Repaying Debts

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Ibn Abi Umair  was a companion of Imam Kazim (a.s).He was a leading light among the scholars of that era. He has narrated many traditions from our Imams (a.s) that are found in the books of traditions.

…… He remained in prison for seventeen years. He lost all his wealth and earnings. He had become a pauper and lived in penury. A person had once borrowed ten thousand dirhams from Ibn Abi Umair. When he came to know about Ibn Abi Umair, he sold his own house and rushed to repay the debt that he owed to Ibn Abi Umair.

Ibn Abi Umair asked him, ‘From where did you arrange such a big amount? Did you receive a huge inheritance? Or did you find some treasure?’ The person said, ‘I sold my house to repay your debt since you are going through difficult times.’

Ibn Abi Umair said, ‘A tradition of Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s)  says, ‘The house in which a person stays is exempted from repayment of debt.’  (Means if a person has no other means for repaying his debts except the house in which he stays, he should not sell the house). Hence, I cannot accept a single dirham from you, although God knows I need every penny.’