Business Ethics: "Show Leniency"

Yesterday, I was talking with a young man who runs a rented shop. He mentioned that due to the coronavirus, sales have decreased, and it would be good if the shop owner understood the situation, as collecting rent these days is difficult. He said it would be a good deed if the owner could provide some relief or deferment until the situation improves...

These days, we hear about some disagreements between landlords and tenants, as well as between those who sell on credit and their customers. Debtors say they are struggling to pay their debts on time because work has stopped due to the coronavirus, while sellers demand their rights, saying "payment must be made as promised." When we refer to our religion, if the debtor is genuinely in difficulty, it encourages granting them respite until they are able to pay. Below are some relevant verses and hadiths:

"If (the debtor) is in difficulty, then grant him respite until a time of ease. And if you give (the debt) as charity, it would be better for you, if you only knew" (Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 280).

Narrated Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There was a merchant who used to extend credit to people. If he saw a needy person, he would say to his servants: 'Forgive (part or all of) his debt, perhaps Allah will forgive us.' So Allah forgave him" (Bukhari).

Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The angels received the soul of a man from among those who came before you. They asked: 'Did you do any good deeds?' He replied: 'I used to instruct my servants to show leniency to those in ease (regardless of minor shortcomings) and to forgive the debts of those in difficulty.' (Allah) said: 'You show leniency to him, (forgiving his sins), as he showed leniency to others'" (Bukhari).

Narrated Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him): I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "Whoever would like Allah to save him from the distress of the Day of Resurrection, let him give respite to a debtor in difficulty or forgive (part or all of) his debt" (Muslim).

Narrated Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There was a man who used to extend credit to people. He would say to his servant: 'If you come across a debtor in difficulty, forgive (part or all of) his debt; perhaps Allah will forgive us.' When he met Allah, Allah forgave him" (Bukhari & Muslim).

Narrated Abu Mas'ud al-Badri (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A man from among those before you was brought to account, and no good deed was found for him. However, he was a wealthy man who mixed with people. He used to instruct his servants to grant ease to those in difficulty. Allah Almighty said: 'We have more right to do this than him, so forgive him'" (Muslim).

Narrated Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever grants respite to a debtor in difficulty, or forgives part of his debt, Allah will shade him under the shade of His Throne on the Day when there is no shade but His shade" (Tirmidhi).

[Since Allah is the owner of all shades, the hadith attributes the shade to Allah, saying "His shade"].

Narrated Buraydah al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever grants respite to a debtor in difficulty, for each day he receives the reward of a charity. If he grants further respite after the term expires, for each day he receives the equivalent of that charity" (Ibn Majah).

From these verses and hadiths, it becomes clear that if a landlord or seller forgives part of the debt of a distressed buyer or grants them respite until they are able to pay, they will have performed an act that purifies sins, removes the anxieties of the Hereafter, and leads to Paradise.

In fact, this is a great opportunity granted by Allah to landlords and sellers. By helping distressed buyers, they have the chance to obtain one of the means to enter Paradise. They should seize this opportunity.

Conversely, tenants and buyers should express gratitude to sellers, make efforts to repay the debt, and repay it as soon as possible without delay, for it is oppression for a wealthy person to delay repayment.

Furthermore, it is also a requirement of our Shariah to help families who live day-to-day and whose work has stopped at this time.

Qudratullah Sidiqmetov

Teacher at Tashkent Islamic Institute,

Deputy Imam of "Ahmadjon qori" Mosque

Source: islommoliyasi.uz