Reports on granting respite to one in hardship and being lenient with one who is well-off

Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The angels met the soul of a man from those who were before you and said to him: Have you done any good deed? He said: No. They said: Try to remember. He said: I used to lend to people, and I would instruct my servants to give respite to the one in hardship and to be lenient with the well-off. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said that Allah Almighty said: Pardon him."

Rib'i bin Hirash (may Allah have mercy on him) said that Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "A man died, and he was asked: What did you do? He said: I used to buy and sell with people, and I would give them respite and be lenient." So he entered Paradise. And Abu Mas'ud al-Badri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I (too) heard it from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

Sayyiduna Abu Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A man from those before you was brought to account, and no good deed was found for him except that he used to mix with people, and he would say to his servants: Overlook the one in hardship. So Allah, the Lord of Might, said to His angels: We are more entitled to that; you too overlook him."

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "A man used to lend to people, and when someone fell into hardship he would say to his servants: 'Overlook him; perhaps Allah, the Lord of Might, will overlook us.' He met Allah, and Allah overlooked him."

Abdullah bin Abi Qatadah (may Allah have mercy on him) said that Sayyiduna Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) was looking for a debtor of his, who kept hiding from him. Then he found him, and he said: I am in hardship. Sayyiduna Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "By Allah?" He said: "By Allah." Then Sayyiduna Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Whoever would love Allah to save him from the terrors of the Day of Resurrection, let him give respite to one in hardship or forgive him altogether."

Ubadah bin al-Walid bin Ubadah bin al-Samit (may Allah have mercy on him) said: My father and I went out to seek knowledge among this tribe of the Ansar before they passed away. The first one we met was Abu al-Yasar (may Allah be pleased with him), the Companion of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). With him was a servant of his, and he had a bundle of written sheets with him. Abu al-Yasar (may Allah be pleased with him) was wearing a Ma'afiri cloak, and so was his servant. My father said: O uncle! I see a darkening of anger in your face. He said: A certain son of so-and-so, al-Harami (a man of the Banu Haram tribe), owed me money. I came to his house and gave the greeting of peace, and I asked: Where is he? They said: He is not here. Then his young son came out to me, and I asked: Where is your father? He said: He heard your voice and hid behind my mother's sheet or cushion. I called out: Come out! I know where you are hiding. When he came out, I asked: What made you hide from me? He said: By Allah! I will tell you the truth. Then he said: I will not lie, for I feared Allah that I would speak to you and lie, or that I would make you a promise and break it, while you are a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him); and by Allah! I am truly in hardship. He said: I asked: "By Allah?" He said: "By Allah!" He said: I asked: "By Allah?" He said: "Yes, by Allah!" I asked again: "By Allah?" He said: "Yes, by Allah!" Then he brought the written agreement and erased it with his hand and said: "If you find the means to repay, then repay; otherwise you are released from it." These two eyes of mine saw (and he placed his two fingers on his eyes), and these two ears of mine heard, and this heart of mine retained it (and he pointed to his heart), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever gives respite to one in hardship or forgives his debt, Allah Almighty will grant him His shade (on the Day of Resurrection)."

Sayyiduna Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever gives respite to one in hardship will have, for each day, the reward of giving its like in charity." He said: I said: O Messenger of Allah! A charity for each day? Then I said to him: For each day the like of it in charity? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "For him there is a charity for each day as long as the debt has not fallen due; and when the debt has fallen due and he then gives him respite, he will have, for each day, the like of it in charity."