Piety is not only confined to one performing Salah, donning a kurta (Thaub) and wearing a beard. The great scholar, Sufyãn Thuri (RA) used to often say that if a person appears on the Day of Qiyamat with sixty (many) transgressions of the laws of Allah (Jalla Jalaaluhu) --- even then --- not to fulfill or breaching even one right of another person, is much greater. This is because Allah (Shaanuhu) is most forgiving and one is always hopeful of His forgiveness, whereas a human being is always in need and dependent upon Him. It is therefore vitally important that this must be always kept in mind. Before leaving the world one should be free from any non-fulfillment and transgression on the basis of Huqooq-ul –‘Ibaad.

Since death is so uncertain, it is absolutely essential and incumbent upon all individuals to seek forgiveness from others as quickly as possible. Similarly, if any monies or other things are owed to some one, then proper arrangements must be made to repay and/or return the same before death overcomes one. There is one aspect in a person’s life that he will be saddled with to his grave and thereafter … and that is debts. So severe is the non-payment of debts that Nabi (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) refused to even perform the Janaza Salah of that person who left behind any unpaid (dishonoured) debts.

Darul Ihsan Centre