Question 540: Is it permissible in a benevolent loan (Qard al-Hasan) to set the repayment time for when the borrower is able, or is it necessary to specify a precise and definite time?

Answer
✅Answer:
1 جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَر قَالَ: مَنْ أَقْرَضَ رَجُلًا قَرْضاً إِلَى مَيْسَرَةٍ كَانَ مَالُهُ فِي زَكَاةٍ وَ كَانَ هُوَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ مَعَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ حَتَّى يَقْضِيَهُ
📚Al-Kafi, Vol. 3, p. 558
Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: 'The person who gives a loan to someone to be repaid when they are able and in a state of financial well-being, their wealth will be in a state of purification (zakat), and they will be in prayer (or blessings) with the angels until the person pays off their debt!'
2 الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عِيسَى قَالَ: ضَاقَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْن ضِيقَةً فَأَتَى مَوْلًى لَهُ فَقَالَ أَقْرِضْنِي عَشَرَةَ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ إِلَى مَيْسَرَةٍ...
📚Al-Kafi, Vol. 5, p. 96
Abbas ibn Isa said: 'Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) was in a financial difficulty, so he came to one of his friends (or freed slaves) and said: 'Lend me ten thousand dirhams until I am able and wealthy...''.
3 جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ مَنْ أَقْرَضَ مُؤْمِناً قَرْضاً يُنْظِرُ بِهِ مَيْسُورَهُ كَانَ مَالُهُ فِي زَكَاةٍ وَ كَانَ هُوَ فِي صَلَاةٍ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ حَتَّى يُؤَدِّيَهُ
📚Thawab al-Amal, p. 166, Hadith 1
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: 'The person who lends to a believer and gives them time until they are able and capable, their wealth will be in a state of purification (zakat), and they will be in the blessings of the angels until the person pays off the loan!''.
✅From the above narrations, it is completely clear that in a benevolent loan (Qard al-Hasan), the lender can set the repayment time for when the borrower is able and in a state of financial well-being, which also includes special rewards. However, even if a specific time is set for repayment and the borrower is in need at that time, the lender is obligated to give them time:👇
4 عن أبی عبدالله قال: قال النَّبِيُّ أَلْفُ دِرْهَمٍ أُقْرِضُهَا مَرَّتَيْنِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ أَتَصَدَّقَ بِهَا مَرَّةً وَ كَمَا لَا يَحِلُّ لِغَرِيمِك أَنْ يَمْطُلَكَ وَ هُوَ مُوسِرٌ فَكَذَلِكَ لَا يَحِلُّ لَكَ أَنْ تُعْسِرَهُ إِذَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّهُ مُعْسِرٌ
📚Al-Tahdhib, Vol. 6, p. 192
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: 'For me to lend one thousand dirhams twice is more beloved to me than to give it as charity once! And just as it is not lawful for your debtor to delay paying their debt if they are able, it is also not lawful for you to put pressure and hardship on them if you know they are in need!''.
5 إسحاق بنِ عمار قال: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْداللَّه مَا لِلرَّجُلِ أَنْ يَبْلُغَ مِنْ غَرِيمِهِ قَالَ لَا يَبْلُغُ بِهِ شَيْئاً اللَّهُ أَنْظَرَهُ
📚Tafsir Ayyashi, Vol. 1, p. 154
Is'haq ibn Ammar said: 'I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): 'To what extent can a person be harsh with their debtor?' He replied: 'They have no right to be harsh at all; God has given them a respite!''.
«اشاره به آیه ۲۸۰ سوره بقره : وَإِن کَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَیٰ مَیْسَرَةٍ»
✅Note:👇
6 عَامِربْن جذاعة قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَرْضٌ إِلَى مَيْسَرَةٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّه إِلَى غَلَّةٍ تُدْرَكُ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ لَا وَ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَإِلَى تِجَارَةٍ تَئُوبُ قَالَ لَا وَ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَإِلَى عُقْدَةٍ تُبَاعُ فَقَالَ لَا وَ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْداللَّهِ فَأَنْتَ مِمَّنْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ فِي أَمْوَالِنَا حَقّاً ثُمَّ دَعَا بِكِيسٍ فِيهِ دَرَاهِمُ فَأَدْخَلَ يَدَهُ فِيهِ فَنَاوَلَهُ مِنْهُ قَبْضَةً ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَ لَا تُسْرِفْ وَ لَا تَقْتُرْ وَ لَكِنْ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ قَوَاماً إِنَّ التَّبْذِيرَ مِنَ الْإِسْرَاف
📚Al-Kafi, Vol. 3, p. 501
A man came to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) and said: 'O Aba Abdillah! Please lend me a loan until I am able and in a state of financial well-being!' The Imam asked him: 'Until you receive income from renting a house or from the profit of land?' The man said: 'No, by God (I don't have such income).' He asked: 'Until a business returns?' He said: 'No, by God (I don't have a business)!' He asked: 'Until you sell a property?' He said: 'No, by God (I don't have a property).' Then Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'You are one of those for whom God has established a right in our wealth!' Then he asked for a purse containing silver money, put his hand in it and gave him a handful, and said: 'Fear God, and do not be extravagant and do not be stingy, but be moderate in between, for indeed, squandering is a form of extravagance...'