Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the
Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
had said:
That who misappropriates the right of a Muslim by taking a false oath, Allah will make the fire of Hell obligatory for him, and Paradise will be forbidden for him. A man said to him: Messenger of Allah, even if it is something insignificant? He replied: Yes, even if it is the twig of the Arak tree.
(Reported by Muslim)
Lessons Deduced:
1. The hadith is a warning to whoever unjustly devours the rights of others.
2. A Muslim should hasten to repent and pay back people’s rights.
3. It is prohibited to devour people’s rights, however little.