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:

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

Brother Burhan,

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 280

280  If the debtor is in a difficulty grant him time till it is easy for him to repay. But if ye remit if by way of charity, that is best for you if ye only knew.

Is there any Reward for the person who grant time till it easy for the debtor to pay?  

And suppose still he couldn't pay, then is it allowed in Islam to remit by the way of Zakat (Pillar of Islam) or it is only allowed to remit by volunteer charity.

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Answer:

Can debt loan be forgiven as charity

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 none 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: Is there any Reward for the person who grant time till it easy for the debtor to

pay?  

If one finds that one’s debtor is strained or in difficulty, and one defers or grants some time unto the debtor until it is easy for him to repay his debt…….only for the Sake and Pleasure of their Lord, without an iota of a doubt, one would be eligible to receive unimaginable rewards in the Presence of their Lord for their benevolent gesture.

Your Question: And suppose still he couldn't pay, then is it allowed in Islam to remit by the way of Zakat (Pillar of Islam) or it is only allowed to remit by volunteer charity.

One of the condition of fulfilling one’s obligatory worship of ‘zakah’ is that one should have the ‘neeyah’ or intention of paying one’s ‘zakah’ dues before one pays the amount.

The scholars and the jurists in Islam are almost unanimous in their opinion that one cannot transfer an unpaid loan as a fulfillment of their obligatory ‘zakah’ dues; but rather if one wishes to forgive the loan that is due to them, they may do so as voluntary charity or ‘sadaqah’. And Allah Alone Knows Best.

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