30/4. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3640 — Debt Repayment and Blessing
Paying Off Debts Before Distributing Inheritance And Mentioning The Difference In The Wordings Of Th
Paying a Deceased Parent’s Debt: A Hadith About Blessing and Responsibility
Sunan an-Nasai : 3640
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3640
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، عَنْ حَدِيثِ عَبْدِ الْوَهَّابِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنْ وَهْبِ بْنِ كَيْسَانَ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ تُوُفِّيَ أَبِي وَعَلَيْهِ دَيْنٌ فَعَرَضْتُ عَلَى غُرَمَائِهِ أَنْ يَأْخُذُوا الثَّمَرَةَ بِمَا عَلَيْهِ فَأَبَوْا وَلَمْ يَرَوْا فِيهِ وَفَاءً فَأَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لَهُ قَالَ " إِذَا جَدَدْتَهُ فَوَضَعْتَهُ فِي الْمِرْبَدِ فَآذِنِّي ". فَلَمَّا جَدَدْتُهُ وَوَضَعْتُهُ فِي الْمِرْبَدِ أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَجَاءَ وَمَعَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ فَجَلَسَ عَلَيْهِ وَدَعَا بِالْبَرَكَةِ ثُمَّ قَالَ " ادْعُ غُرَمَاءَكَ فَأَوْفِهِمْ ". قَالَ فَمَا تَرَكْتُ أَحَدًا لَهُ عَلَى أَبِي دَيْنٌ إِلاَّ قَضَيْتُهُ وَفَضَلَ لِي ثَلاَثَةَ عَشَرَ وَسْقًا فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَضَحِكَ وَقَالَ " ائْتِ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ فَأَخْبِرْهُمَا ذَلِكَ ". فَأَتَيْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُمَا فَقَالاَ قَدْ عَلِمْنَا إِذْ صَنَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَا صَنَعَ أَنَّهُ سَيَكُونُ ذَلِكَ.
Jabir bin `Abdullah Narrated from:
My father died owing debts. I offered to his creditors that they could take the fruits in lieu of what he owed them, but they refused as they thought that it would not cover the debt. I went to the Messenger of Allah and told him about that, he said: 'When you pick the dates and have put them in the Mirbad (place for drying dates), call me.'When I had picked the dates and put them in the Mirbad, I went to the Messenger of Allah and he came, accompanied by Abu Bakr and 'Umar. He sat on (the dates) and prayed for blessing. Then he said: 'Call your creditors and pay them off.' I did not leave anyone to whom my father owed anything but I paid him off, and I had thirteen Wasqs left over. I mentioned that to him and he smiled and said: 'Go to Abu Bakr and 'Umar and tell them about that.' So I went to Abu Bakr and 'Umar and told them about that, and they said: 'We knew, when the Messenger of Allah did what he did, that this would happen.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3640In-book reference : Book 30, Hadith 30English translation : Vol. 4, Book 30, Hadith 3670
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3640
This hadith about paying a deceased parent’s debt shows Jabir taking his father’s financial duty seriously. He first offered the harvested fruit to the creditors, but they did not think it would cover what was owed. Jabir then asked the Messenger of Allah for help. The Prophet told him to collect the dates, place them in the drying area, and call him. He came with Abu Bakr and Umar, sat by the dates, and prayed for blessing. Jabir then paid every creditor in full and still had thirteen Wasqs left. The account joins debt repayment, care for a parent’s obligations, and the blessing of the Prophet’s prayer. It also shows Jabir acting openly and carefully until every claim was settled.
What we learn from this hadith
- Take a deceased parent’s unpaid debts seriously and try to settle every valid claim.
- Seek sound help when available, while still doing the practical work needed to repay creditors.
- Pay each creditor fully rather than assuming that available property is too little.
- Recognize the blessing described in the hadith without turning it into a general promise for every case.
