Ahmadiyyat or The True Islam — Page 258
258 their terms, which are a frequent cause of disturbance of social peace. It is laid down that the bond should be written or dictated by the debtor and should be attested by at least two witnesses. A term should be fixed for the repayment of the loan; for, unpleasantness very often arises from the fact that the creditor expects to be repaid soon while the debtor contemplates the loan to be for a long period. The debtor must repay the loan before the expiry of the term fixed for repayment, but if he is unable to do so owing to circumstances which are beyond his control, the creditor should extend the term and wait till the debtor is in easier circumstances. If the creditor himself is hard pressed for money and is unable to wait further, and, the debtor is, owing to no fault of his, unable to pay, other people should subscribe the amount between themselves and pay off the debt. If a debtor dies without paying his debts, they may be recovered from his property. If he has left no property, then those who would have been his heirs had he left property must pay off his debts, and if there are no heirs, the State is responsible for the payment of his debts. It is regarded as meritorious that a debtor should, when repaying a loan, pay something over and above the amount of the loan. This additional payment, how- ever, is not obligatory, and if the debtor intends to make such payment he should not make mention of his inten- tion in advance, for, in that case, the payment would assume the character of interest, the giving and taking of which is prohibited by Islam. Commerce, again, has a large share in the mainte- nance and progress of society, and this paper will be