14/11. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1219 — Sale of Mudabbar
What Has Been related About The Sale Of A Mudabbar
Mudabbar Sale Hadith: A Case of Remaining Wealth
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1219
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1219
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ دَبَّرَ غُلاَمًا لَهُ فَمَاتَ وَلَمْ يَتْرُكْ مَالاً غَيْرَهُ فَبَاعَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاشْتَرَاهُ نُعَيْمُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ النَّحَّامِ . قَالَ جَابِرٌ عَبْدًا قِبْطِيًّا مَاتَ عَامَ الأَوَّلِ فِي إِمَارَةِ ابْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ وَقَدْ رُوِيَ مِنْ غَيْرِ وَجْهٍ عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ . وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ عِنْدَ بَعْضِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَغَيْرِهِمْ لَمْ يَرَوْا بِبَيْعِ الْمُدَبَّرِ بَأْسًا . وَهُوَ قَوْلُ الشَّافِعِيِّ وَأَحْمَدَ وَإِسْحَاقَ . وَكَرِهَ قَوْمٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَغَيْرِهِمْ بَيْعَ الْمُدَبَّرِ . وَهُوَ قَوْلُ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ وَمَالِكٍ وَالأَوْزَاعِيِّ .
Jabir Narrated from:
A Man Among The Ansar Decided To Free A Slave Of His After His Death. He Died But He Left No Wealth Behind Beside The Slave. So The Prophet (ﷺ) Sold Him And Nu'Aim [Bin 'Abdullah] Bin An-Nah-Ham Bought Him. Jabir Said: "He Was Coptic Slave Who Died During The First Year Of The Leadership Of Ibn Az-Zubair."[Abu 'Eisa Said:] This Hadith Is Hasan Sahih And It Has Been Reported Through More Than One Route From Jabir Bin 'Abdullah. This Hadith Is Acted Upon According To Some Of The People Of Knowledge Among The Companions Of The Prophet (ﷺ) And Others. They Did Not See Any Harm In The Sale Of Mudabbar. This Is The View Of Ash-Shafi'I, Ahmad And Ishaq. There Are Those Among People Of Knowledge, Among The Companions Of The Prophet (ﷺ) And Others, Who Disliked Selling The Mudabbar. This Is The View Of Sufyan Ath-Thawri, Malik And Al-Awza'I.
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1219In-book reference : Book 14, Hadith 18English translation : Vol. 3, Book 12, Hadith 1219
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1219
This mudabbar sale hadith reports a specific case from Jabir. A man from the Ansar had decided that a slave would be free after his death. Then the man died and left no wealth except that slave. The Prophet sold him, and Nu'aim bin Abdullah bin An-Nahham bought him. Jabir also mentioned that the slave was Coptic and died during the first year of Ibn Az-Zubair’s leadership. The narration focuses on a real case where the deceased had no other wealth. The text also records that scholars differed about selling the mudabbar, so the explanation should avoid turning this short report into a broad ruling without qualification.
What we learn from this hadith
- The hadith reports a case where no wealth was left except the slave.
- The Prophet sold the slave in that case.
- Nu'aim bin Abdullah bin An-Nahham bought him.
- The narration includes later notes that scholars differed on this issue.
