Payment of Debts

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ مَنْ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ دَيْنٌ فَيَنْوِي قَضَاءَهُ كَانَ مَعَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ حَافِظَانِ يُعِينَانِهِ عَلَى الْأَدَاءِ عَنْ أَمَانَتِهِ فَإِنْ قَصُرَتْ نِيَّتُهُ عَنِ الْأَدَاءِ قَصُرَا عَنْهُ مِنَ الْمَعُونَةِ بِقَدْرِ مَا قَصُرَ مِنْ نِيَّتِهِ.

“I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘If one is indebted and he intends to pay it back, from the side of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, there will be two guards to help him to keep his trust; but if his intention falls short they also fall behind in their help proportionate to the degree of the fall of hi

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الرَّجُلُ مِنَّا يَكُونُ عِنْدَهُ الشَّيْ‌ءُ يَتَبَلَّغُ‌[2] بِهِ وَ عَلَيْهِ دَيْنٌ أَ يُطْعِمُهُ عِيَالَهُ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِمَيْسَرَةٍ فَيَقْضِيَ دَيْنَهُ أَوْ يَسْتَقْرِضُ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ فِي خُبْثِ الزَّمَانِ‌[3] وَ شِدَّةِ الْمَكَاسِبِ أَوْ يَقْبَلُ الصَّدَقَةَ قَالَ يَقْضِي بِمَا عِنْدَهُ دَيْنَهُ وَ لَا يَأْكُلْ أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ إِلَّا وَ عِنْدَهُ مَا يُ

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), if one of us has a few things in his possession with which he meets his expenses and he also is indebted. Should he feed his family with that which he owns and wait until Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, grants him ease then pay his debts, or should he borrow on his back in di

لَا تُبَاعُ الدَّارُ وَ لَا الْجَارِيَةُ فِي الدَّيْنِ وَ ذَلِكَ لِأَنَّهُ لَا بُدَّ لِلرَّجُلِ مِنْ ظِلٍّ يَسْكُنُهُ وَ خَادِمٍ يَخْدُمُهُ.

A house and a servant should not be sold to pay off a debt, because a man must have shelter to live in and a servant to serve him.

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّ عَلَيَّ دَيْناً وَ أَظُنُّهُ قَالَ لِأَيْتَامٍ وَ أَخَافُ إِنْ بِعْتُ ضَيْعَتِي بَقِيتُ وَ مَا لِي شَيْ‌ءٌ فَقَالَ لَا تَبِعْ ضَيْعَتَكَ وَ لَكِنْ أَعْطِهِ بَعْضاً وَ أَمْسِكْ بَعْضاً.

4. Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Bandar has narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah from Burayd al- ‘ Ij liy who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, ‘I am indebted’ - I think he said, ‘to the orphans’ and I am afraid if I sell my property I will be left withou

أَتَى رَجُلٌ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقْتَضِيهِ وَ أَنَا حَاضِرٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ لَيْسَ عِنْدَنَا الْيَوْمَ شَيْ‌ءٌ وَ لَكِنَّهُ يَأْتِينَا خِطْرٌ وَ وَسِمَةٌ[2] فَتُبَاعُ وَ نُعْطِيكَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ الرَّجُلُ عِدْنِي فَقَالَ كَيْفَ أَعِدُكَ وَ أَنَا لِمَا لَا أَرْجُو أَرْجَى مِنِّي لِمَا أَرْجُو.

5. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Ahmar from ‘Abd Allah ibn Hammad from ‘Umar ibn Yazid who has said the following: “Once, when I was present, a man came to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), asking to pay his debts. He (the Imam) said, ‘There is nothing with us today; however, tomorrow we will receive Khi

ضَاقَ عَلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع ضِيقَةٌ فَأَتَى مَوْلًى لَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَقْرِضْنِي عَشَرَةَ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ إِلَى مَيْسَرَةٍ فَقَالَ لَا لِأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ عِنْدِي وَ لَكِنْ أُرِيدُ وَثِيقَةً قَالَ فَشَقَّ لَهُ مِنْ رِدَائِهِ هُدْبَةً[3] فَقَالَ لَهُ هَذِهِ الْوَثِيقَةُ قَالَ فَكَأَنَّ مَوْلَاهُ كَرِهَ ذَلِكَ فَغَضِبَ وَ قَالَ أَنَا أَوْلَى بِالْوَفَاءِ أَمْ حَاجِبُ بْنُ زُرَارَةَ[4] فَقَالَ أَنْتَ أَوْلَى‌ ب

“Once, Ali ibn Al-Husayn (a.s.), was placed under pressure. He went to one of his Mawla’ (friend or follower) and asked him to lend him ten thousand dirham up to the time he is able to pay back. He (his friend) said, ‘No, because it is not with me; however, I want a promissory note.’ He (the narrator) has said, ‘He (th

احْتُضِرَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَاجْتَمَعَ عَلَيْهِ غُرَمَاؤُهُ فَطَالَبُوهُ بِدَيْنٍ لَهُمْ فَقَالَ لَا مَالَ عِنْدِي فَأُعْطِيَكُمْ وَ لَكِنِ ارْضَوْا بِمَا شِئْتُمْ مِنِ ابْنَيْ عَمِّي عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع وَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ فَقَالَ الْغُرَمَاءُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ مَلِيٌّ مَطُولٌ‌[3] وَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ع [رَجُلٌ‌] لَا مَالَ لَهُ صَدُوقٌ وَ هُوَ أَحَبُّهُمَا إِلَيْنَا فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَ

“‘Abd Allah was about to die and his creditors gathered around him demanding payment. He said to them, ‘I do not have any property to pay you but you may choose one of the sons of my uncle, Ali ibn Al-Husayn (a.s.), and ‘Abd Allah ibn Ja’far who will assume responsibility to pay you.’ They said, “Abd Allah ibn Ja’far i

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّ لِي عَلَى رَجُلٍ دَيْناً وَ قَدْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَبِيعَ دَارَهُ فَيَقْضِيَنِي قَالَ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أُعِيذُكَ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ تُخْرِجَهُ مِنْ ظِلِّ رَأْسِهِ.

“Once I said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), that a man owes me a certain amount and wants to sell his house to pay me. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘I seek protection for you with Allah against taking him out of the shadow on his head.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ الدَّيْنُ ثَلَاثَةٌ رَجُلٌ‌ كَانَ لَهُ فَأَنْظَرَ وَ إِذَا كَانَ عَلَيْهِ فَأَعْطَى وَ لَمْ يَمْطُلْ‌[1] فَذَاكَ لَهُ وَ لَا عَلَيْهِ وَ رَجُلٌ إِذَا كَانَ لَهُ اسْتَوْفَى وَ إِذَا كَانَ عَلَيْهِ أَوْفَى فَذَاكَ لَا لَهُ وَ لَا عَلَيْهِ وَ رَجُلٌ إِذَا كَانَ لَهُ اسْتَوْفَى وَ إِذَا كَانَ عَلَيْهِ مَطَلَ فَذَاكَ عَلَيْهِ وَ لَا لَهُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Debts are three. One man is he who when a lender gives the borrower respite and the borrower pays it off without delay. In his case it is all for him an