Warning Against Negligence in Matters of Religion

The Shaykh : And on this occasion, I warn my Muslim brothers, both those present and those listening, against negligence in matters of religion. Many people today are extremely negligent regarding religion; it does not concern them. You find one borrowing money to buy a car similar to the cars of the rich. Glory be to Allah! The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: What is that? You are poor, yet you want to lower yourself to the status of the rich. That is not correct. Stretch your leg according to the size of your blanket or your bed. This is a good common proverb. Similarly, some people build a structure where half the cost would suffice if they built what is appropriate for them and their condition, but they want to build a palace like the palace of the rich. Who said this? This is a mistake. If he has nothing, he goes and borrows to buy a cup worth ten to twelve, or a ton of iron worth this much, do you understand, people? This is wrong. To the point that something strange reached me. A poor man built a house, and the entire construction was a debt upon him. What remained for him was the carpeting of the stairs, the carpeting of the stairs. He said, "What remains for me?" What remains? Everything is carpeted now, everything is fine, only the stairs are not carpeted. The stairs are in front of people so that they can be carpeted, or it is the place of the foot, which is a passing place. Which is it: is the stairs the place of the passing foot, or the place of the bed and sleep? The stairs. A passing foot. It does not need a carpet. If you were rich and people were saying, "If you do not carpet the stairs, you are stingy," there is no harm. But since you are poor, do not carpet the stairs and do not buy a car when you have what suffices for you, wanting to be like the rich. That is a mistake and foolishness in the mind. So beware of debt, beware of debt. If you do not eat in the day and night except one meal, it is better for you than debt, because debt is serious. As I taught you a little while ago, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used not to pray over one who died with a debt for which there was no repayment.
And a questioner asked him about martyrdom in the cause of Allah: does it expiate debt? Does it expiate sins? He said: Yes, martyrdom in the cause of Allah, when a person is killed in the cause of Allah, martyrdom expiates everything. Then he said: . When the man left, he called him and said: Allah is the Greatest! Debt is not expiated by martyrdom because it is a right of a human being, and it must be taken. So beware, my Muslim brother, beware of debt as much as you can. If you do not eat except one meal or a piece of bread ... water, do not borrow.
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