Embracing Islaam While Owing Rights to Others

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Embracing Islaam While Owing Rights to Others

Ash Shaykh Al ‘Allaamah Saaleh al Fawzaan

Question: If a disbeliever accepts Islaam and repents to Allaah ‘Azza Wa Jal and in his possession are the rights of other people (i.e. such as debts or any other rights), does the fact that he accepted Islaam relinquish him of the sin of injustice without returning them to their rightful people, or is it imperative for him to return to them what he owes?

Answer: The rights of the human being are never extinguished except if they excuse or pardon (those who have taken them without just right) or waive them altogether.As for the rights which have not been relinquished, they are never extinguished from those who are responsible for them, even if one accepts Islaam and repents to Allaah. For indeed repentance does not relinquish one of these rights, rather that which he is relinquished from are the rights of Allaah, which he abandoned and neglected before repentance. Because Tawbah nullifies that which was done before it as Allaah Ta’aala says:

{Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief) their past will be forgiven. But if they return, then the examples of those who (were punished) before them have already preceded (as a warning)} [8:38]



Al Muntaqa fataawa Shaykh Saaleh ibn Fawzaan vol.1 pg.414 fatwa#409

Translated by: Abu Az-Zubayr, Shadeed Muhammad.