FatwaFederal TerritoriesTransactions & Finance
AL-KAFI #1344: HUTANG ARWAH AYAH: PERLUKAH DILANGSAIKAN?
Must the debts of a deceased father be settled, and what can a child do if unable to afford to pay them?
Short answer
The deceased's debts should be settled first, based on the hadith that a believer's soul is held back by debt until it is paid.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Transactions & Finance
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
The deceased's debts should be settled first, based on the hadith that a believer's soul is held back by debt until it is paid. A child who is able to pay the father's debt is regarded as showing filial devotion and kindness, with great reward. The fatwa also advises against borrowing unless truly needed, borrowing only the minimum, recording debts with witnesses, and sincerely intending to repay as soon as possible.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Justeru, menjawab persoalan di atas, hendaklah dilangsaikan hutang terlebih dahulu.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #1344: HUTANG ARWAH AYAH: PERLUKAH DILANGSAIKAN?”, 17 August 2019. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/3635-al-kafi-1344-hutang-arwah-ayah-perlukah-dilangsaikan. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/must-deceased-fathers-debts-be-settled/