Advice for Merchants and Debtors

Question: Many people have fallen into heavy debts. What is your advice for the merchant, the debtor, and others in these matters, O Shaykh?

Answer: The advice is that a person should strive to be economical and avoid debt, and be pleased with what Allah has made him independent of debt, as much as possible. If he needs to borrow, he should have the intention to repay the debt and strive to pay it off when he is compelled to do so; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . So he should strive to have a good intention and not borrow except when dire necessity calls for it, and he should not take on too much debt; for he may be unable to pay it off. He should be economical in his affairs, and seek economy in his clothing, food, drink, and other things; so that he does not need a lot of debt. And if he needs to borrow, let him strive to find the means to pay off the debt through the ways he is able to, with a good intention; his intention being that he will hasten to pay the debt as soon as it becomes easy for him, and not be lax; meaning, he should have a good intention that he will work and strive to pay off the debt.