Q. I read in a book by an eminent scholar that the Prophet borrowed money, and returned more than he received. Does this mean that each of the two actions: borrowing and giving back more than one borrowed, is a Sunnah? I also read that when Umar ibn Al-Khattab died he was in debt to the tune of 80.000 dinars, which he borrowed for buying a house. Could you explain why and from whom he borrowed such a large sum of money?
M. Kayani
A. It is true that the Prophet borrowed money at times, but this is not a Sunnah. It is just one of the many things that the Prophet did in his daily life, which affect his own person or his own family. These do not come under the heading of what is Sunnah. Sunnah is an action of the Prophet meant to teach us how to conduct our affairs in a way that earns us reward from God.
Certainly there is no reward to expect from God for the mere borrowing of money from another person, because when we borrow we actually put the lender at a disadvantage. It is true that he expects to receive a reward from God for helping a fellow Muslim through a difficulty, but why should we receive a reward for putting him at a disadvantage. Even if he is affluent, when he lends his money, he is no longer in control of it until we pay it back. Should we receive a reward for doing so?
Where the Prophet does something to teach us how to behave in certain situations, his action is certainly a Sunnah. A very good example is that of his paying back more than he borrowed. This he did as a gesture of gratitude, without any expectation on the part of the lender. Therefore if a person borrows something from another, with no hint between them that the lender expects something extra in return for his lending the money or the article to the borrower, then following the Prophet’s example of giving more as a gesture of gratitude is perfectly acceptable and rewarded by God as a Sunnah. By contrast, if the lender specifies, or the borrower promises, that the lender will make a gain out of lending his money or article, then this is a usurious transaction which is forbidden in Islam.
As for the last part of the question, which refers to Umar’s borrowing a large sum of money and carrying this debt to the end of his life, this report is false. Umar lived in a humble home in Madinah, receiving very small wages for his work as a head of the Islamic state. When his wife made some small savings in order to prepare some sweets for the family, Umar said to her that her action showed that she could manage with less, and reduced his own allowance in the same proportion as her savings.
Arab News Islam 25 July 2003
