سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 280
وَإِن كَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَىٰ مَيْسَرَةٍ ۚ وَأَن تَصَدَّقُوا۟ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿280﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And if the debtor is in a hard time (has no money), then grant him time till it is easy for him to repay, but if you remit it by way of charity, that is better for you if you did but know.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِن
wa-in
And if
كَانَ
kāna
is
ذُو
dhū
the (debtor)
عُسْرَةٍۢ
ʿus'ratin
in difficulty
فَنَظِرَةٌ
fanaẓiratun
then postponement
إِلَىٰ
ilā
until
مَيْسَرَةٍۢ ۚ
maysaratin
ease
وَأَن
wa-an
And if
تَصَدَّقُوا۟
taṣaddaqū
you remit as charity
خَيْرٌۭ
khayrun
(it is) better
لَّكُمْ ۖ
lakum
for you
إِن
in
If
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you
تَعْلَمُونَ
taʿlamūna
know
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
280. And if the debtor is in hardship, then grant him time until ease. But if you remit it as charity, it is better for you [400], if only you knew.
[400] The virtue in granting respite to a debtor or forgiving him is made clear by the following hadiths:
(1) Hazrat Abu Qatadah ؓ narrates: "Whoever wishes that Allah saves him from the hardships of the Day of Resurrection, he should grant respite to the one in difficulty or forgive him." [مسلم: كتاب المساقاة و المزارعة، باب فضل انظار المعسر]
(2)
The Virtue of Granting Respite in Debt:
The Prophet ﷺ said: "If a person is owed a debt and the debtor delays payment, then for every day (of delay), the creditor receives the reward of charity." [احمد بحواله، مشكوٰة۔ كتاب البيوع۔ باب الافلاس والا نظار، فصل ثالث]
(3) The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever grants respite to a person in difficulty or forgives him, Allah will grant him a place under His shade on the Day of Resurrection." (Excerpt from a lengthy hadith) [مسلم۔ كتاب الزهد۔ باب حديث جابر و قصة ابي بسير] And if the debtor is in difficulty and there are many creditors, the Islamic court is authorized to have the creditor or creditors grant respite or forgive a portion of the debt. (This situation is called bankruptcy in our context, and in Arabic, iflas and taflis.) Thus, Hazrat Abu Sa'id ؓ says that in the time of the Prophet ﷺ, a man suffered a loss in the sale and purchase of fruit and his debt increased greatly. The Prophet ﷺ said to the people: "Give him charity." The people gave charity, but still the amount was not enough to pay off the debts. The Prophet ﷺ said to the creditors: "Take whatever (proportion of the debt) you receive, and that is all you are entitled to." [مسلم۔ كتاب المساقاة و المزارعة۔ باب وضع الجوائع] Abdullah bin Ka'b ؓ says that (my father) Ka'b bin Malik demanded his debt from Abdullah bin Abi Hadrad in the Prophet's Mosque. Both began to shout. The Prophet ﷺ was in his chamber. When he heard their voices, he lifted the curtain of his chamber and came out, and called Ka'b ؓ. Ka'b ؓ said: "Present, O Messenger of Allah!" The Prophet ﷺ gestured and said: "Forgive half the debt." Ka'b ؓ said: "O Messenger of Allah! I have forgiven it." Then the Prophet ﷺ said to Abu Hadrad ؓ: "Get up and pay the debt." [بخاري۔ كتاب الحضومات۔ باب كلام الحضوم بعضهم فى بعض۔ نيز كتاب الصلٰوة، باب التقاضي و الملازمة فى المسجد] However, if a creditor finds his own item (for which the debtor has not yet paid) in the possession of the debtor, it will belong to him. [بخاري۔ كتاب فى الاستقراض۔ باب من وجد ماله عند مفلس نيز مسلم۔ كتاب المساقاة و المزارعة، باب من ادرك ماله۔۔۔] In the case of bankruptcy, the Islamic court can seize the debtor's property. Thus, Ka'b bin Malik ؓ narrates from his father that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prevented Mu'adh ؓ from disposing of his wealth, and that wealth was sold to pay off his debt. [رواه دارقطني و صححه الحاكم و اخرجه، ابو داؤد مرسلاً]
