Abu Qatada told of a man saying, “Tell me, Messenger of God, if I am killed in God’s path showing endurance, seeking my reward from God, advancing and not retreating, will God efface my sins?” He replied, “Yes,” but when the man turned away he called him and said, “Yes, with the exception of a debt. Thus Gabriel said.”
Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, “If anyone accepts other people’s belongings meaning to pay back, God will pay back for him; but if anyone accepts them meaning to squander them, God will on that account destroy his property.”
While we were sitting with the Prophet a bier was brought along and the Prophet was asked to pray over it. He asked whether the dead man owed anything and when he was told that he did not he prayed over it. Another bier was brought along later, and when he asked whether the dead man owed anything and was told that he did, he asked whether he had left anything. On being told that he had left three dinars he prayed over the bier. A third was brought along later, and when he asked whether the dead man owed anything and was told that he owed three dinars, he asked whether he had left anything. On being told that he had not, he ordered them to pray over their friend; but when Abu Qatada said, “Pray over him, Messenger of God, and I shall be responsible for his debt,” he prayed over him.
