There was a man who used to give loans to people. He would say to his servant: ‘When you come to an insolvent person, overlook his debt; perhaps Allah would overlook our sins.’
Chapter: The virute of giving more time to one who is suffering difficulty, and letting those go who are suffering difficulty and those who are well off
Authentic
hadith of Sahih Muslim
Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim)Sahih Muslim 1562a
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"There was a man who used to give loans to people. He would say to his servant: ‘When you come to an insolvent person, overlook his debt; perhaps Allah would overlook our sins.’ So, the man met Allah (after death), and He overlooked his sins."
Reported by Muslim (No. 1562a), Al-Bukhari (No. 3480), An-Nasa’i (No. 4695) and Ahmad (No. 7263, 8037, 8113).
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) talks about a man who used to give loans to people or sell to them with deferred payment. He used to say to his servant who would collect debts from the people: When you go to a debtor and find him unable to repay the debt, "overlook his debt", either by giving him respite or not pressing him to pay, or by accepting the little he offers, though it falls below the due amount. He did that in the hope that Allah would pardon and forgive him. When he died, Allah forgave him and overlooked his sins.
Lessons
Dealing with people in a benevolent and forgiving manner and overlooking the debts of those who are insolvent is one of the greatest means of salvation on the Day of Judgment.
Benevolence towards people, sincerity toward Allah, and hoping for His mercy are the means for the forgiveness of sins.
Explanation in Arabic
يُخبِرُ النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عن رجُلٍ كان يتعامل مع الناس بالقَرْض، أو يَبِيعُهم بالآجِل، وكان يقول لغلامه الذي يَتَقاضى الدُّيون التي عند الناس:
إذا أتيتَ مَدِيْنًا ولم يكن عنده ما يقضي به الدَّين الذي عليه لعجزه "فَتَجَاوَزْ عنه"؛ إما بإمهالِه وعدم الإلحاح في المطالبة، أو بقبول ما عنده ولو مع ما فيه مِن نَقْص، وذلك رَغْبةٌ منه وطَمَعٌ في أنْ يتجاوزَ اللهُ عنه ويعفوَ عنه.
فلما ماتَ عفا اللهُ عنه وتجاوزَ عن سيئاتِه.
الإحسان في معاملة الناس والعفو عنهم والتجاوز عن معسرهم من أعظم أسباب نجاة العبد يوم القيامة.
الإحسان إلى الخلق والإخلاص لله والرجاء في رحمته من أسباب مغفرة الذنوب.
Scholars’ grades
Scholar
Grade
Applies to
Work
Muslimd. 261 AH
Authenticصحيح
The hadith
صحيح مسلمNo. 1562
Grades of other versions (4)
AuthenticAl-Albaniصحيح — صحيح الجامع (4454)
Authentic chainShu'ayb al-Arna'utإسناده صحيح على شرط الشيخين — تخريج المسند لشعيب (8467)
Authentic chainShu'ayb al-Arna'utإسناده صحيح — تخريج المسند لشعيب (7579)
AuthenticAl-Bukhariصحيح — صحيح البخاري (3480)
Other versions
AuthenticMuttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim)Sahih al-Bukhari 3480
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Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A slave of Allah whom Allah granted wealth will be brought before Him, and He will ask him: 'What did you do in the worldly life?' (Hudhayfah said: {And they will be able to hide…