Living The Quran
From Issue: 675 [Read full issue]
Debt
Al Baqara (The Cow) - Chapter 2: Verse 282 (partial)
"Believers! Whenever you contract a debt from one another for a known term, commit it to writing. Let a scribe write it down between you justly, and the scribe may not refuse to write it down according to what Allah has taught him; so let him write, and let the debtor dictate; and let him fear Allah, his Lord, and curtail no part of it..."
Borrow only if necessary
You should try to relate your consumption to your income remembering the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him), "May God prevent me from sin and borrowing." You are not supposed to borrow unless it is necessary.
Borrow for a Fixed Time Period & Record It
When friends and relatives borrow from one another it is generally considered unseemly either to commit these loans to writing, or to have them attested by witnesses. Such an act is considered a sign of distrust. However, God enjoins that whenever loans or business transactions take place, their conditions should be recorded in black and white and should be attested by witnesses so that there remains no ground for misunderstanding or dispute. In times such as ours, when every action, whether at personal, social, political, or economic level is recorded and computerized, we may be able to appreciate the practicality, wisdom, and sophistication of the commandments of Allah and the Prophet (peace be upon him), given to us as a blessing, over 1400 years ago!
Three Kinds of People whose Du'a will not be Accepted
In a Hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned that there are three kinds of people whose grievances and Dua will not be accepted or heeded by Allah. One of them is a person who loans out his money to a person without making anyone a witness to that transaction. [at-Tabari]
Compiled From:
"Islam - The Natural Way" - Abdul Wahid Hamid, p. 67
"Towards Understanding the Quran" - Sayyid Abul Ala Mawdudi, Vol. I, pp. 221-223