30/4. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3638 — Sorting the Dates Before Paying Creditors
Paying Off Debts Before Distributing Inheritance And Mentioning The Difference In The Wordings Of Th
How Jabir Paid His Father’s Creditors in Full
Sunan an-Nasai : 3638
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3638
أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ مُغِيرَةَ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ تُوُفِّيَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ حَرَامٍ - قَالَ - وَتَرَكَ دَيْنًا فَاسْتَشْفَعْتُ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى غُرَمَائِهِ أَنْ يَضَعُوا مِنْ دَيْنِهِ شَيْئًا فَطَلَبَ إِلَيْهِمْ فَأَبَوْا فَقَالَ لِي النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " اذْهَبْ فَصَنِّفْ تَمْرَكَ أَصْنَافًا الْعَجْوَةَ عَلَى حِدَةٍ وَعَذْقَ ابْنِ زَيْدٍ عَلَى حِدَةٍ وَأَصْنَافَهُ ثُمَّ ابْعَثْ إِلَىَّ ". قَالَ فَفَعَلْتُ فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَجَلَسَ فِي أَعْلاَهُ أَوْ فِي أَوْسَطِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ " كِلْ لِلْقَوْمِ ". قَالَ فَكِلْتُ لَهُمْ حَتَّى أَوْفَيْتُهُمْ ثُمَّ بَقِيَ تَمْرِي كَأَنْ لَمْ يَنْقُصْ مِنْهُ شَىْءٌ.
Jabir Narrated from:
Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Haram died, leaving behind debts. I asked the Messenger of Allah to intercede with his creditors so that they would waive part of the debt. He asked them to do that but they refused. The Prophet said to me: 'Go and sort your dates into their different kinds: The 'Ajwah on one side, the cluster of Ibn Zaid on another side, and so on. Then send for me.'I did that, then the Messenger of Allah came and sat at the head or in the middle of the heaps. Then he said: 'Measure them out for the people.' So I measured them out for them until I had paid them all off, and my dates were left as if nothing had been taken from them.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3638In-book reference : Book 30, Hadith 28English translation : Vol. 4, Book 30, Hadith 3668
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3638
This hadith shows Jabir trying to settle the debts left by Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Haram. He first asked the Messenger of Allah to speak to the creditors so they might reduce part of the debt. The Prophet asked them, but they refused. He then told Jabir to sort the dates by type, placing the 'Ajwah separately, the cluster of Ibn Zaid separately, and the other kinds in their own groups. Jabir followed the instruction and called the Prophet. The Prophet sat at the head or middle of the heaps and told Jabir to measure for the people. Jabir paid everyone in full, yet the dates remained as though nothing had been taken. The narration joins practical organization, full debt repayment, and blessing.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet asked the creditors to reduce the debt, but they refused.
- Jabir was told to sort the dates into separate types.
- The creditors were then paid in full.
- Jabir reported that the dates looked as if nothing had been taken.
