Whenever a dead man in debt was brought to Allah's Apostle he would ask, "Has he left anything to repay his debt?" If he was informed that he had left something to repay his debts, he would offer his funeral prayer, otherwise he would tell the Muslims to offer their friend's funeral prayer. When Allah made the Prophet wealthy through conquests, he said, "I am more rightful than other believers to be the guardian of the believers, so if a Muslim dies while in debt, I am responsible for the repayment of his debt, and whoever leaves wealth (after his death) it will belong to his heirs. "

[At-Tirmidhi].

A dead man in debt used to be brought to Allah's Apostle who would ask, "Has he left anything to re pay his debts?" If he was informed that he had left something to cover his debts the Prophet would offer the funeral prayer for him; otherwise he would say to the Muslims present there), "Offer the funeral prayer for your friend:"but when Allah helped the Prophet to gain victory (on his expeditions), he said, "I am closer to the Believers than themselves, so. if one of the Believers dies in debt, I will repay it, but if he leaves wealth, it will be for his heirs.

The Prophet said, "Procrastination (delay) in paying debts by a wealthy man is injustice. So, if your debt is transferred from your debtor to a rich debtor, you should agree."

The Prophet said, "Procrastination (delay) in paying debts by a wealthy person is injustice. So, if your debt is transferred from your debtor to a rich debtor, you should agree."

Yahya said that he heard Malik say, "What is done in our community about a man who refers a creditor to another man for the debt he owes him is that if the one referred to goes bankrupt or dies, and does not leave enough to pay the debt, then the creditor has nothing against the one who referred him and the debt does not return to the first party."

Malik said, "This is the way of doing things about which there is no dispute in our community."

Malik said, "If a man has his debt to somebody taken on for him by another man and then the man who took it on dies or goes bankrupt, then whatever was taken on by him returns to the first debtor."

`Abdullah bin `Amr bin Haram died and was in debt to others. I asked the Prophet to intercede with his creditors for some reduction in the debts. The Prophet requested them (to reduce the debts) but they refused. The Prophet said to me, "Go and put your dates (In heaps) according to their different kinds. The Ajwa on one side, the cluster of Ibn Zaid on another side, etc.. Then call me." I did that and called the Prophet He came and sat at the head or in the middle of the heaps and ordered me. Measure (the dates) for the people (creditors)." I measured for them till I paid all the debts. My dates remained as it nothing had been taken from them. In other narrations, Jabir said; The Prophet said, "He (i.e. `Abdullah) continued measuring for them till he paid all the debts." The Prophet said (to `Abdullah), "Cut (clusters) for him (i.e. one of the creditors) and measure for him fully."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yazid ibn Khusayfa that he had asked Sulayman ibn Yasar whether zakat was due from a man who had wealth in hand but also owed a debt for the same amount, and he replied, "No."

Malik said, "The position that we are agreed upon concerning a debt is that the lender of it does not pay zakat on it until he gets it back. Even if it stays with the borrower for a number of years before the lender collects it, the lender only has to pay zakat on it once. If he collects an amount of the debt which is not zakatable, and has other wealth which is zakatable, then what he has collected of the debt is added to the rest of his wealth and he pays zakat on the total sum."

Malik continued, "If he has no ready money other than that which he has collected from his debt, and that does not reach a zakatable amount, then he does not have to pay any zakat. He must, however, keep a record of the amount that he has collected and if, later, he collects another amount which, when added to what he has already collected, brings zakat into effect, then he has to pay zakat on it."

Malik continued, "Zakat is due on this first amount, together with what he has further collected of the debt owed to him, regardless of whether or not he has used up what he first collected. If what he takes back reaches twenty dinars of gold, or two hundred dirhams of silver he pays zakat on it. He pays zakat on anything else he takes back afte rthat, whether it be a large or small amount, according to the amount."

Malik said, "What shows that zakat is only taken once from a debt which is out of hand for some years before it is recovered is that if goods remain with a man for trading purposes for some years before he sells them, he only has to pay zakat on their prices once. This is because the one who is owed the debt, or owns the goods, should not have to take the zakat on the debt, or the goods, from anything else, since the zakat on anything is only taken from the thing itself, and not from anything else."

