Chapter 91

What to say when burdened by debts which one is unable to repay

Remembrance 1
WE RELATE FROM the book of at-Tirmidhī from ‘Alī Honorific symbol, who narrated that a slave who was buying his freedom came to him and said: “I am unable to pay the price for my freedom, so help me.” He Honorific symbol said: “Shall I not teach you words that the Messenger of Allah Honorific symbol taught me? Were your debts like mountains Allah would settle them for you. Say: O Allah, make what You have made lawful sufficient for me so that I need not what You have made unlawful; and make me independent of all but You by Your Generosity.” [1].At-Tirmidhī states that this is a ḥasan hadith.
Arabic text from the source edition
Allāhumma-kfinī bi-ḥalālika ‘an ḥarāmik, wa aghninī bi-faḍlika ‘amman siwāk.
We have already mentioned, in the chapter about what is to be said morning and evening, the hadith of Abū Dāwūd from Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī Honorific symbol about the story of the man called Abū Umāmah who said: “Worries and debts have remained with me.”

References

[1] At-Tirmidhī (3558). Ibn Ḥajar states that this hadith is ḥasan gharīb.