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:

Dear Bhai Burhan,

Could you please throw some light on the meaning of Qarzan Hasana? What is the exact meaning of this term? As far as I can understand from my limited intelligence, it means monetarily helping and encouraging the needy and/or unemployed people to start some sort of halal business (however small it may be) so that they can stand on their own feet without resorting to begging or earning money through dubious means.

The Qarzan could also be taken to get out of a potentially debilitating interest ridden debt trap. But, the Qarzan Hasana scheme launched by our bohra community asks for wealthy guarantors, gold deposits of equivalent amount, post dated cheques from the guarantors as well as the person receiving the loan etc. Tell me, if a needy person had all these resources then he wouldn`t need a Qarzan, would he? Coming back to my question - I always thought that this Qarzan should be free of guarantors, gold deposits and post dated cheques and the debtor should be free of any tension of repaying the amount in a strictly fixed schedule. Of course, I don`t mean that the money should be lent and forgotten but atleast the debtor should not be pressurised into the repayment. Sometimes these stringent rules are a deterrent in themselves for genuine people seeking monetary help for their economic upliftment. Your reply to my query will be appreciated. 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

What is Karz hasana

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.

Your Question: Could you please throw some light on the meaning of Qarzan Hasana? What is the exact meaning of this term?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 57 Surah Hadeed verse 11:

11 Who is he that will loan to Allah a beautiful Loan (kardan-hasana)? For (Allah) will increase it manifold to his credit and he will have (besides) a liberal reward.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 57 Surah Hadeed verse 18:

18 For those who give in charity men and women, and loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan (kardan-hasana) it shall be increased manifold (to their credit) and they shall have (besides) a liberal reward

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 73 Surah Muzammil verse 20:

20 …. Read ye therefore as much of the Qur'an as may be easy (for you); and establish regular Prayer and give regular Charity; and loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan (kardan-hasana). And whatever good ye send forth for your souls Ye shall find it in Allah's Presence, yea, better and greater in Reward. And seek ye the Grace of Allah: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 245:

245 Who is he that will loan to Allah a beautiful loan (kardan-hasana) Which Allah will double unto his credit And multiply many times? It is Allah that giveth (you) Want or plenty And to Him shall be Your return.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 64 Surah Taghabun verse 17:

17 If ye loan to Allah a beautiful loan (kardan-hasana) He will double it to your (credit) and He will grant you Forgiveness: for Allah is most Ready to appreciate (service) Most Forbearing

In light of the guidance of the above absolutely clear verses of the Glorious Quran, any amount one spends in the Cause of Allah or to help one amongst Allah’s creation seeking absolutely no thanks, nor rewards, nor any material or worldly benefit or honor for their act of charity…..but rather seeking to exclusively earn only the Pleasure and Good Will of their Lord Most Gracius….the Lord Most Merciful takes every cent spent in His Name and in His Cause as a loan unto Himself which He has promised to repay manifold to the person in the Hereafter.

This pure spending of charity in the Name and Cause of Allah by a believer in this world seeking absolutely nothing but The Lord’s Pleasure and Good Will in the Hereafter is what is termed ‘kardan-hasana’ by the Lord Most Gracious in His Glorious Quran.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 262-264:

262 Those who spend their substance in the Cause of Allah and follow not up their gifts with reminders of their generosity or with injury for them their reward is with their Lord; on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.

263 Kind words and the covering of faults are better than charity followed by injury. Allah is free of all wants and he is Most Forbearing.

264 O ye who believe! Cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury like those who spend their substance to be seen of men but believe neither in Allah nor in the Last Day. They are in Parable like a hard barren rock on which is a little soil; on it falls heavy rain which leaves it (just) a bare stone. They will be able to do nothing with aught they have earned. And Allah guideth not those who reject faith.

The charity which is not accepted by Allah as a ‘kardan-hasana’ or the acts which cancel the virtues of charity are:

1. Charity which is done to obtain any material or worldly benefit or praise.
2. Charity which is followed by reminders of generosity.
3. Charity which is given after harsh words or displaying of the faults of the recipient.
4. Charity which is given to be seen of men.
5. Charity which is given for reason other than to earn the Pleasure and Good Will of the Lord Most High.

Indeed if one muslim gives his brother muslim some seed money as help or as a loan (without taking any interest upon repayment of course), provided their intention to help their brother was to earn the Pleasure and Good Will of Allah Subhanah…indeed such help or such a loan would be included by Allah Subhanah as a ‘kardan-hasana’ or a beautiful loan.

Although there is no harm or restriction in asking the one to whom a loan is given to provide a guarantee for the safe return of their loan, such a loan would be a normal financial transaction between two people and not the beautiful loan or ‘kardan-hasana’ as stated by Allah in the Glorious Quran.

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