The Case of Delaying Due Payment

كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص يَحْبِسُ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا الْتَوَى عَلَى غُرَمَائِهِ ثُمَّ يَأْمُرُ فَيَقْسِمُ مَالَهُ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْحِصَصِ فَإِنْ أَبَى بَاعَهُ فَيَقْسِمُ يَعْنِي مَالَهُ‌[1].

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ‘Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), would keep in custody a procrastinating debtor; then command to distribute his assets among his creditors proportionate to their shares, and if he (the debtor) disagreed, he (the Imam) sold his assets, then distributed it among his creditors.’”

الْغَائِبُ يُقْضَى عَنْهُ إِذَا قَامَتِ الْبَيِّنَةُ عَلَيْهِ وَ يُبَاعُ مَالُهُ وَ يُقْضَى عَنْهُ وَ هُوَ غَائِبٌ وَ يَكُونُ الْغَائِبُ عَلَى حُجَّتِهِ إِذَا قَدِمَ وَ لَا يُدْفَعُ الْمَالُ إِلَى الَّذِي أَقَامَ الْبَيِّنَةَ إِلَّا بِكُفَلَاءَ[2] إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ مَلِيّاً.

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘The debt of an absent person is paid from his assets when enough proof is presented to prove his indebtedness. His assets are sold to make necessary payments in his absence and he faces the proof against him. One who has presented proofs receives payments upon providing guarantee and secu