However, the following items will be exempted from seizure:
(1) The bankrupt person's residence, (2) clothing for him and his family, (3) if he is a trader, his trade equipment, and if he is a laborer, his tools of work, (4) food and drink for him and his family, and household utensils, etc. [فقه السنة، ج 3 ص 408]
[400] The virtue in granting respite to a debtor or forgiving him is made clear by the following hadiths:
(1) Hazrat Abu Qatadah ؓ narrates: "Whoever wishes that Allah saves him from the hardships of the Day of Resurrection, he should grant respite to the one in difficulty or forgive him." [مسلم: كتاب المساقاة و المزارعة، باب فضل انظار المعسر]
(2)
The Virtue of Granting Respite in Debt:
The Prophet ﷺ said: "If a person is owed a debt and the debtor delays payment, then for every day (of delay), the creditor receives the reward of charity." [احمد بحواله، مشكوٰة۔ كتاب البيوع۔ باب الافلاس والا نظار، فصل ثالث]
(3) The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever grants respite to a person in difficulty or forgives him, Allah will grant him a place under His shade on the Day of Resurrection." (Excerpt from a lengthy hadith) [مسلم۔ كتاب الزهد۔ باب حديث جابر و قصة ابي بسير] And if the debtor is in difficulty and there are many creditors, the Islamic court is authorized to have the creditor or creditors grant respite or forgive a portion of the debt. (This situation is called bankruptcy in our context, and in Arabic, iflas and taflis.) Thus, Hazrat Abu Sa'id ؓ says that in the time of the Prophet ﷺ, a man suffered a loss in the sale and purchase of fruit and his debt increased greatly. The Prophet ﷺ said to the people: "Give him charity." The people gave charity, but still the amount was not enough to pay off the debts. The Prophet ﷺ said to the creditors: "Take whatever (proportion of the debt) you receive, and that is all you are entitled to." [مسلم۔ كتاب المساقاة و المزارعة۔ باب وضع الجوائع] Abdullah bin Ka'b ؓ says that (my father) Ka'b bin Malik demanded his debt from Abdullah bin Abi Hadrad in the Prophet's Mosque. Both began to shout. The Prophet ﷺ was in his chamber. When he heard their voices, he lifted the curtain of his chamber and came out, and called Ka'b ؓ. Ka'b ؓ said: "Present, O Messenger of Allah!" The Prophet ﷺ gestured and said: "Forgive half the debt." Ka'b ؓ said: "O Messenger of Allah! I have forgiven it." Then the Prophet ﷺ said to Abu Hadrad ؓ: "Get up and pay the debt." [بخاري۔ كتاب الحضومات۔ باب كلام الحضوم بعضهم فى بعض۔ نيز كتاب الصلٰوة، باب التقاضي و الملازمة فى المسجد] However, if a creditor finds his own item (for which the debtor has not yet paid) in the possession of the debtor, it will belong to him. [بخاري۔ كتاب فى الاستقراض۔ باب من وجد ماله عند مفلس نيز مسلم۔ كتاب المساقاة و المزارعة، باب من ادرك ماله۔۔۔] In the case of bankruptcy, the Islamic court can seize the debtor's property. Thus, Ka'b bin Malik ؓ narrates from his father that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prevented Mu'adh ؓ from disposing of his wealth, and that wealth was sold to pay off his debt. [رواه دارقطني و صححه الحاكم و اخرجه، ابو داؤد مرسلاً]
However, the following items will be exempted from seizure:
(1) The bankrupt person's residence, (2) clothing for him and his family, (3) if he is a trader, his trade equipment, and if he is a laborer, his tools of work, (4) food and drink for him and his family, and household utensils, etc. [فقه السنة، ج 3 ص 408]
