom he is content until Allah enriches him from His bounty.
As for borrowing for the sake of the sacrifice for a newborn, it is considered: if he hopes to be able to repay, like a salaried employee, but it happens that at the time of the sacrifice he has no money, so he borrows from someone until the salary comes, then there is nothing wrong with that. But if he has no source from which he hopes to repay, then he should not borrow.
The questioner: Is there a text from Imam Ahmad, O honorable Shaykh?The Shaykh: Yes, Imam Ahmad said regarding the sacrifice for a newborn: “He should borrow; Allah will replace it for him; he revives a Sunnah” , but his words are understood in the manner I mentioned, with the detailed distinction,Meaning: for a person who is able to pay it off.
The questioner: If he was unable to pay for the first child, and then after four children Allah blessed him?The Shaykh: He starts with the last one whom Allah blessed him with at his birth, as for the previous ones, the sacrifice for them has dropped off him; because he was unable to pay.
As for borrowing for marriage, it is not prescribed; because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the one who found nothing with which to marry: “Do you have anything of the Qur’an?He said: Yes,He said: I will marry you to her with what you have of the Qur’an) and he did not guide him to borrowing,And perhaps that is indicated by the saying of Allah the Exalted:
But let them who find not [the means for] marriage abstain [from sexual relations] until Allah enriches them from His bounty.
وَلْيَسْتَعْفِفِ الَّذِينَ لا يَجِدُونَ نِكَاحاً حَتَّى يُغْنِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِAs for borrowing for the sake of the sacrifice for a newborn, it is considered: if he hopes to be able to repay, like a salaried employee, but it happens that at the time of the sacrifice he has no money, so he borrows from someone until the salary comes, then there is nothing wrong with that. But if he has no source from which he hopes to repay, then he should not borrow.
The questioner: Is there a text from Imam Ahmad, O honorable Shaykh?The Shaykh: Yes, Imam Ahmad said regarding the sacrifice for a newborn: “He should borrow; Allah will replace it for him; he revives a Sunnah” , but his words are understood in the manner I mentioned, with the detailed distinction,Meaning: for a person who is able to pay it off.
The questioner: If he was unable to pay for the first child, and then after four children Allah blessed him?The Shaykh: He starts with the last one whom Allah blessed him with at his birth, as for the previous ones, the sacrifice for them has dropped off him; because he was unable to pay.