Imprisonment Until Debt Is Paid

Hazrat Taliq bin Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man owed me three hundred dirhams. I had a dispute with him before Hazrat Shurayh (may Allah have mercy on him). That man said, "He had promised me that he would treat me well." Hazrat Shurayh (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Allah has commanded: "Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due." __QUR_N__ And he ordered that the man be imprisoned, and I continued to demand his imprisonment until he reconciled with me for one hundred and fifty dirhams.

Hazrat Shurayh (may Allah have mercy on him) used to order imprisonment in matters of debt.

Hazrat Sha’bi (may Allah have mercy on him) says that when I do not record a debt, I end up losing my right.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Mahzam, may Allah have mercy on him, that a man brought his debtor to Hazrat Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, and said, "Have him imprisoned." Hazrat Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, asked, "Do you know if he has any wealth with which I can take from him and give to you?" He replied, "No." He (Abu Hurairah) asked, "Do you know if he owns a large piece of land?" He replied, "No." He (Abu Hurairah) asked, "Then what do you want?" He replied, "Imprison him." Hazrat Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "No, rather I will let him go so that he may earn a livelihood for you, for himself, and for his family."

Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) gave a verdict similar to that of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him).

It is narrated from Hazrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was imprisoned due to debt.

Abdul Ala (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I went to Shurayh. He had imprisoned Rustam in lieu of a debt.

22205 - Waki‘ said: We did not encounter any of our judges—such as Ibn Abi Layla and others—except that he would imprison for debt.