Procrastination in Payment by the Wealthy Is Injustice

Question

(1) Some wealthy people who own grand buildings, orchards and lands nevertheless do not repay their creditors’ debts; rather, they are constantly bent on getting them written off. Are they not wrongdoers (zalim) under the hadith “Procrastination in payment by the wealthy is injustice”? (2) Through such actions a very harmful path of default is opening up in dealings, which is ruinous for the whole market.

Answer

[ar]مطل الغني ظلم، الحديث[/ar] “Procrastination in payment by the wealthy is injustice” (hadith). And in another narration it is stated: [ar]لي الواجد يحل عرضه وعقوبته[/ar] “Delay in payment by one who has the means makes his dishonour and his punishment lawful.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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