Malik said, "Our position regarding some onewho owes a debt, and has goods which are worth enough to pay off the debt, and also has an amount of ready money which is zakatable, is that he pays the zakat on the ready money which he has to hand. If, however, he only has enough goods and ready money to pay off the debt, then he does not have to pay any zakat. But if the ready money that he has reaches a zakatable amount over and above the amount of the debt that he owes, then he must pay zakat on it."

Allah's Apostle used to invoke Allah in the prayer saying, "O Allah, I seek refuge with you from all sins, and from being in debt." Someone said, O Allah's Apostle! (I see you) very often you seek refuge with Allah from being in debt. He replied, "If a person is in debt, he tells lies when he speaks, and breaks his promises when he promises."

Malik related to me that he heard that Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz gave a judgement about the mudabbar who did an injury. He said, "The master must surrender what he owns of him to the injured person. He is made to serve the injured person and recompense (in the form of service) is taken from him as the blood-money of the injury. If he completes that before his master dies, he reverts to his master."

Malik said, "The generally agreed on way of doing things in our community about a mudabbar who does an injury and then his master dies and the master has no property except him is that the third (allowed to be bequeathed) is freed, and then the blood-money for the in jury is divided into thirds. A third of the blood-money is against the third of him which was set free, and two-thirds are against the two-thirds which the heirs have. If they wish, they surrender what they have of him to the party with the injury, and if they wish, they give the injured person two-thirds of the blood-money and keep their portion of the slave. That is because that injury is a criminal action by the slave and it is not a debt against the master by which whatever setting free and tadbir the master had done would be abrogated. If there were a debt to people held against the master of the slave, as well as the criminal action of the slave, part of the mudabbar would be sold in proportion to the blood-money of the injury and according to the debt. Then one would begin with the blood-money which was for the criminal action of the slave and it would be paid from the price of the slave. Then the debt of his master would be paid, and then one would look at what remained after that of the slave. His third would b be set free, and two-thirds of him would belong to the heirs. That is because the criminal action of the slave is more important than the debt of his master. That is because, if the man dies and leaves a mudabbar slave whose value is one hundred and fifty dinars, and the slave strikes a free man on the head with a blow that lays open the skull, and the blood-money is fifty dinars, and the master of the slave has a debt of fifty dinars, one begins with the fifty dinars which are the blood-money of the head wound, and it is paid from the price of the slave. Then the debt of the master is paid. Then one looks at what remains of the slave, and a third of him is set free and two-thirds of him remain for the heirs. The blood-money is more pressing against his person than the debt of his master. The debt of his master is more pressing than the tadbir which is a bequest from the third of the property of the deceased. None of the tadbir is permitted while the master of the mudabbar has a debt which is not paid. It is a bequest. That is because Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted, said, 'After any bequest that is made or any debt.' " (Sura 4 ayat 10)

Malik said, "If there is enough in the third property that the deceased can bequeath to free all the mudabbar, he is freed and the blood-money due from his criminal action is held as a debt against him which follows him after he is set free even if that blood-money is the full blood-money. It is not a debt on the master."

Malik spoke about a mudabbar who injured a man and his master surrendered him to the injured party, and then the master died and had a debt and did not leave any property other than the mudabbar, and the heirs said, "We surrender the mudabbar to the party," whilst the creditor said, "My debt exceeds that." Malik said that if the creditor's debt did exceed that at all , he was more entitled to it and it was taken from the one who owed the debt, according to what the creditor was owed in excess of the blood-money of the injury. If his debt did not exceed it at all, he did not take the slave.

Malik spoke about a mudabbar who did an injury and had property, and his master refused to ransom him. He said, "The injured party takes the property of the mudabbar for the blood-money of his injury. If there is enough to pay it, the injured party is paid in full for the blood-money of his injury and the mudabbar is returned to his master. If there is not enough to pay it, he takes it from the blood-money and uses the mudabbar for what remains of the blood-money."

That `Abdullah bin Abi Hadrad Al-Aslami owed him some debt. Ka`b met him and caught hold of him and they started talking and their voices grew loudest. The Prophet passed by them and addressed Ka`b, pointing out to him to reduce the debt to one half. So, Ka`b got one half of the debt and exempted the debtor from the other half.

