Supplications for Paying off Debt

We ask
Allaah to relieve your distress and to pay off your debts, and to bless you
from His bounty.  

There
follows some advice which we hope will be of help to you. 

Firstly: 

Be patient,
and strive to free yourself from the situation you are in by seeking
permissible ways of earning money from which you may make some profit and
make up for your losses and pay off your debts. There are many means of
earning money. A man may start with something small then it is blessed. We
have seen this happen in real life. 

Secondly: 

Reduce your
spending on yourself, and remember that your creditors are more entitled to
anything that is surplus to your basic needs. Do not be heedless about the
matter of debt, and do not be extravagant in your spending. Do not let
despair cause you to forget it or to fall short in looking for a way out. 

Thirdly: 

Ask the
creditors to be easygoing with you, and tell them that you are unable to pay
it off, and ask them to give you more time. This is better for you than
trying to avoid them or procrastinating, which will only make them angry
with you.  

Fourthly: 

Set straight
the relationship between you and Allaah, may He be exalted, and He will set
straight the relationship between you and other people. Allaah has promised
those who obey Him that He will give them more of His bounty, as He says
(interpretation of the meaning): 

“Whoever
works righteousness — whether male or female — while he (or she) is a true
believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in
this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay
them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do
(i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)”

[al-Nahl
16:97] 

“And
whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him
to get out (from every difficulty).

And He
will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts
his trust in Allaah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allaah will
accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allaah has set a measure for all things”

[al-Talaaq 65:2-3]

“I said
(to them): ‘Ask forgiveness from your Lord, verily, He is Oft‑Forgiving;

-‘He will send rain to you in abundance,

And give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and
bestow on you rivers.’”

[Nooh
71:10-12] 

So pray a
great deal for forgiveness, and repent and do righteous deeds, for the Mercy
of Allaah is close to those who do good. 

Fifthly: 

If you took
out these loans intending to pay them back, then you must think positively
of Allaah and trust that He will enable you to pay them off. Al-Bukhaari
(2387) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said:  

 “Whoever
takes people’s wealth intending to pay it back, Allaah will enable him to
pay it back.” Ibn Maajah (2409) narrated that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah will be with the borrower
until he pays off his debt, so long as it (the loan) is not for something
that Allaah dislikes.” Classed as saheeh (authentic) by al-Albaani in Saheeh
Ibn Maajah. 

Sixthly: 

Turn to
Allaah in supplication (du’aa’), and be certain of receiving a response, for
whoever persists in knocking at the door will soon have it opened for him.
Choose the times when du’aa’s are answered, such as the last third of the
night, after ‘Asr on Friday, between the adhaan and iqaamah, when
travelling, and when breaking one’s fast. 

There follow
some du’aa’s (supplications)that are appropriate for your situation: 

Al-Tirmidhi
(3563) narrated from ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) that a mukaatib
(slave who had entered into a contract of manumission) came to him and said:
“I am unable to pay off my manumission; help me.” He said: “Shall I not tell
you some words which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) taught me? And if you have debt like the mountain of
Seer, Allaah will pay it off for you. He said: ‘Say: Allaahumma akfini bi
halaalika ‘an haraamika wa aghnini bi fadlika ‘amman siwaaka (O Allaah,
suffice me with what You have permitted so that that I have no need of that
which You have forbidden, and make me independent of means by Your bounty so
that I have no need of anyone besides You).’” This hadeeth was classed as
hasan (sound) by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi. 

Al-Tabaraani
narrated in al-Mu’jam al-Sagheer that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said to Mu’aadh (may Allaah be pleased with him): “Shall
I not teach you a du’aa’ which you may say even if you have debt like Mount
Uhud, so that Allaah might pay it off for you? Say, O Mu’aadh: ‘Allaahumma
Maalik al-mulk, tu’ti al-mulk man tasha’ wa tanzi’ al-mulk mimman tasha’, wa
tu’izzu man tasha’ wa tudhilul man tasha’, bi yadika al-khayr, innaka ‘ala
kulli shay’in qadeer, Rahmaan al-dunya wa’l-aakhirah wa raheemahuma,
tu’teeyahuma man tasha’ wa tamna’ minhuma man tasha’, arhamni rahmatan
taghnini biha ‘an rahmati man siwaaka (O Allaah, Sovereign of all, You
give dominion to whomsoever You will and You take dominion away from
whomsoever You will, You exalt whomsoever You will and You bring low
whomsoever You will. In Your hand is all goodness and You are able to do all
things. Most Merciful and Most compassionate in this world and in the
Hereafter, You give them to whomsoever You will and withhold them from
whomsoever You will. Bestow mercy upon Me in such a manner that I have no
need of the mercy of anyone but You).’” 

Classed as
hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb (1821). 

Ahmad (3712)
narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said:

“If a person who is afflicted by anxiety or sorrow says: ‘Allaahumma
inni ‘abduka wa ibnu ‘abdika wa ibn ammatika naasiyati bi yadika maadin
fiyya hukmuka ‘adlun fiyya qadaa’uka as’aluka bi kulli ismin huwa laka
sammayta bihi nafsaka aw ‘allamtahu ahadan min khalqika aw anzaltahu fi
kitaabika aw asta’tharta bihi fi ‘ilm il-ghaybi ‘indaka an taj’al
al-Qur’aana rabee’a qalbi wa noora sadri wa jalaa’a huzni wa dhahaaba hammi
(O Allaah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave, son of Your female slave, my
forelock is in Your Hand, Your command over me is forever executed and Your
decree over me is just. I ask You by every name belonging to You with which
You have named Yourself, or, or You have taught to any of Your creation, or
You have revealed in Your Book, or You have preserved in the knowledge of
the Unseen with You, that You make the Qur’aan the life of my heart and the
light of my breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my
anxiety)’, then Allaah will take away his anxiety and sorrow, and will
replace it with joy.”  

It was said: “O Messenger of Allaah, should we not learn it?”
He said: “Yes, whoever hears it should learn it.” 

Classed as
saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb (1822). 

May Allaah
help us and you to do that which He loves and which pleases Him. 

And Allaah
knows best.