64/73. Chapter:

Sahih Bukhari 4383 — Keeping Promises and Avoiding Miserliness

The story of ‘Oman and Al-Bahrain

Hadith About Keeping Promises: Abu Bakr, Debt, and Generosity

Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4383

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، سَمِعَ ابْنُ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ يَقُولُ قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ لَوْ قَدْ جَاءَ مَالُ الْبَحْرَيْنِ لَقَدْ أَعْطَيْتُكَ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا ثَلاَثًا ‏"‏‏.‏ فَلَمْ يَقْدَمْ مَالُ الْبَحْرَيْنِ حَتَّى قُبِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ عَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ أَمَرَ مُنَادِيًا فَنَادَى مَنْ كَانَ لَهُ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم دَيْنٌ أَوْ عِدَةٌ فَلْيَأْتِنِي‏.‏ قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَجِئْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ، فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ لَوْ جَاءَ مَالُ الْبَحْرَيْنِ أَعْطَيْتُكَ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا ثَلاَثًا ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ فَأَعْطَانِي‏.‏ قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَلَقِيتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَسَأَلْتُهُ، فَلَمْ يُعْطِنِي، ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ فَلَمْ يُعْطِنِي، ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ الثَّالِثَةَ فَلَمْ يُعْطِنِي، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ قَدْ أَتَيْتُكَ فَلَمْ تُعْطِنِي، ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُكَ فَلَمْ تُعْطِنِي، ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُكَ فَلَمْ تُعْطِنِي، فَإِمَّا أَنْ تُعْطِيَنِي، وَإِمَّا أَنْ تَبْخَلَ عَنِّي‏.‏ فَقَالَ أَقُلْتَ تَبْخَلُ عَنِّي وَأَىُّ دَاءٍ أَدْوَأُ مِنَ الْبُخْلِ ـ قَالَهَا ثَلاَثًا ـ مَا مَنَعْتُكَ مِنْ مَرَّةٍ إِلاَّ وَأَنَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُعْطِيَكَ‏.‏ وَعَنْ عَمْرٍو عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ سَمِعْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ يَقُولُ جِئْتُهُ، فَقَالَ لِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ عُدَّهَا‏.‏ فَعَدَدْتُهَا فَوَجَدْتُهَا خَمْسَمِائَةٍ، فَقَالَ خُذْ مِثْلَهَا مَرَّتَيْنِ‏.‏

Jabir bin `Abdullah Narrated from:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me, "If the revenue of Al-Bahrain should come, I will give you so much and so much," repeating "so much" thrice. But the revenue of Al-Bahrain did not come till Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had died. When the revenue came during the rule of Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr ordered an announcer to announce, "Whoever had any debt or promise due upon the Prophet, should present himself to me (i.e. Abu Bakr).I came to Abu Bakr and informed him that the Prophet (ﷺ) had said (to me), "If the revenue of Al-Bahrain should come, I will give you so-much and so much," repeating "so much" thrice. So Abu Bakr gave me (in another narration Jabir said,). I met Abu Bakr after that and asked him (to give me what the Prophet (ﷺ) had promised me) but he did not give me. I again went to him but he did not give me.I again went to him (for the third time) but he did not give me; On that I said to him, "I came to you but you did not give me, then I came to you and you did not give me, and then again I came to you, but you did not give me; so you should either give me or else you are like a miserly to me, on that, Abu Bakr said, "Do you say, 'You are like a miserly to me?' There is no worse disease than miserliness." Abu Bakr said it thrice and added, "Whenever I refused to give you, I had the intention of giving you."(In another narration) Jabir bin `Abdullah said, "I went to Abu Bakr (and he gave me a handful of money) and told me to count it, I counted and found it five-hundred, and then Abu Bakr said (to me), "Take the same amount twice."

Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4383In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 406USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 666

Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4383

This hadith about keeping promises gives a clear picture of responsibility after the Prophet’s death. The Prophet had told Jabir that if the revenue of Bahrain came, he would give him a certain amount. The money arrived later, during Abu Bakr’s rule. Abu Bakr announced that anyone owed a debt or promise by the Prophet should come forward. Jabir came, and Abu Bakr gave him what was due. The narration also mentions Abu Bakr’s strong words about miserliness, calling it a serious disease. The lesson is not to delay rights on purpose, not to hold back good when one intends to give, and not to let stinginess control the heart.

What we learn from this hadith

  • Promises and debts should be taken seriously.
  • Leaders should try to fulfill the rights due to people.
  • Miserliness is shown here as a harmful trait to avoid.
  • A good intention should lead to fair action when the time comes.

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