Loans, Payment of Loans, Freezing of Property, Bankruptcy
Sahih
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسٌ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ وَهْبِ بْنِ كَيْسَانَ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّهُ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ أَبَاهُ تُوُفِّيَ، وَتَرَكَ عَلَيْهِ ثَلاَثِينَ وَسْقًا لِرَجُلٍ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ، فَاسْتَنْظَرَهُ جَابِرٌ، فَأَبَى أَنْ يُنْظِرَهُ، فَكَلَّمَ جَابِرٌ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِيَشْفَعَ لَهُ إِلَيْهِ، فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكَلَّمَ الْيَهُودِيَّ لِيَأْخُذَ ثَمَرَ نَخْلِهِ بِالَّذِي لَهُ فَأَبَى، فَدَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم النَّخْلَ، فَمَشَى فِيهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ لِجَابِرٍ " جُدَّ لَهُ فَأَوْفِ لَهُ الَّذِي لَهُ ". فَجَدَّهُ بَعْدَ مَا رَجَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَوْفَاهُ ثَلاَثِينَ وَسْقًا، وَفَضَلَتْ لَهُ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ وَسْقًا، فَجَاءَ جَابِرٌ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِيُخْبِرَهُ بِالَّذِي كَانَ، فَوَجَدَهُ يُصَلِّي الْعَصْرَ، فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ أَخْبَرَهُ بِالْفَضْلِ، فَقَالَ " أَخْبِرْ ذَلِكَ ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ ". فَذَهَبَ جَابِرٌ إِلَى عُمَرَ، فَأَخْبَرَهُ. فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ حِينَ مَشَى فِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَيُبَارَكَنَّ فِيهَا.
When my father died he owed a Jew thirty Awsuq (of dates). I requested him to give me respite for
repaying but he refused. I requested Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to intercede with the Jew. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went to
the Jew and asked him to accept the fruits of my trees in place of the debt but the Jew refused. Allah's
Apostle entered the garden of the date-palms, wandering among the trees and ordered me (saying),
"Pluck (the fruits) and give him his due." So, I plucked the fruits for him after the departure of Allah's
Apostle and gave his thirty Awsuq, and still had seventeen Awsuq extra for myself. Jabir said: I went
to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to inform of what had happened, but found him praying the `Asr prayer. After the
prayer I told him about the extra fruits which remained. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) told me to inform (`Umar) Ibn
Al-Khattab about it. When I went to `Umar and told him about it, `Umar said, "When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)
walked in your garden, I was sure that Allah would definitely bless it."
Narrated by Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:
Context
This hadith narrates an incident involving Jabir bin `Abdullah, whose father passed away leaving a debt of thirty Awsuq of dates owed to a Jew. Jabir sought the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ help to intercede with the creditor for more time to repay the debt. Despite initial refusal, the Prophet ﷺ entered the garden and guided Jabir to fulfill the debt, which resulted in Jabir having extra dates after repayment. This story emphasizes the importance of fulfilling debts and the blessings that can come from seeking help in difficult situations.
Modern Application
In today's world, the principle of fulfilling debts is crucial for maintaining trust and integrity in personal and business relationships. When individuals honor their financial obligations, they not only uphold their reputation but also contribute to a culture of accountability and respect within their communities.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Wages and Labor and Debts and Loans because it illustrates the significance of repaying debts and the ethical responsibility one has towards fulfilling financial obligations.
Then one of the two women came to him walking with shyness. She said, "Indeed, my father invites you that he may reward you for having watered for us." So when he came to him and related to him the story, he said, "Fear not. You have escaped from the wrongdoing people."
So when they entered upon Joseph, they said, "O 'Azeez, adversity has touched us and our family, and we have come with goods poor in quality, but give us full measure and be charitable to us. Indeed, Allah rewards the charitable."
And his fruits were encompassed [by ruin], so he began to turn his hands about [in dismay] over what he had spent on it, while it had collapsed upon its trellises, and said, "Oh, I wish I had not associated with my Lord anyone."
They said, "O Shu'ayb, does your prayer command you that we should leave what our fathers worship or not do with our wealth what we please? Indeed, you are the forbearing, the discerning!"
This hadith is #2301 from Sahih al-Bukhari, in the Book of Loans, Payment of Loans, Freezing of Property, Bankruptcy. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:.
