Ayat al-Mudayana: The Debt Verse (2:282)
“O you who believe! When you contract a debt for a specified term, write it down. Let a scribe write it between you justly. No scribe should refuse to write as Allah has taught him. Let him write and let the one who incurs the debt dictate — and let him fear Allah his Lord and not leave anything out of it… And if you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then let there be collateral taken…”
The verse is 434 words in Arabic — the longest verse in the Quran. This itself is a signal: the Quran does not spend 434 words on any simple ritual rule. Financial documentation is treated as a matter of profound spiritual and social importance.
The Key Rules of Debt (Dayn)
Documentation: Writing is recommended (mustahabb) by most scholars and obligatory by some. The Prophet said: “When you sell and buy, write it down.” Documentation protects both parties from future dispute.
Witnesses: Two adult male witnesses, or one male and two female witnesses (the female/female pair supporting each other’s memory in case of error). This reflects evidentiary standards, not a statement about women’s credibility — scholars note the Quran’s own explanation: “so that if one of them errs, the other can remind her.”
Collateral (Rahn): When documentation is impractical (traveling, no scribe), collateral is recommended. A pawned item (marhun) transfers possession but not ownership; the pawnbroker cannot use or sell it without default.
No Riba: A debt must be repaid in the exact amount borrowed. Charging more for delayed repayment is riba — prohibited. Voluntary gifts at repayment are permitted but cannot be stipulated.
The Soul’s Suspension
The Prophet: “The soul of the believer is held suspended (mu’allaqa) in relation to his debt until it is discharged.” This hadith — establishing that debt delays the soul’s complete movement after death — made Companions extremely reluctant to die indebted.
See also: Fiqh Al Buyu, Fiqh Al Aqd, Fiqh Al Wasiyyah, Fiqh Al Mawarith, Waqf, Fiqh Al Sadaqa