Giving money to the musjid with the intention of settling one's debt

Q: I have a debt with my friend. He payed for a bowling event and I was supposed to pay him back. I've been wanting to pay him back but everytime I tried to pay him back he said that we will talk about it next time. However he did not say he will forgive my debt. How am I supposed to deal with this? I know that having a debt and not paying it can be a hurdle for me to enter heaven. If I donate it to the mosque will it considered as done? My previous teacher told me that as long as the person is still alive, I have to pay him. Its been a year already.

A: The money cannot be given to the musjid. Rather, it will have to be paid to the one from whom you had taken the money as a debt.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

 

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)