The Sahaabi of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), Qays bin Sa’d bin ‘Ubaadah (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma), once fell ill. While recovering from the illness, he realized that none of his friends had come to visit him. On enquiry, he learned that they were reluctant to visit him due to the fact that they all owed him money (and were thus embarrassed or afraid that he would ask them to repay the loan).
When he heard this, Qays bin Sa‘d (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) spontaneously said, “May Allah Ta‘ala disgrace the wealth that deters my brothers from visiting me!” He thereafter instructed a person to go out and announce that he had absolved all his debtors of the amounts they owed him.
After the announcement was made, so many visitors arrived to visit him that by nightfall, his doorstep had collapsed due the weight of the people climbing to his door! (Siraajul Mulook pg. 155)
Lessons:
1. A Muslim should not allow money to spoil his relationship with his family or fellow Muslims (as is sometimes the case in winding up estates, dissolving business partnerships, etc). Money can always be recovered. A heart which is broken by an insensitive, hurtful remark or callous behavior, however, seldom recovers completely.
2. The money owed to him was something of value. However, the value of the sunnah and the value of taking the du‘aas of people when they come to visit the sick person was far, far greater. He thus happily sacrificed something of much lesser value for that value which cannot be quantified and estimated.
3. The money owed to him was a small, short term investment. By forgiving it he transferred it “off-shore” into a permanent investment that earns several thousand percent more returns.
4. While he sacrificed money, he “bought” immense and untold barakah. Barakah is not always perceived with the eye. It comes in innumerable ways and is the essence of all good in this world.
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