The Hadith:
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once posed a rhetorical question to his companions:
“Atadroona manil-muflis?” (Do you know who the bankrupt one is?)
The companions, thinking in worldly terms, responded:
“Al-muflis fīnā man lā dirhama lahu wa lā mataʿ.” (The bankrupt among us is the one who has neither money nor possessions.)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) then redefined their understanding:
“Inna al-muflisa min ummatī ya’tī yawma al-qiyāmah biṣ-ṣalāti waṣ-ṣiyāmi wa az-zakāh, wa ya’tī qad shatama hādhā, wa qadhafa hādhā, wa akala māla hādhā, wa safaka dama hādhā, wa ḍaraba hādhā. Fa-yu’ṭā hādhā min ḥasanātih, wa hādhā min ḥasanātih. Fa-in faniyat ḥasanātuhu qabla an yuqẓā mā ‘alayhi, ukhidhat khaṭāyahum faṭuriḥat ‘alayhi, thumma ṭuriḥa fī an-nār.”
(The bankrupt from my nation is the one who will come on the Day of Judgment with prayers, fasting, and charity but will have insulted this person, falsely accused that person, unlawfully consumed the wealth of another, shed the blood of someone, and beaten others. As a result, his good deeds will be taken away and given to those he wronged. If his good deeds run out before justice is fulfilled, their sins will be taken and cast onto him, and he will be thrown into Hellfire.)
