عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُ: أنَّ رَسُولَ اللّهِ صَلَّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «كَانَ رَجُلٌ يُدَايِنُ النَّاسَ، وَكَانَ يَقُولُ لِفَتَاهُ: إِذَا أَتَيْتَ مُعْسِرًا فَتَجَاوَزْ عَنْهُ، لَعَلَّ اللّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ يَتَجَاوَزَ عَنَّا. فَلَقِيَ اللّهَ فَتَجَاوَزَ عَنْهُ» مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There was a man who used to lend to people, and he would say to his servant: 'When you come upon one in hardship, overlook the debt for him; perhaps Allah (the Mighty and Majestic) will overlook our sins for us.' So he met Allah, and Allah overlooked for him." Agreed upon (al-Bukhari and Muslim).
الشرح · explanation
كان رجل: أي من مؤمني الأمم السابقة. يداين: يكثر من التعامل معهم بالدين. فَتَاهُ: أجيره. فتجاوز عنه: تساهل معه، ويدخل في ذلك حسن المطالبة والحطّ من الدَّين والتأخير في الأجل. أن يتجاوز عنا: يعفو عن ذنوبنا لأنّ الجزاء من جنس العمل.
"There was a man": that is, from the believers of past nations. "Used to lend": he dealt much with them through lending on credit. "His servant (fata)": his hired worker. "Overlook the debt for him": be easy with him; this includes courteous demanding, reducing the debt, and extending the term. "Overlook our sins for us": pardon our sins, for the recompense is of the same kind as the deed.
الدروس · lessons
أنّ اليسير مِن الحسنات إذا كان خالصًا للّه كفّر كثيرًا من السيئات. حصولُ الأجر للآمِر بالتيسير، وإن لم يتولّ ذلك بنَفسه. أنَّ من عليه دين من قرض أو غيره له أن يردّه بأجود مِن الذي عليه، فذلك من مكارم الأَخلاق المحمودة عرفًا وشرعًا، على أن تكون منه تبرعاً ولا يشترطه الدائن.
A small good deed, when it is sincere for Allah, expiates many sins. Reward is attained by the one who orders leniency, even if he does not carry it out himself. Whoever owes a debt, whether from a loan or otherwise, may repay it with something better than what he owes; that is among the noble manners praised by custom and by the Sharia, provided that it is a voluntary gift on his part and not stipulated by the creditor.