A dead person was brought to the Prophet so that he might lead the funeral prayer for him. He asked, "Is he in debt?" When the people replied in the negative, he led the funeral prayer. Another dead person was brought and he asked, "Is he in debt?" They said, "Yes." He (refused to lead the prayer and) said, "Lead the prayer of your friend." Abu Qatada said, "O Allah's Apostle! I undertake to pay his debt." Allah's Apostle then led his funeral prayer.

Malik related to me that Zayd ibn Aslam said, "Usury in the Jahiliyya was that a man would give a loan to a man for a set term. When the term was due, he would say, 'Will you pay it off or increase me?' If the man paid, he took it. If not, he increased him in his debt and lengthened the term for him ."

Malik said, "The disapproved of way of doing things about which there is no dispute among us, is that a man should give a loan to a man for a term, and then the demander reduce it and the one from whom it is demanded pay it in advance. To us that is like someone who delays repaying his debt after it is due to his creditor and his creditor increases his debt." Malik said, "This is nothing else but usury. No doubt about it."

Malik spoke about a man who loaned one hundred dinars to a man for two terms. When it was due, the person who owed the debt said to him, "Sell me some goods, whose price is one hundred dinars in cash for one hundred and fifty on credit." Malik said, "This transaction is not good, and the people of knowledge still forbid it."

Malik said, "This is disapproved of because the creditor himself gives the debtor the price of what the man sells him, and he defers repayment of the hundred of the first transaction for the debtor for the term which is mentioned to him in the second transaction, and the debtor increases him with fifty dinars for his deferring him. That is disapproved of and it is not good. It also resembles the hadith of Zayd ibn Aslam about the transactions of the people of the Jahiliyya. When their debts were due, they said to the person with the debt, 'Either you pay in full or you increase it.' If they paid, they took it, and if not they increased debtors in their debts, and extended the term for them."

Malik said, "The inheritance of a husband from a wife when she leaves no children or grandchildren through sons is a half. If she leaves children or grandchildren through sons, male or female, by her present or previous husbands, the husband has a quarter after bequests or debts. The inheritance of a wife from a husband who does not leave children or grandchildren through sons is a quarter. If he leaves children or grandchildren through sons, male or female, the wife has an eighth after bequests and debts. That is because Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted! said in His Book, 'You have a half of what your wives leave if they have no children. If they have children, you have a fourth of what they leave after bequests and debts. They have a fourth of what you leave if you have no children. If you have children, they have an eighth after bequests or debts.' " (Sura4ayat 11).

The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to make supplication during the prayer saying: "O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from the punishment of the grave; I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of the Antichrist; I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of life and the trial of death; O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from sin and debt." Someone said to him: How often you seek refuge from debt! He replied: When a man is in debt, he talks and tells lies, makes promises and breaks them.

My father had died in debt. So I came to the Prophet and said, "My father (died) leaving unpaid debts, and I have nothing except the yield of his date palms; and their yield for many years will not cover his debts. So please come with me, so that the creditors may not misbehave with me." The Prophet went round one of the heaps of dates and invoked (Allah), and then did the same with another heap and sat on it and said, "Measure (for them)." He paid them their rights and what remained was as much as had been paid to them.

That the Prophet (saws) said: "Procrastination (in paying a debt) by a rich person is oppression. So if your debt is transferred from your debtor to a rich debtor, you should agree."

He said: There are narrations on this topic from Ibn 'Umar, and Ash-Sharid bin Suwaid Ath-Thaqafi.

The Prophet said, "I am more closer to the believers than their own selves, so whoever (of them) dies while being in debt and leaves nothing for its repayment, then we are to pay his debts on his behalf and whoever (among the believers) dies leaving some property, then that property is for his heirs."

Malik said, "The generally agreed on way of doing things in our community about a mudabbar is that the owner cannot sell him or change the position in which he has put him. If a debt overtakes the master, his creditors cannot sell the mudabbar as long as the master is alive. If the master dies and has no debts, the mudabbar is included in the third (of the bequest) because he expected his work from him as long as he lived. He cannot serve him all his life, and then he frees him from his heirs out of the main portion of his property when he dies. If the master of the mudabbar dies and has no property other than him, one third of him is freed, and two thirds of him belong to the heirs. If the master of the mudabbar dies and owes a debt which encompasses the mudabbar, he is sold to meet the debt because he can only be freed in the third (which is allowed for bequest) ."

