The Weight of Human Rights and the Blessings of Ramadan in Islam

Delay in paying debt without respite is sin

O Muslims! Tremble with fear! The matter of fulfilling the rights of other people is very crucial. Violating someone’s right, abusing him, frightening him by staring at him aggressively, threatening him, hurting his feelings by telling him off or in any other way, not paying his due debt or delaying the payment of his debt without a Shar’i exemption; these are all examples of depriving people of their rights.

Remember! If one owes someone money and is not in a position to pay it in cash but can pay it even by selling his household furniture, he must do so. If one does not pay debt without debtor’s permission despite having the means to do so, he will remain a sinner unless he pays the debt. Whether he is awake or asleep, a sin will be recorded (in his book of deeds) for each and every moment. In other words, his meter of sins will continue to tick away. It is the consequence of delaying the payment of debt, what will be the severity of the sin of not paying it at all.

Burden of three paisas

A’la Hadrat, Imam-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat, Maulana Shah Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was asked a question about a (supposed) man called Zaid who delayed in paying a debt and made lame excuses without any valid reason. A’la Hadrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه answered: ‘Zaid is a sinner, corrupt, an oppressor, a liar and liable for punishment, what else does he want to be called! If he dies without paying the debt he will have to give the creditors his good deeds. He will have to give 700 Salah with Jama’at for approximately 3 paisas (that he owes). If he runs out of good deeds he will have to carry the burden of their (the creditors) sins and will be thrown into Hell.’ (Fatawa Razawiyyah (Jadid), pp. 69, vol. 25)

Dear Islamic brothers! It is impossible for the oppressor to attain salvation without satisfying the oppressed one. However, if Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ wants He عَزَّوَجَلَّ will reconcile between the oppressed and the oppressor on the Day of Judgement; otherwise, the oppressed will be given the good deeds of the oppressor. If this does not settle the case either, the sins of the oppressed will be given to the oppressor, and though this oppressor may have left the world as a pious man with heaps of good deeds, on Judgement Day he will be left empty-handed and be thrown into Hell. We seek Allah’s refuge.

Who will be destitute on Judgement Day?

The Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم once asked his companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُم, ‘Do you know as to who a destitute person is?’ They replied, ‘Ya Rasoolallah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم the one who does not have wealth is a destitute.’ He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘The destitute in my Ummah is the one who will be brought on the Judgement Day with Salah, fasts and charity (in his book of deeds) but would have abused and accused someone, he would have taken wealth unlawfully and shed blood (or) beaten someone and as a result of these sins, his good deeds will be taken from him. If he runs out of good deeds and there are still claimants (against him), he would have to take the sins of the oppressed (people) and would resultantly be thrown into Hell.’(Sahih Muslim, pp. 1394, Hadees 2581)

صَلُّوْا عَلَی الْحَبِیْب صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلٰی مُحَمَّد

Who is an oppressor?

Remember! It is not only the murderers, robbers and gangsters that are oppressors; in fact, anyone who violates even a minor right of the other person is an oppressor (and the other is the oppressed). For example, unlawfully taking even a single rupee of the other person, unlawfully scolding someone, staring aggressively at someone, teasing him etc. are all the acts of oppression.

If the oppressed also violated the rights of the oppressor, both of them would be oppressors and the oppressed in this case. There will be many such people who will be the ‘oppressed’ in one case and the ‘oppressor’ in the other.

Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Anis رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه has stated that on the Day of Judgement, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will say, ‘No one shall enter Hell or Heaven until he/she is held accountable for the rights of people.’ So if anyone has violated the rights of others he will not enter Hell or Heaven until he compensates for it. (Akhlaq-us-Salihin, pp. 55)

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In order to get detailed information about people’s rights, please read the booklet ‘Aftermath of Cruelty’ published by Maktaba-tul-Madinah. Ya Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ protect Muslims from violating each others’ rights and enable us to apologize and forgive each other for all previous mistakes in this matter!

اٰمِیْنٌ بِجَاہِ النَّبِیِّ الْاَمِیْن صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم

صَلُّوْا عَلَی الْحَبِیْب صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلٰی مُحَمَّد

Excellence of dying in Ramadan

The fortunate Muslims who die in the blessed month of Ramadan not only remain safe from being questioned and punished in their graves, but also deserve Heaven. The honourable scholars رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی have said, ‘The Muslim who dies in this month will go straight into Paradise; as if the gate of Hell is closed for him.’ (Anis-ul-Wa'izin, pp. 25)

Glad tidings of Heaven for three people

Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ood رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُ has narrated that the Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated, ‘If anyone dies at the end of Ramadan he will enter Heaven; if anyone dies at the end of the day of ‘Arafah (9th Zul-Hajj) he will enter Heaven too, if anyone dies whilst donating (in the Here is the complete text extracted from the image:

path of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ) he will also enter Heaven.’ (Hilyat-ul-Awliya, pp. 26, vol. 5, Hadees 6187)

Reward for fasting until Judgement Day

Mother of the believers, Sayyidatuna ‘Aaishah Siddiqah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا has narrated that the Noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said, ‘If anyone dies in the state of fast, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will bless him with the reward of fasting until the Day of Judgement.’ (Firdaus Bima Saur-ul-Khattab, pp. 504, vol. 3, Hadees 5557)

سُبْحٰنَ اللہِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ! How fortunate the fasting person is! If he dies in the state of fast, he will be granted the reward of fasting till the Day of Judgement. Sayyiduna Anas Bin Malik رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُ has said that he heard Rasoolullah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم say, ‘Ramadan has come to you, the gates of Heaven are opened and those of Hell are closed, and the devils are held in captivity. The person who finds Ramadan but is not forgiven is a deprived one, because if he is not forgiven even in Ramadan, when will he be forgiven then?’ (Majma’-uz-Zawaid, pp. 345, vol. 3, Hadees 4788)