The story of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding his refusal to pray over a debtor.

The Shaykh : Here is a story that occurred during the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). A funeral was brought to him, and when he had taken a few steps forward, he asked: They said, “Yes, he has two dinars in debt.” So he stepped back and said: and he did not pray over him. Why? Because he had a debt, and debt is not a trivial matter. Abu Qatadah then said: In this is evidence that the issue of debt is a great and important matter, contrary to the negligence of some people. You find some people borrowing when they have no means of repayment and do not expect to be able to repay, yet they burden themselves with debts. If you reflect on it, you will find that these debts are not out of necessity. Some people borrow in order to buy a beautiful car, even though they themselves are among the poor and a car worth ten thousand, for example, would suffice them. But he says, “I want to buy a car worth fifty thousand.” We say this is foolishness. Why? You are a man among the poor; buy what is within your means. If you go and buy for fifty thousand, how much will be on you? You will have forty thousand in debt without need. But if you buy the car for ten thousand now, perhaps Allah the Exalted will enrich you later, and you can buy a car for how much? Fifty, seventy, or a hundred thousand. But now, you are within your means. We find some people building a house and decorating it with great expense and effort, and perhaps they have borrowed to complete its construction, then they borrow to furnish it. And what do they furnish? Do they furnish the sitting room where they need to sit, or the room where they receive guests? No, they furnish the sitting room, the courtyard, the hall, the kitchen, the stairs, and the bathroom. The bathroom is furnished? Yes, some people furnish the bathroom. This person says, “I cannot; people furnish their bathrooms, and I do not.” No, man, be within your means. Furnish what you need, even if it is just a portable rug. And avoid debt. But unfortunately, people have now come to take debt lightly in a strange way. For example, some people tell you they bought a car for seventy thousand, for instance. Why this? Or they buy a Ford, and perhaps they buy something less than that. No, it is done. There are many types, and there is no need for them. In any case, I say that some people, out of their foolishness, are negligent regarding debt, even though it is a great matter.