22/4. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1558c — Debt Settlement with Mercy
It is recommended to waive debts
Hadith About Debt Settlement and Remission
Sahih Muslim : 1558c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1558c
قَالَ مُسْلِمٌ وَرَوَى اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، حَدَّثَنِي جَعْفَرُ بْنُ رَبِيعَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ، هُرْمُزَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّهُ كَانَ لَهُ مَالٌ عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي حَدْرَدٍ الأَسْلَمِيِّ فَلَقِيَهُ فَلَزِمَهُ فَتَكَلَّمَا حَتَّى ارْتَفَعَتْ أَصْوَاتُهُمَا فَمَرَّ بِهِمَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " يَا كَعْبُ " . فَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ كَأَنَّهُ يَقُولُ النِّصْفَ فَأَخَذَ نِصْفًا مِمَّا عَلَيْهِ وَتَرَكَ نِصْفًا .
Ka'b bin Malik Narrated from:
Ka'b b. Malik reported that he made a demand for the payment of the debt that Ibn Abu Hadrad owed to him. This hadith is narrated through another chain of transmitters and (the words are): " He had to get the loan from Abdullah b. Hadrad al-Aslami. He met him and pressed him for payment. There was an altercation between them, until their voices became loud. There happened to pass by them Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and he said: O Ka'b, and pointed out with his hand in such a way as he meant half. So he got half of what he (Ibn Abu Hadrad) owed to him and remitted the half."
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1558cIn-book reference : Book 22, Hadith 25USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 10, Hadith 3781
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1558c
This hadith about debt settlement shows a real dispute between Ka'b b. Malik and Abdullah b. Abu Hadrad over a loan. The matter became tense, and their voices grew loud. Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) passed by and guided Ka'b with a hand gesture meaning half. Ka'b then took half of the debt and left half. The core lesson is not that every debt must always be cut in half. The text shows a specific case where the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) encouraged a calmer, easier settlement. It teaches that when money disputes become heated, mercy, compromise, and lowering tension can protect people from harshness. The hadith is also a reminder that demanding a right should not turn into uncontrolled conflict.
What we learn from this hadith
- Debt disputes should be handled with calm speech and self-control.
- A creditor may choose to remit part of a debt as an act of kindness.
- Compromise can reduce tension when a financial dispute becomes heated.
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) guided people toward a practical and peaceful settlement.