He said, "If the debt only includes half of the slave, half of him is sold for the debt. Then a third of what remains after the debt is freed. "

Malik said, "It is not permitted to sell a mudabbar and it is not permitted for anyone to buy him unless the mudabbar buys himself from his master. He is permitted to do that. Or else some one gives the master of the mudabbar money and his master who made him a mudabbar frees him. That is also permitted for him."

Malik said, "His wala' belongs to his master who made him a mudabbar."

Malik said, "It is not permitted to sell the service of a mudabbar because it is an uncertain transaction since one does not know how long his master will live. That is uncertain and it is not good."

Malik spoke about a slave who was shared between two men, and one of them made his portion mudabbar. He said, "They estimate his value between them. If the one who made him mudabbar buys him, he is all mudabbar. If he does not buy him, his tadbir is revoked unless the one who retains ownership of him wishes to give his partner who made him mudabbar his value. If he gives him to him for his value, that is binding, and he is all mudabbar."

Malik spoke about the christian man who made a christian slave of his mudabbar and then the slave became muslim. He said, "One separates the master and the slave, and the slave is removed from his christian master and is not sold until his situation becomes clear. If the christian dies and has a debt, his debt is paid from the price of the slave unless he has in his estate what will pay the debt. Then the mudabbar is set free."

Yahya said that Malik spoke about a man who died and had a debt owing to him and there was one witness, and some people had a debt against him and they had only one witness, and his heirs refused to take an oath on their rights with their witness. He said, "The creditors take an oath and take their rights. If there is anything left over, the heirs do not take any of it. That is because the oaths were offered to them before and they abandoned them, unless they say, 'We did not know that our companion had extra,' and it is known that they only abandoned the oaths because of that. I think that they should take an oath and take what remains after his debt."

In the mosque l asked Ibn Abi Hadrad to pay the debts which he owed to me and our voices grew louder. Allah's Apostle heard that while he was in his house. So he came to us raising the curtain of his room and said, "O Ka`b!" I replied, "Labaik, O Allah's Apostle!" He said, "O Ka`b! reduce your debt to one half," gesturing with his hand. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have done so." Then Allah's Apostle said (to Ibn Abi Hadrad), "Get up and pay the debt to him."

That his father was martyred on the day of the battle of Uhud and was in debt and left six (orphan) daughters. Jabir, added, "When the season of plucking the dates came, I went to Allah's Apostle and said, "You know that my father was martyred on the day of Uhud, and he was heavily in debt, and I would like that the creditors should see you." The Prophet said, "Go and pile every kind of dates apart." I did so and called him (i.e. the Prophet ). When the creditors saw him, they started claiming their debts from me then in such a harsh manner (as they had never done before). So when he saw their attitude, he went round the biggest heap of dates thrice, and then sat over it and said, 'O Jabir), call your companions (i.e. the creditors).' Then he kept on measuring (and giving) to the creditors (their due) till Allah paid all the debt of my father. I would have been satisfied to retain nothing of those dates for my sisters after Allah had paid the debts of my father. But Allah saved all the heaps (of dates), so that when I looked at the heap where the Prophet had been sitting, it seemed as if a single date had not been taken away thereof."

One day the Messenger of Allah (saws) entered the mosque. He saw there a man from the Ansar called AbuUmamah.

He said: What is the matter that I am seeing you sitting in the mosque when there is no time of prayer?

He said: I am entangled in cares and debts, Messenger of Allah.

He replied: Shall I not teach you words by which, when you say them, Allah will remove your care, and settle your debt?

He said: Why not, Messenger of Allah?

He said: Say in the morning and evening: "O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from care and grief, I seek refuge in Thee from incapacity and slackness, I seek refuge in Thee from cowardice and niggardliness, and I seek in Thee from being overcome by debt and being put in subjection by men."

He said: When I did that Allah removed my care and settled my debt.

Ka`b demanded his debt back from Ibn Abi Hadrad in the Mosque and their voices grew louder till Allah's Apostle heard them while he was in his house. He came out to them raising the curtain of his room and addressed Ka`b, "O Ka`b!" Ka`b replied, "Labaik, O Allah's Apostle." (He said to him), "Reduce your debt to one half," gesturing with his hand. Ka`b said, "I have done so, O Allah's Apostle!" On that the Prophet said to Ibn Abi Hadrad, "Get up and repay the debt, to him."

