A man who buys and sells cars on installment, with more than seventy buyers purchasing on installment over three years, some of whom delay
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The questioner : I buy and sell cars on installment, and I have more than seventy customers who buy on installment over a period of three years. Some of them delay the installment by a month, so I complain about them and take my right from them. Is there any wrong on my part in complaining to them about my delayed right? Please advise us, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : If the person whose installment is due is able to pay, you have the right to demand it and to bring his case to the authorities so that they extract your right from him. However, if he is in financial difficulty, it is not permissible for you to demand it, nor to press him for it, nor to bring him to the authorities, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:280].
On this occasion, I warn our brothers who have debts owed by those in financial difficulty, and who harm these people in difficulty by demanding and pressing them, and by bringing them to the responsible authorities. This creditor is undoubtedly sinful if he demands that the person in difficulty pay the debt, because he is disobeying the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:280].
As for the debtors, I also direct advice to them to fear Allah in themselves and not to borrow anything except in cases of extreme necessity that they must have. This is because the danger of debt is great; it is anxiety in the night and humiliation in the day. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), before Allah opened things up for him, used to ask when a deceased person was brought to him: If they said, "Yes," he (peace and blessings be upon him) would not pray over him. This indicates the greatness of debt.
It is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he was asked about martyrdom in the cause of Allah, meaning whether it expiates sins. He said: Then the man turned away, and he called out to him, saying (peace and blessings be upon him): If martyrdom in the cause of Allah does not expiate debt, but expiates other sins, that is evidence of its greatness and that it is a matter that hinders a person from reaching the degrees of perfection.
Then I advise them once more that if necessity calls for borrowing and they borrow, I advise them not to delay the creditor's right and postpone it, for that is injustice, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Delay occurs when the right is due and the debtor is the one able to pay. If the creditor's right is due and the debtor is able to pay, it is obligatory for him to hasten to pay it. If he delays for an hour, he is sinful; for two hours, he is more sinful; for three hours, he is even more sinful, and so on. As the hours of delay in paying increase, his sin increases accordingly. Then, perhaps he will be punished by having this wealth, which enabled him to pay, taken from him, and he will regret when regret is of no avail. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh. The questioner, M.M., also says, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : If the person whose installment is due is able to pay, you have the right to demand it and to bring his case to the authorities so that they extract your right from him. However, if he is in financial difficulty, it is not permissible for you to demand it, nor to press him for it, nor to bring him to the authorities, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And if someone is in hardship, then [let there be] postponement until [a time of] ease. But if you give [from your right as] charity, then it is better for you, if you only knew.
وَإِنْ كَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَى مَيْسَرَةٍ وَأَنْ تَصَدَّقُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ أن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَOn this occasion, I warn our brothers who have debts owed by those in financial difficulty, and who harm these people in difficulty by demanding and pressing them, and by bringing them to the responsible authorities. This creditor is undoubtedly sinful if he demands that the person in difficulty pay the debt, because he is disobeying the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And if someone is in hardship, then [let there be] postponement until [a time of] ease. But if you give [from your right as] charity, then it is better for you
وَإِنْ كَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَى مَيْسَرَةٍ وَأَنْ تَصَدَّقُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْAs for the debtors, I also direct advice to them to fear Allah in themselves and not to borrow anything except in cases of extreme necessity that they must have. This is because the danger of debt is great; it is anxiety in the night and humiliation in the day. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), before Allah opened things up for him, used to ask when a deceased person was brought to him:
Does he have a debt for which there is no payment?
أعليه دين لا وفاء له؟It is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he was asked about martyrdom in the cause of Allah, meaning whether it expiates sins. He said:
Yes
نعمExcept for debt. Gabriel informed me of that just now.
إلا الدين أخبرني بذلك جبريل ءانفاًThen I advise them once more that if necessity calls for borrowing and they borrow, I advise them not to delay the creditor's right and postpone it, for that is injustice, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Delaying the payment of a wealthy person is injustice.
مطل الغني ظلمThe questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh. The questioner, M.M., also says, O honorable Shaykh.