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Fatwa CenterHe borrows money without the intention of repaying his debts
Question
There is a Muslim brother in town who lives on borrowing money from other Muslims and does not repay them back. He would borrow the money from every Muslim claiming that he down not have food to feed his kids and cannot pay his house rent, but later will use the money to buy fancy stuff. He will cheat every Muslim and convince them that he does not have a job, but he never try to work and will only support himself and his family through the money he borrows from other Muslims. What should we do with him? He knows very well that the law here in USA will never put him in jail for borrowing money, and all what will happen is we will all lose more money on lawyers! Please help us.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
If the situation of this man is as you have stated in the question that he cheats people and borrows money from them while he does not want to repay or does not endeavour to repay then he is sinful. One has to advise him and remind him that Allaah is watching him. If he can get away from people's punishment, he is surely not going to flee from Allaah. Besides, you should remind him of the saying of the Prophet 
: "Whoever takes people's money while wanting to repay, Allaah would help him to repay, and whoever takes people's money while wanting to spoil them, then Allaah will spoil him (i.e. spoil his wealth and punish him in the hereafter)." [Al-Bukhari] This person should be reminded about the seriousness of this matter on him and on his family. What is worse, is that if he borrowed money from non-Muslims and delays repaying them, this would give them a bad impression of Islam and Muslims; consequently, the image of Islam would be distorted in their view.
However, if this man repents, then he should be helped to repay his debts and helped to find work. His creditors should be encouraged to drop the debts from him or some of it, or at least give him time until Allaah makes it easy for him to repay. Allaah says (which means): {And if someone is in hardship, then [let there be] postponement until [a time of] ease. But if you give [from your right as] charity, then it is better for you, if you only knew.}[Qur'an 2:280]. But if he does not repent, then you should no longer lend him money as a way of deterrence to him. In addition to this, you should warn people against him so that they would not be cheated by him.
Allaah knows best.
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