A woman from the tribe of Juhaina came to the Prophet and said, "My mother had vowed to perform Hajj but she died before performing it. May I perform Hajj on my mother's behalf?" The Prophet replied, "Perform Hajj on her behalf. Had there been a debt on your mother, would you have paid it or not? So, pay Allah's debt as He has more right to be paid."

I heard the Prophet saying, "Once a man died and was asked, 'What did you use to say (or do) (in your life time)?' He replied, 'I was a businessman and used to give time to the rich to repay his debt and (used to) deduct part of the debt of the poor.' So he was forgiven (his sins.)" Abu Mas`ud said, "I heard the same (Hadith) from the Prophet."

The Messenger of Allah (saws) would not say funeral prayer over a person who died while the debt was due from him. A dead Muslim was brought to him and he asked: Is there any debt due from him? They (the people) said: Yes, two dirhams. He said: Pray yourselves over your companion.

Then AbuQatadah al-Ansari said: I shall pay them, Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah (saws) then prayed over him.

When Allah granted conquests to the Messenger of Allah (saws), he said: I am nearer to every believer than himself, so if anyone (dies and) leaves a debt, I shall be responsible for paying it; and if anyone leaves property, it goes to his heirs.

Khabbab said, "During the pre-lslamic period, I was a blacksmith and Al-Asi bin Wail owed me a debt." So Khabbab went to him to demand the debt. He said, "I will not give you (your due) till you disbelieve in Muhammad." Khabbab said, "By Allah, I shall not disbelieve in Muhammad till Allah makes you die and then resurrects you." Al-Asi said, "So leave me till I die and then be resurrected, for I will be given wealth and children whereupon I will pay you your debt." So this Verse was revealed:-- 'Have you seen him who disbelieved in Our Signs and, (yet) says: I shall certainly be given wealth and children.' (19.77)

Allah's Apostle said, "Procrastination (delay) in repaying debts by a wealthy person is injustice."

That the Prophet (saws) said: "Procrastination (in paying a debt) by a rich person is oppression. So if your debt is transfered from your debtor you should agree, and do not make two sales in one sale."

[Abu 'Eisa said:] The Hadith is the Abu Hurairah (no. 1308) is a Hasan Sahih Hadith. And its meaning is that when the debt of one of you is transferred then agree. Some of the people of knowledge said when a man is offered to transfer his debt to a rich man and he does so, then the transferor is free of it, he is not to seek its return from the transferor. This is the view of Ash-Shafi'i, Ahmad, and Ishaq. Some of the people of knowledge said: "When this wealth could not be collected due to bankruptcy of the one it was transferred to, then he may seek its return to the first one." They argue this view with the saying of 'Uthman and others, when they said: "There is nothing due on a Muslim's wealth that is lost." Ishaq said: "The meaning of this Hadith: 'There is nothing due on a Muslim's wealth that is lost' this is when a man transfers it to another whom he thinks is wealthy, then he becomes bankrupt, so there is nothing due on the Muslim's wealth that is lost."

Once, while we were sitting in the company of Prophet, a dead man was brought. The Prophet was requested to lead the funeral prayer for the deceased. He said, "Is he in debt?" The people replied in the negative. He said, "Has he left any wealth?" They said, "No." So, he led his funeral prayer. Another dead man was brought and the people said, "O Allah's Apostle! Lead his funeral prayer." The Prophet said, "Is he in debt?" They said, "Yes." He said, "Has he left any wealth?" They said, ''Three Dinars." So, he led the prayer. Then a third dead man was brought and the people said (to the Prophet ), Please lead his funeral prayer." He said, "Has he left any wealth?" They said, "No." He asked, "Is he in debt?" They said, ("Yes! He has to pay) three Diners.', He (refused to pray and) said, "Then pray for your (dead) companion." Abu Qatada said, "O Allah's Apostle! Lead his funeral prayer, and I will pay his debt." So, he led the prayer.

