Kedudukan Hutang Si Mati dalam Pelaksanaan Hak-hak Harta Peninggalan menurut Syariat Islam [The Position of The Dead's Debt as The Islamic Rights of Inheritance According to Shariah Law]

Abstract

Hutang adalah salah satu instrumen muamalah yang telah diamalkan oleh manusia sejak dahulukala. Pada masa kini, manusia sangat sukar mengelak diri daripada berhutang. Ini berikutan terdapat keperluan yang berbagai seiring dengan kehidupan di zaman moden, di samping kemudahan pinjaman yang ditawarkan oleh pelbagai pihak. Isu yang berbangkit ialah apabila hutang tidak sempat dibayar setelah berlaku kematian. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk melihat kedudukan hutang sebagai salah satu hak daripada hak-hak harta peninggalan dan bagaimana hak liabiliti ini diuruskan semasa proses pembahagian harta pusaka kecil di Unit Pembahagian Pusaka Kecil, Jabatan Ketua Pengarah Tanah dan Galian di Kuala Terengganu. Kajian ini menggunakan kaedah kajian kualitatif yang dilaksanakan melalui proses temubual, pemerhatian turut serta dan analisis dokumen berkaitan hukum-hakam mengenai hak perhutangan di dalam hak-hak harta peninggalan dan akta-akta yang diguna pakai di dalam menyelesaikan isu ini. Hasil kajian merumuskan bahawa hutang adalah hak si mati yang wajib diuruskan oleh waris selepas berlaku kematian. Akta 98 jelas memperuntukkan agar hutang si mati dilunaskan sewaktu proses perbicaraan. Walau bagaimanapun penambahbaikan masih boleh dibuat dari sudut penguatkuasaan pengisytiharan hutang oleh para waris. Pengurusan hutang ini amat perlu didedahkan kepada masyarakat Islam agar kedudukan dan peranannya dapat difahami dengan lebih mendalam, terutama ketika menguruskan pembahagian pusaka agar lebih teratur dan efisien bagi mengelak penangguhan pembahagian pusaka si mati.

Debt is one of the transactional tools practiced by people since ancient times. Nowadays, it is very difficult for people to avoid getting into debt. This is due to the various needs that life brings in today's world, as well as the loans offered by various parties. The problem arises when the debts are not paid after death. The purpose of this study is to examine the position of debts as one of the rights of bequest according to Islamic law and how these liability rights are handled during the process of division of small estates in the Small Estate Division Unit, Department of Director General of Lands and Mines in Kuala Terengganu. This study uses a qualitative research method implemented through a process of interviews, participant observation, and analysis of documents related to the law of indebtedness in inheritance property rights and the acts applied in resolving this issue. The results of the study concluded that debt is the right of the deceased, which must be managed by the heirs after death. Malaysian Law Small Estetes (Distribution) Act 1955 provides that the debts of the deceased are settled during the inheritance proceedings. However, there is room for improvement in the enforcement of debt declarations by heirs. The Muslim community needs to be educated about debt management so that its position and role are better understood, especially when it comes to making the distribution of the inheritance more orderly and efficient to avoid delays in the distribution of the deceased's estate.