My father died a four years ago. my father borrowed some money from a hindu man which he was not able to give it back, in his life time
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa
Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
My father died a four years ago. my father borrowed some money from a hindu man
which he was not able to give it back, in his life time. Now i want to give the
lended money back to the hindu man, but unfortunatle i do not know where the
man is. The man is hindu. Could please tell me, what should i do to give his
money back. i do not know where the man is now. how will i be able to give the
borrowed money back, which my father borrowed.
Jazakallah
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Answer:
Debt of deceased
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask
for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever
He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that
there is no one (no idol, no person, no
grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai,
nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that
Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Regardless of whether the debt is owed to a muslim or a
non-muslim, the Messenger of Allah (saws) laid great emphasis that debts should
be discharged. Such is the significance
of discharging debts in Islam that Allah Subhanah has commanded that before the
heirs of the deceased receive even a cent from the inheritance, the debts of
the deceased should be discharged and only if something is left after the
paying of the debts of the deceased should the balance be distributed amongst
their surviving heirs.
Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 3558 Narrated by
I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: “A
loan must be paid back, a she-camel lent for a time for milking must be returned,
a debt must be discharged, and one who stands surety is held responsible.”
Sahih Muslim Hadith 4649 Narrated by Amr ibn al-'As
The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “All the
sins of a Martyr are forgiven except debt.”
Your
Question: Could please tell me, what should i do to give his money back. i do
not know where the man is now. how will i be able to give the borrowed money
back, which my father borrowed.
Beloved brother, fear Allah and sincerely try to the
absolute best of your ability to locate the person (regardless of whether he is
a muslim or non-muslim) and discharge the debt of your deceased father. If the person who lent your father is dead,
it is your duty to pay the debt of your father to his heirs.
If after even your very best efforts you are unable to
locate the person, then spend that wealth on some deserving charity or the poor
and needy with the sole intention of paying back your father’s debt; it is
expected that your Lord Most Gracious will accept your efforts and your
intention in repaying your father’s debts and relieve your father of his burden
from His Grace in the Hereafter.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to
Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only
Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
Wister