A man demanded his debts from Allah's Apostle in such a rude manner that the companions of the Prophet intended to harm him, but the Prophet said, "Leave him, no doubt, for he (the creditor) has the right to demand it (harshly). Buy a camel and give it to him." They said, "The camel that is available is older than the camel he demands. "The Prophet said, "Buy it and give it to him, for the best among you are those who repay their debts handsomely. "

Yahya said that he heard Malik say, "The way of doing things generally agreed upon in our community in the case of a man who dies and has sons and one of them claims, 'My father confirmed that so-and- so was his son,' is that the relationship is not established by the testimony of one man, and the confirmation of the one who confirmed it is only permitted as regards his own share in the division of his father's property. The one testified for is only given his due from the share of the testifier."

Malik said, "An example of this is that a man dies leaving two sons, and 600 dinars. Each of them takes 300 dinars. Then one of them testifies that his deceased father confirmed that so-and-so was his son. The one who testifies is obliged to give 100 dinars to the one thus connected. This is half of the inheritance of the one thought to be related, had he been related. If the other confirms him, he takes the other 100 and so he completes his right and his relationship is established. His position is similar to that of a woman who confirms a debt against her father or her husband and the other heirs deny it. She must pay to the person whose debt she confirms, the amount according to her share of the full debt, had it been confirmed against all the heirs. If the woman inherits an eighth, she pays the creditor an eighth of his debt. If a daughter inherits a half, she pays the creditor half of his debt. Whichever women confirm him, pay him according to this.

Malik said, "If a man's testimony is in agreement with what the woman testified to, that so- and-so had a debt against his father, the creditor is made to take an oath with one witness and he is given all his due. This is not the position with women because a man's testimony is allowed and the creditor must take an oath with the testimony of his witness, and take all his due. If he does not take an oath, he only takes from the inheritance of the one who confirmed him according to his share of the debt, because he confirmed his right and the other heirs denied it. It is permitted for him to confirm it."

When Az-Zubair got up during the battle of Al-Jamal, he called me and I stood up beside him, and he said to me, "O my son! Today one will be killed either as an oppressor or as an oppressed one. I see that I will be killed as an oppressed one. My biggest worry is my debts. Do you think, if we pay the debts, there will be something left for us from our money?" Az-Zubair added, "O my son! Sell our property and pay my debts." Az-Zubair then willed one-third of his property and willed one-third of that portion to his sons; namely, `Abdullah's sons. He said, "One-third of the one third. If any property is left after the payment of the debts, one-third (of the one-third of what is left) is to be given to your sons." (Hisham, a sub-narrator added, "Some of the sons of `Abdullah were equal in age to the sons of Az-Zubair e.g. Khubaib and `Abbas. `Abdullah had nine sons and nine daughters at that time." (The narrator `Abdullah added:) My father (Az-Zubair) went on drawing my attention to his debts saying, "If you should fail to pay part of the debts, appeal to my Master to help you." By Allah! I could not understand what he meant till I asked, "O father! Who is your Master?" He replied, "Allah (is my Master)." By Allah, whenever I had any difficulty regarding his debts, I would say, "Master of Az-Zubair! Pay his debts on his behalf ." and Allah would (help me to) pay it. Az-Zubair was martyred leaving no Dinar or Dirham but two pieces of land, one of which was (called) Al-Ghaba, and eleven houses in Medina, two in Basra, one in Kufa and one in Egypt. In fact, the source of the debt which he owed was, that if somebody brought some money to deposit with him. Az-Zubair would say, "No, (i won't keep it as a trust), but I take it as a debt, for I am afraid it might be lost." Az-Zubair was never appointed governor or collector of the tax of Kharaj or any other similar thing, but he collected his wealth (from the war booty he gained) during the holy battles he took part in, in the company of the Prophet, Abu Bakr, `Umar, and `Uthman. (`Abdullah bin Az-Zubair added:) When I counted his debt, it turned to be two million and two hundred thousand. (The sub-narrator added:) Hakim bin Hizam met `Abdullah bin Zubair and asked, "O my nephew! How much is the debt of my brother?" `Abdullah kept it as a secret and said, "One hundred thousand," Hakim said, "By Allah! I don't think your property will cover it." On that `Abdullah said to him, "What if it is two million and two hundred thousand?" Hakim said, "I don't think you can pay it; so if you are unable to pay all of it, I will help you." Az- Zubair had already bought Al-Ghaba for one hundred and seventy thousand. `Abdullah sold it for one million and six hundred thousand. Then he called the people saying, "Any person who has any money claim on Az-Zubair should come to us in Al-Ghaba." There came to him `Abdullah bin Ja`far whom Az-Zubair owed four hundred thousand. He said to `Abdullah bin Az-Zubair, "If you wish I will forgive you the debt." `Abdullah (bin Az-Zubair) said, "No." Then Ibn Ja`far said, "If you wish you can defer the payment if you should defer the payment of any debt." Ibn Az-Zubair said, "No." `Abdullah bin Ja`far said, "Give me a piece of the land." `Abdullah bin AzZubair said (to him), "Yours is the land extending from this place to this place." So, `Abdullah bin Az-Zubair sold some of the property (including the houses) and paid his debt perfectly, retaining four and a half shares from the land (i.e. Al-Ghaba). He then went to Mu'awlya while `Amr bin `Uthman, Al-Mundhir bin Az- Zubair and Ibn Zam`a were sitting with him. Mu'awiya asked, "At what price have you appraised Al- Ghaba?" He said, "One hundred thousand for each share," Muawiya asked, "How many shares have been left?" `Abdullah replied, "Four and a half shares." Al-Mundhir bin Az-Zubair said, "I would like to buy one share for one hundred thousand." `Amr bin `Uthman said, "I would like to buy one share for one hundred thousand." Ibn Zam`a said, "I would like to buy one share for one hundred thousand." Muawiya said, "How much is left now?" `Abdullah replied, "One share and a half." Muawiya said, "I would like to buy it for one hundred and fifty thousand." `Abdullah also sold his part to Muawiya six hundred thousand. When Ibn AzZubair had paid all the debts. Az-Zubair's sons said to him, "Distribute our inheritance among us." He said, "No, by Allah, I will not distribute it among you till I announce in four successive Hajj seasons, 'Would those who have money claims on Az-Zubair come so that we may pay them their debt." So, he started to announce that in public in every Hajj season, and when four years had elapsed, he distributed the inheritance among the inheritors. Az-Zubair had four wives, and after the one-third of his property was excluded (according to the will), each of his wives received one million and two hundred thousand. So the total amount of his property was fifty million and two hundred thousand.

