Al-Kāfi 5, record 260 of the digital edition

Translation

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn Al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn Sulayman from a man of the people of al- Jazirah called abu Muhammad who has said the following: “A man asked al-Rida’ (a.s.), when I was listening, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, says, “If one has difficulty to pay his debts, he should be given respite until he is able to pay.” (2:281) Explain to me the limits of this “respite” of which Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has spoken in His book. When a person with such difficulties is required to pay back? He has taken from the properties of the lender to spend on his family. He does not have any farm to wait for the harvest season, has not lent money to anyone to wait for payment time or an amount of lost property that he hopes will be found.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He is given respite until the Imam is informed about his condition who will pay on his behalf of the share of the bankrupt people, if he has spent what he has borrowed in obedience to Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious. If he has spent in disobedience to Allah, then the Imam is not responsible for his debts.’ I (the narrator) then asked, ‘What happens if the lender who trusted him and did not know if he (borrower) spends it in obedience or disobedience to the command of Allah?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He can try to get back what he has lent from the properties of the borrowers who must yield.” (Fatwa best explains the last part of the above case.)

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — published with the edition, reproduced verbatim.