Correspondence of Hazrat Moulana Yunus Patel Saheb (rahimahullah)
Letter:
Assalaamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh
Respected Moulana
I am caught up in major debts. I have a weakness of purchasing on credit, thinking I can cover my expenses in the months which are interest-free. However, I am now in debts, ‘over my head’ and don’t know how to come out. Is there any wazeefah (du‘aa) which I can read?
Reply:
Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
Respected Sister/Brother
Wa ‘alaikumus salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh
1. Cut down the credit cards. Do not purchase unnecessarily. Live within your budget. Get rid of surplus assets by selling – whether it is your car, furniture or other material possessions, and pay off your debts. This is the priority.
2. Read the following masnoon du‘aa for easy payment of debts:
اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحُزْنِ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الجُبْنِ وَالبُخْلِ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ غَلَبَةِ الدَّيْنِ وَقَهْرِ الرِّجِالِ
“O Allah, I seek protection in You from worry (over future affairs) and grief (over what has passed), and I seek protection in You from helplessness (i.e. the inability to please You) and laziness (in pleasing You, despite having the ability), and I seek protection in You from cowardice and miserliness, and I seek protection in You from overpowering debt and from the oppression of men.” (Sunan Abi Dawood #1555)
3. We are all travellers on a long journey home – to Jannah, insha-Allah. This world is just a stop en-route. We are all in transit until we board the flight of death.
A Muslim is thrifty with his time in the world, knowing that preparation has to be made for the journey ahead, and not in amassing the material things of this world. Whilst we make use of the things of this world, we should not give our hearts to them and become negligent of our purpose in this world.
4. Curb your spending by avoiding visits to shopping centres. What you do not see, you will not desire.
5. May Allah Ta‘ala make it very easy to pay off all debts.
Was salaamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh
Yunus Patel (Moulana)