The Prophet (saws) owed me a debt and gave me something extra when he paid it.

My father was martyred on the day (of the Ghazwa) of Uhud and left six daughters and some debts to be paid. When the time of plucking the date-fruits came, I went to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! you know that my father was martyred on Uhud's day and owed much debt, and I wish that the creditors would see you." The Prophet said, "Go and collect the various kinds of dates and place them separately in heaps"' I did accordingly and called him. On seeing him, the creditors started claiming their rights pressingly at that time. When the Prophet saw how they behaved, he went round the biggest heap for three times and sat over it and said, "Call your companions (i.e. the creditors)." Then he kept on measuring and giving them, till Allah cleared all my father's debts. By Allah, it would have pleased me that Allah would clear the debts of my father even though I had not taken a single date to my sisters. But by Allah, all the heaps were complete, (as they were) and I looked at the heap where Allah's Apostle was sitting and noticed as if not a single date had been taken thereof.

The Prophet said, "There is no believer but I, of all the people, I am the closest to him both in this world and in the Hereafter. Recite if you wish: 'The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves.' (33.6) so if a believer (dies) leaves some property then his relatives will inherit that property; but if he is in debt or he leaves poor children, let those (creditors and children) come to me (that I may pay the debt and provide for the children), for them I am his sponsor (surely).

A woman came to the Prophet and said, "My mother vowed to perform the Hajj but she died before performing it. Should I perform the Hajj on her behalf?" He said, "Yes! Perform the Hajj on her behalf. See, if your mother had been in debt, would you have paid her debt?" She said, "Yes." He said, "So you should pay what is for Him as Allah has more right that one should fulfill one's obligations to Him. "

Allah's Apostle owed a man some debt (and that man demanded it very harshly). The companions of the Prophet wanted to harm him, but the Prophet said to them, "Leave him, as the creditor has the right to speak harshly." He then added, "Buy (a camel) of the same age and give it to him." They said, "We cannot get except a camel of an older age than that of his." He said, "Buy it and give it to him, as the best amongst you is he who pays back his debt in the most handsome way.'