The Main Condition for Borrowing Clearly Stated in the Qur'an That Many People Do Not Understand
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - In Islam, debt is not forbidden, but it should not be undertaken without careful consideration. There are principles, boundaries, and even moral responsibilities binding both the debtor and the lender.
In the Tafsir Al-Mishbah programme, Muslim scholar and intellectual M. Quraish Shihab reminded that the basic principle of debt is that if you can avoid borrowing, you should do so.
“Do not borrow except when forced. Do not borrow to buy something you do not need. The purpose must be clear,” he said, quoted from Quraish Shihab’s YouTube channel, Tuesday (3/3/2026).
Quraish referred to Surah Al-Baqarah verse 282, the longest verse in the Qur’an, which specifically discusses debt and credit. In that verse, debt transactions are permissible, but they must be for a determined time or have a clear due date (ajalin musamma).
In his view, practising debt without a clear repayment time is not in line with the Qur’anic guidance. “Borrowing must already be envisioned in one’s mind when and how to repay it. If not, it isn’t good debt,” he said.
Quraish explained that debt is not merely a financial matter but also carries a psychological burden. People who borrow often feel anxious, unable to sleep, and inferior when meeting someone who knows they are in debt.
He even reminded that in Islamic teaching debt is a serious matter and cannot be considered resolved simply because a person has died.
‘Who borrows and dies, even if they are a good person, will not be freed until their debt is settled,’ he said.
Therefore, he stressed the importance of moderating oneself and not making debt a lifestyle, especially for consumerist needs like buying non-essential goods.
‘If it is for business development and there is a clear plan, that is permissible. But if it is to buy something that is not a need, it should be restrained,’ he asserted.
Quraish also reminded that religious rules are not only for the debtor but also for the lender. He emphasised that exploitation and oppression through debt, including riba (usury), are forms of injustice.
‘If the debtor is not able yet, it is advised to grant postponement or even partial forgiveness. Do not oppress,’ he said.
He cited the Qur’anic principle that financial transactions must be conducted without harming one another, both from the borrower’s and the lender’s side. Quraish recalled four requests in the Prophet Muhammad’s supplication seeking protection from anxiety, laziness, entanglement in debt, and oppression.
Also the prayer goes: ‘O Allah, suffice me with what is halal so that I am kept from what is haram, and suffice me with Your bounty so that I do not ask of anyone other than You.’