Pay off debts or go out in Jamaat?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

At the outset, if the debt is not due as yet and the fixed time of repayment has still not arrived, then in such a situation the debtor may travel or go for Jamaat. However, if the debt is due, then one must first try to pay off the debt and refrain from traveling.^[1]

It is a grave sin to delay the payment of a debt once it is due. Consider the following Hadith:

عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ، أَخِي وَهْبِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَطْلُ الْغَنِيِّ ظُلْمٌ ‏" (صحيح البخاري-2400)

Abu Huraira narrates: Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "Procrastination (delay) in repaying debts by a wealthy person is oppression." (Bukhari-2400)

Therefore, if the debts are due, you will be infringing upon the creditors’ rights by going for Jamaat.

Work hard to pay off the various debts as soon as possible. Once all the debts have been paid off, your husband may go for Jamaat.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mudassir Benish

Student Darul Iftaa
Houston, TX, U.S.A

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

 الدر المختار (5/ 384) ^[1]

[فرع] لا يحبس في دين مؤجل، وكذا لا يمنع من السفر قبل حلول الأجل وإن بعذر له السفر معه، فإذا حل منعه حتى يوفيه بدائع، وقدمناه في الكفالة

حاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (5/ 384)

(قوله: لا يحبس في دين مؤجل) لأنه لا يطالب به قبل حلول الأجل

(قوله: وإن بعد) أي السفر بحيث يحل الأجل قبل قدومه

(قوله: وقدمناه في الكفالة) أي في آخرها وقدمنا هناك ترجيح إلزامه بإعطاء كفيل فراجعه